What happened to audio equalizers?

i love my equilizer. some folks dont like it. its all subjective. there is no perfect way or rule to listen to any music.. if u love what u hear, then who's laughing?

Audiophiles used equalizers, when they were young; now they are rich, but old, and they are not able to go far to their dedicated system to adjust sound, better to sit down and relax. I use Sansui equalizer, other manufacturers from the past add too much noise to the sound (like Urei); from modern equalizers I have used only Dbx, but it's very bad sounding device. There will be times, when equalizers return to music systems, like vacuum tubes returned

I use EQUALIZER APO in my computer. No need for external equalizer.

just imagine a TV set WITHOUT color, brightness, contrast, controls..and they say thats the perfect picture you must not alter it in any way...what would you say??

In the sixties, I only remember having bass & treble tone controls. Which hinge at a specific frequency.
Not until the '70's a HK Citation 11 pre-amp with a 5 band equalizer, I had. And today dsp is basically EQ. Auto EQ in AVRs, so there is still EQ. Although, in my analog only section (TT - pre-amp) of my system, I have zero EQ.

There are different EQ schematics; there are Phasing issues and other timing issues as well as colouring - Now, in a well built implemented EQ those are less of a problem, you can today have a totally linear and transparent EQ.
One of the best early implementation is the Baxandall EQ with its pleasing sound and the way it goes about adjusting tone minimizes phase delay.

So That is why some 'purists' didn't want to use e.g. parametric eq's as they coloured the sound to much and not in a good way.
That is my take on it anyway...

I used equalization 1970's - 1988 then got away from any tone controls til early 2000's , and then only a couple db in the low end primarily because of the open air headphones lack a little 30 hertz . When listening to the Polk's I bypass all of it even though my room acoustics suck. I miss the the amps and pre-amps I had over the years , but unfortunately only survivors was a Kenwood power amp and pre-amp and 1 Sony receiver. I have a Sansui 9090db I'm working on , though it's a can of worms I've gotten into with it.

Equalizers are very useful with otherwise high-quality speakers that have quirky or otherwise deficient frequency response curves. I has a pair of small 1970s Japanese speakers that were wonderfully efficient and revealed lot of exquisite detail, but they had bass response the fell off steeply below 50 Hz (6 1/2" woofers in ported boxes tend to) and a couple of spikey upper midrange peaks that my eight-band graphic EQ corrected perfectly. Thanks to their efficiency and plenty of available amp power, the results were excellent -- I wish I still had that setup now that I've downsized to apartment living, but I suppose a pair of small 21st century speakers with their flatter response curves could achieve similar results without resorting to EQ, specially since reasonably-priced small subwoofers to extend the low end are available nowadays.

What you talking about don’t recording studios use eq

Years ago when Pink Floyd first brought out "Dark Side of the Moon" I had the opportunity to hear it not in Stereo but in Quadrophonic in a Specially built sound unit in Earls Court, London, England. (In case you're curious, yes I'm English). The sound was amazing. Since then I grew accustomed to listening to MY music thru decent, but not over expensive sound systems. They've all had Equalizers so I can adjust the tracks to MY hearing! Everyone's hearing has slight differences that cannot be detected unless done by professionals with expert equipment, ie. Sound and/or Medical Specialists. My last System was a Kenwood system consisting of Record and Cassette decks, 3 CD disc player, Amplifier and Graphic Equalizer, programmable via remote control, plus 2 extra "surround speakers" that are sooo good I still have them 28 years later. Sadly I had to sell the Kenwood system as I broke my back and had to return home from the Middle East! Now that I can afford something similar, I won't be buying as they ain't got Equalizers! I'm now the wrong side of 60 and my hearing isn't as it used to be and sounds from music, I feel, need a little bit of adjustment so MY ears get the BEST sounds from the music. Much of my music sounds like there's something "missing." But I and others in my situation can't have that choice cos the manufacturers don't do Equalizers any more! I hope they ALL experience what many of their customers are having to! Actually I won't be buying from ANY of them until they bring back Equalizers! I'd rather buy an old system from a car boot or garage sale, refurbish it myself and be able to use the GRAPHIC EQUALIZER !!

I thought the purpose of an equalizer - and let's isolate the discussion to the ubiquitous graphic equalizer - was NOT to use as tone controls or shortcomings of speakers BUT to use them to compensate for a less than perfect listening rooms be it an auditorium, outdoor arena, or your home.

You often have control over the equipment you select but the room dynamics is often less than perfect unless you happen to be fortunate to be affluent, the CEO of PS Audio, or both (wink, wink), and have a custom tailored listening room or theater!

