If you’re a music lover who wants the finest sound possible when listening to music, you’ve probably experimented with equalization settings at some point. Take control of your audio by reducing the frequency ranges you don’t want to hear and increasing the ranges you want to hear sounds ideal for music fans.
When audio engineers mix music, they aim for it to sound well on any device and to any listener in any situation. Because everyone’s tastes are different, you can find some tracks to be excessively bright on some frequencies and too weak on others.
If you truly want to change the EQ while listening to music, it’s best to experiment with the equalizer settings only little to avoid altering the sound too much. Continue reading to know the best soundbar equalizer settings.
What Is The Best Soundbar Equalizer Settings?
What is the best soundbar equalizer settings?
The best soundbar equalizer settings is the one that doesn’t change anything. As a result, the best sound comes from a flat equalizer (all dials are set to zero) or a turned-off equalizer.
This is because tinkering with the equalizer alters the sound, making what you hear seem different from what the song was supposed to sound like. Before publishing a song, it is usually put through a thorough perfecting process, in which a mastering engineer modifies and fine-tunes the sound. Unless you have a compelling reason to do so, changing the EQ for recordings will almost certainly make them sound worse (for example, altering the sound to compensate for a very bad speaker system).
This problem is exacerbated by low-quality headphones and speakers, which are unable to handle all frequency ranges, resulting in muffled, cracked, or distorted sound.
However, this does not rule out the use of an equalization. Peaks and dips can be found in some sound systems and spaces, coloring and modifying the sound. These problems can be avoided with the use of an equalizer. Adjustments should, however, always be minor.
If you have a flat equalization and your speakers or headphones sound bad, you can adjust the dials to get a non-disturbing sound. To avoid hiss sounds, for example, you can lower the bass on a boomy car radio or lower the high-end frequencies on broken headphones.
Even without an equalization, high-quality speakers and headphones sound terrific. However, you can experiment with the frequency bands to accentuate the ranges that the music you’re listening to necessitates.
In this regard, the optimal equalization setting is the flat one. Depending on the room, sound system, and genre, minor modifications may be necessary.
What are the Different Frequency Ranges?
Different frequency ranges are present in each audio file. The low-frequency range, which is the bass, the mid-range, which is the range of human voices, and the high-frequency range, which is the treble, are the three categories in which these frequencies can be studied. Increase the low-end frequencies on your equalizer, for example, to get extra bass in a song.
Frequencies between 20 Hz and 20 000 Hz are detectable by human ears. As a result, the equalizers are built around this band. All of the frequencies between these boundaries, as previously stated, have various energies and feelings for humans.
You must first understand frequency ranges and their roles to achieve the best EQ settings.
20 Hz: This is known as the “deep bass” zone. It’s the lowest frequency that humans can sense. Hence it’s also the lowest on an equalizer. Kick drums and sub-bass sounds use this frequency range, but you’ll need a decent subwoofer to hear it well.
50 Hz: This location marks the beginning of the lower bass area. This band is used by the bass and kick drums, and standard speakers and earbuds can hear this range.
100 Hz: The mid-bass zone begins at the 100 Hz mark. Drums and the majority of bass instruments fall under this category.
200 Hz: The “woofing” sound of bass and drums is found in the upper bass range, which begins at 200 Hz. The bass tones of most instruments, such as pianos and guitars, are also present.
500 Hz: This is the beginning of the lower midrange. The range of vocals, guitars, pianos, and most other instruments’ lower-end notes.
1000 Hz: Most instruments, such as snare drums, guitars, pianos, and violins, operate in the center midrange.
2000 Hz: Most instruments and vocals are heard in the upper mid-range. Your instruments’ notes in the mid-to-high range are present here.
3000 Hz: This is the range of presence. It’s where guitars and violins’ higher notes live. Listening to a well-crafted song at this frequency can be rather fun, but it can also be irritating if the tune is poorly created.
5000 Hz: This is the start of the high-end frequencies. It’s the treble octave. This category includes percussion and piano synths with higher ranges.
10000 – 20000 Hz: The upper limit of human hearing is the extremely high-end range.
In this case, the best equalization is flat; the original recording can be listened to without any changes. However, modest adjustments may be required in rare circumstances. When specific ranges are highlighted, certain genres can sound better.
How To Optimize Your Equalizer Settings for the Best Sound
If you’re looking to learn how to utilize an equalizer, you’re probably already an audiophile or on your way to becoming one. Using an equalizer to get the finest sound out of your music, whether it’s music you made or an album you just bought, is a terrific method to get the most out of it.
