cyamamot@castor.usc.edu (Cliff Yamamoto) (09/21/89)
Greetings! I would like some opinions from those who have used parametric equalizers before or who know about active filters. I have a parametric equalizer which I've adjusted using a RTA for my stereo. It sounds quite good but it still nags me to know that I may be causing it to sound worse due to inappropriate adjustment. What I'd like to know is: what actions to a parametric equalizer (i.e. active filter) cause the most phase shift? Is it better to have a hi Q and low boost (i.e. gain) or is it better to have a low Q and hi boost? Should I try to get by with the lowest Q possible? I know a hi Q setting (like Q=10.0) causes the eq to make pink noise sound as though it were in a wind tunnel; there is a unnatural "hollow" noise. Knowing that a hi boost and hi Q cause it to sound unnatural, I try to keep all my Q's and boosts/cuts as minimal as possible. Is this right? My actual scenerio is this: I have to cut -15dB at 800Hz because of some unusual resonance. Even with a Q=10.0 it brings down 1.2Khz and 400Hz by -6dB even though I don't need it to. On top of that, a -15dB cut with Q=10.0 makes it sound lousy. Should I widen the Q and cut by -9dB at 800Hz and boost everything below 400Hz and everything above 1.2Khz by +3dB? It seems you could spend hours with a parametric eq, even with a RTA!! Thanks for any assistance Cliff Yamamoto