Also, as Paul McGowan eluded to, many recordings are less than optimal. Forget just vintage recordings, even with modern studio recordings one is held hostage to what the artist and recording engineer believed sounded "good" to them. But, their definition of good may differ from mine since canned music is often so augmented with studio wizardry.

We can talk about the audiophile goal of reproducing music as accurately as it was recorded but what if that recording sucked? Why should I be held hostage to it? Why should I have a system (aka straight wire with gain) that accurately reproduces a poor recording and no means to alter it?

I think the audiophile goal is a personal and subjective one. It is to reproduce music in the most pleasurable way to the individual and if that means giving a frequency boost here are there then I say bring on the equalizer.

The big problem is that using an equalizer is not easy. It is part science, a lot of skill, and a bit magic.

I want an equalizer because I want to hear the sound the way I want to hear it. With lower bass!!! It should be up to me!!!

I do not agree with this answer. Even if you have the perfect recording and the perfect speakers, you are probably not going to have the best room, sound interactions with a room can create peaks and valleys in your room, and having an equalizer to be able to compensate for those issues is extremely helpful. It is through EQ and other filters that room correction software makes your system sound right.

Alive and well in my systems. Admittedly, usually bypassed unless the source is lame.

I have an EQ ADC soundshaper and it sounds awesome! It helps with speakers that are. "Bright" and speakers that are "boomy"

how to connect an equalizer to my mcintosh ma 5300 amplifier ,? pls thankyou

Sir, thanks for the video. But what about the individuality of our EARS! What you hear and what I hear aren't EXACTLY the same. The EQ allowed us to sort musical output to our own auditory requirements. I'm now in my sixties and my hearing, though OK, it ain't what it used to be. Manufacturers have taken away our right to hear music how WE want to hear it, regardless of the evolutionary scientific breakthroughs in our listening devices! Bring back the EQ and allow us, the buyers to make our own decisions on how we listen to music! I won't be purchasing Anything new that doesn't have a EQ system so I'll have to go find something at a "Car Boot Sale"!

A controversial topic, it seems.

Hi paul, i dont agree, wold you agree with me if told you somethink like "todays family saloon is fast enouf so we dont need supercars", nonses, eweryone wants to have fun, i like my music not same sounding as you like, or as a guy at recording studio, maybe i dont even want to know how at the recording studio i ment to sound, i want it sound as i like it to sound. Today we have speakers capable to reproduse original studio recordings as they ment to sound, thats great, but maybe i want more 125hz punchy base, or bone shaking 60hz, or clearer mids, or maybe higths too low for my taste, maybe there is peoples who have hearing problems in one ear thats afects not only sound level but clearity ir some sounds so he wants to make sound nice for him. Reasons to have equalizee is many, but reason not to have is only one and said it, well i have eq, it has defeat button, well maybe im weard but like music much more with eq on, so its on and i recomend it for eweryone, they are not that ekspensive, if you dont like it you trow it away, but not to try because it is not rigt by audiofiliac is simply stupid

many audio industrial ppl dont recommend customer use EQ is because they want customer keep spending money to change their device
i use EQ so many year
it really help me tune my audio system to the sound i like without need spend more money to change expensive cable or upgrade my $300k system
believe on your ear
dont trust those seller
they just hope you spend more

Paul, I am not sure I agree entirely with you...granted most gear, vinyl, cassettes, in 60-80s needed some help, i.e. equalization.....since the speakers, preamps and amps that were acceptable sounding as is....top end audiophile grade were priced out of our reach. Agreed, the tech in amps, preamps and speakers is more forgiving, needing less or no equalization...but...as u noted...room acoustics are a major factor, often forgotten or overlooked....and no matter what stellar audio gear u use...room acoustics often need help via equalization, either by tone controls, loudness settings, or equalization. But not to be overlooked, there are great speakers that may be lean on the bass, maybe recessed mids/vocals, or treble does not sparkle....that either software based equalization apps on a DAP, preprocessor, or even the rather interesting Schitt Tone Control box...can tailor or tweak the sound the way YOU ....want to hear it. Sure audio engineering skills, tech, audio gear is light years better in some ways (not all....some old gear....just sounds good with a little TLC for many years), but to even have the OPTION...to equalize or modify the original music ....to simply add to enjoyment of music, why not!?....I had several equalizers over the years in my home, car, den, etc...some add noise...but there were a few stellar models...IMO equalizers have been a MUST WITH IEMS and headphones, even w audiophile DAP, DACS, AMPS....it is a more personal listening experience, no room acoustics issues...FYI i am a bit of a purist in my home audio gear without equalization...i do have one on my deck audio system, and on DAPS, IEMS....i dabble w equalization apps, rolloff filters....kinda my quest for audio Nirvana i think....lol.