Start by lowering the level on frequencies that feel piercing, startling, or otherwise overly loud to adjust your equalizer settings for the optimum sound. Then, for the entire set, increase the volume. You can also follow the advice of sound engineers who create presets for you.
Why Do You Need an Equalizer When You’re Mixing Audio?
Why Do You Need an Equalizer When You’re Mixing Audio?
An equalization adjusts the frequency of sounds to hide or accentuate them. Cuts or boosts are the two types of gains that you can use.
Cuts lower the volume of a given frequency at a specific point in time, whereas a boost raises it. The smoothing effect of an equalizer is achieved by resolving the jagged spots on a soundwave into a tidy curve.
When Should You Use an Equalizer?
When should you use an equalizer?
A recorded sound may require correction for various reasons, whether permanent or temporary. The human ear can only hear frequencies between 20 and 20,000 Hz; thus, sounds that fall outside that range sound weaker than they are. As a result, those outer limits may need to be boosted now and then.
When playing audio, an equalizer also helps you adjust for room size variances and acoustics.
Originally, they were employed to “equalize” the sounds in live settings that lacked acoustics. Because the environment in which audio is performed significantly impacts whether you hear the bass, midrange, or treble more prominently, equalizers are still used in live events.
There are various other reasons why you might require an equalization for your car audio system. You can’t modify your speakers here, and you don’t have much control over how sound travels. Using an equalizer to cut or increase certain frequencies is your best bet. Although some cars come equipped with equalization, you may also purchase one aftermarket.
An equalizer balances different frequencies and other sound signals to ensure that no sounds are lost during compression or masking by other sounds. High or low notes may be cut out or drowned out by more dominating sounds if you don’t use an equalization.
Equalizers also highlight the sounds you want to emphasize. For example, if you want to achieve a powerful bass impression, make the high notes punchier.
Will A Soundbar Improve Sound Quality Over TV Speakers?
Will a soundbar improve sound quality over TV speakers?
The easy answer is, Yes! The speakers included into today’s televisions are far superior to those found in televisions just five years ago. They do, however, leave a lot to be desired. One of the main reasons soundbars are so popular is that they improve sound quality.
Soundbars, which are less expensive and handier than standard surround sound, go beyond the capabilities of your television to provide high-quality sound. They are often simple in design and may be mounted on a wall or placed on your entertainment center without taking up a lot of room.
If you want to improve your cinematic experience, you may spend a lot of money on a home theater setup.
However, a soundbar provides many of the same benefits without breaking the bank to do so. Very high-end soundbars are frequently used in these settings if you decide to invest in a full home theater system.
Best Equalizers For a Soundbar
1. dbx 131s Single Channel 31-Band Equalizer
Whereas the entry-level Behringer device only has nine frequency bands, the dbx 131s (or its bigger brother, the dual-channel 231s) has 31 bands, allowing for more fine-tuning.
Depending on your demands, that range may be overkill, but we believe it’s worth the extra for the added versatility, which allows you to sculpt frequencies with even more precision.
The 131s, which has a switchable boost/cut range of 6 dB or 12 dB, has a basic design and construction that makes it easy to use.
Pros:
- Durable
- It has a solid center-click for its controls.
Cons:
- If you want a more professional setup with more options, the dbx 231s is a good choice.
2. Behringer MiniFBQ FBQ800 9-Band Graphic Equalizer
Behringer has produced a wide range of audio equipment since its inception in 1989, including microphones, audio interfaces, and amplifiers. Following in their footsteps is the MiniFBQ gadget.
Nine frequency bands, six-segment LED input/output meters, and a feedback detection mechanism that detects danger-zone frequencies are all included in this machine. A low-cut filter is also included to help eliminate potentially damaging frequencies in the studio or on stage (like the rumble of floor toms on a drum set).
It’s the most portable option on our list, being approximately 9.5 inches wide and great for transporting to the studio or a live performance. For newbies, it’s also a simple unit to get started with.
Pros:
- Extremely adaptable.
- Compact.
Cons:
- Some claim that LED effects are sporadic.
Conclusions
So there you have it. There are numerous more settings you can experiment with to improve the sound quality of your music device. In general, you can start with any of those settings and adjust them as needed.
Make sure you listen to music while adjusting your equalizer since you’ll notice a difference right away when you apply the modifications. From there, you can adjust each frequency range to hear what sounds best for you, because, as we’ve previously stated, music is subjective, and what sounds best for you may not be the greatest for your friends.
Also, bear in mind that your speakers are a critical component. To get the most out of an equalizer, you’ll need a strong speaker arrangement, such as a soundbar or surround sound setup, or at the very least a nice pair of headphones. You’ll get cracks and audio distortion if you try to enhance some frequencies in a cheap laptop with integrated speakers.