I love my equalizers. Makes a great improvement to my system. The reason sound system companies hate them is because you adjust your system to your taste instead of buying cables, new equipment or sound control panels.

100% not agreeing with that explanation. I am almost 60 years old, have 2000 recordings, and I can't believe you say today's recordings sounds better!  Please compare Supertramps' Crissis What Crissis with Imagine Dragons cds ?  Now, how can you hear J.T.'s  Aqualung WITHOUT an equalizer? Or by your answer, I should not listen it anymore? Equilizers HELP adjust to ones particular ear . That should be an option for the consumer.  Hey, recordings are not a product of Mother Nature… it is somebody's else's concept or point of view on how it should sound (imposition). So I should be able to adjust to "my liking". THat is sacred.

Paul doesn’t know what he’s talking about, by an equalizer you will love it.

In My case i have a great amplifier but it doesn't have an equalizer. I need one so I can turn down the bass cuz my sub kicks too hard and i wanna install a bigger one.

One complicated piece of equipment I'm glad is not a necissity. Never liked them, didn't understand them. Just give me Bass, Midrange, and Treble control.👍

I've owned a sony la scala for about two years before i had an equaliser and it sounded fine, come yesterday i had a technics SH-8045 gifted and it made my setup sound alot better than it did. If anyone has a stereo with the facility for an equaliser, use it!

I like EQs. Especially graphic EQs. I like to be able isolate certain bands and boost or cut them. Not all speakers are perfect but you can sure as hell get them close with a graphic EQ.

When i get older loosing my ears..... Yes we really need a good EQ. Full pesception of maximum sound range is at age 10, after all goes down . Walkmann, Concert , noisy job ,playing and listening music all change our perception and music taste all years. What sound makes great is more what remind in our head than what we really hear. As musician , sound depends so much where you are playing the music. So for me Hifi is only music without added distortion from amp or speaker . EQ and DSP is juste a way to change the sound to what you like .

Music with equalizer gave good sound now without amp do not give nice sound unless you have high end stereo

the best Hi-Fi Pre-amp in my view is the McIntosh C53, largely because it comes with an amazing analog 8-band EQ...

I am sorry i do not agree with you this time

Wouldn't it be swell not to need audio compensation. The need for an EQ exists today because in spite of your (our) expensive "high tech" components room dynamics can drastically affect sound. And speakers (whole systems) perform differently from room to room. Money for room sound treatment is great, at least till you change listening rooms. A quality EQ usually adds less than 0.02% THD/IM and is way cheaper than turning all your present/future listening rooms into anechoic chambers. And similar to Mr. Sanders below, I'm a 70 year old with some hearing issues. Usually I agree with you, respectfully, not on this issue.

Equalizers are a very good tool to solve some room problems when you can't do it with acoustic treatment. Have to be measurement with a mic and corrected specific frequency not random equalizer setting like a smile. Today digital Pre-amps and Amps that would be a good ideia to have when is needed if not just bypass and all in digital domain. It's the the purest playback we want and to be the purest we have do something. The recordings have equalizer to be true to the source!

I dont really give a damn on what my purist friend say whenever they see the sansui compu equalizer on my system. They always tell me to remove it because it colors the sound. I love colors, if it will give colors then it will stay in my system

What if your speaker's performance measurements have certain deficiencies, should you EQ a little bit to help flatten the response?

If you get the best recording but would want to hear a little more base, how would you do it, the systems now don't have that control?

The shorter answer would be that EQ's have evolved into DSP's . The 2k slider on my EQ comes in handy when listening on YT and low bit-rate net radio.

I wish I had a graphic equalizer in my Ipod-speaker system. I don't know how to hook it up anyway lol I have some recordings that need to be improved, recordings that I havent been able to find in their pristine way in vinyls or any other form, just donwloaded them from the internet. Others in which the voice of the singer for example have too much echo, or need to diminish some other details if possible.

The 2ks hit and that is when people started getting into sleek ultra modern minimalism

Noisey and introduce distortion like crazy

I remember my car system with equaliser, fond memories of all those coloured lights bouncing to my favourite tracks 😢

I ask myself why the eq has virtually disappeared on nearly a daily basis. It's almost like a bunch of guys got together in a room back in the 90s and asked, "Hey, what's the most popular and most highly coveted piece of every teenager's rack system?" In unison, everyone replied, "Hands down, the equalizer. They love the lights." "Okay then, let's get rid of that part." What a shame. The lights were the best part.

Now you can just download an equalizer on your phone And it works the same if not better than a physical equalizer

I use a DBX 231 in my set up.