What is the best Equalizer setting for high sound?

What is an EQ and why is it useful?

An equalizer (or ‘EQ’) is a filter that adjusts the balance of frequencies in an audio signal. Equalizers give you a way to fine tune your sound to your taste by boosting or reducing the volume of different frequency bands, such as low (bass), mid (vocal), and high (treble) frequencies. The purpose of an EQ is to improve sound quality to better suit your speakers, headphones, or audio preferences so that it sounds more clear, balanced, and natural to your ears.

Understand Speaker Frequency Range

Most consumer sound systems and speakers are designed to reproduce frequencies in the range of about 90 Hz to 16-20 kHz, which corresponds to the normal hearing range of most humans (Reddit). Higher and lower frequencies outside this range typically cannot be reproduced accurately on common equipment.

Trying to play back frequencies above or below this optimal range may result in distortion, lack of audible sound, or damage to speakers. It’s important to understand the practical frequency limitations of one’s audio gear when adjusting equalizer settings or analyzing sound quality issues.

Set Overall Volume First

Before adjusting any equalizer settings, it’s essential to first get your overall listening volume to an optimal level. The perceived frequency balance can change dramatically depending on volume. What sounds balanced at a low volume may become bass heavy or treble sharp at higher volumes. Setting the overall volume correctly from the start allows you to better judge what EQ adjustments are needed.

Start by setting your system volume to a moderate level. The ideal listening volume will allow you to hear all the details in the music, without having to strain. It should be at a level you could comfortably listen to for extended periods. Once you’ve set your baseline volume, avoid touching the master volume level again before EQing. Work on smoothing out frequency imbalances through EQ adjustments only. This approach prevents you from having to constantly tweak the overall volume each time you make an EQ change.

Getting the overall loudness right is crucial for identifying where EQ boosts or cuts are needed. The proper volume gives your ears a balanced perspective, so you can tune the sound more accurately.

Reduce Low Frequencies

Reducing low frequencies between 200-400 Hz can help clean up muddiness in the mix and increase clarity, according to Tips For Getting a Well Balanced Low-End. The low end can easily become cluttered, resulting in a lack of punch and definition. Carefully attenuating frequencies around 300 Hz by a few dB can tighten up a muddy low end. It’s also important not to over-compress the bass and kick or compress them together too aggressively as this can accentuate boominess. Use EQ first before reaching for the compressor.

However, take care not to cut too much, as you still want a solid low end foundation. The key is balance. Listen across different monitoring systems to make sure you haven’t thinned things out too drastically. Some bass boost around 80-100 Hz can help give the illusion of low end if you’ve had to reduce mud significantly. Trust your ears and don’t overdo low cutting – subtlety goes a long way here.

Slight Boost to Highs

A slight boost to the high frequency range of the equalizer, anywhere from 8kHz to 16kHz, can help add clarity and sparkle to the sound. As explained by this Digital Trends article, “Raising or decreasing the level at the lower end of this register can help bring some vibrancy and clarity, adding a tighter attack and a more definitive decay.” By subtly boosting the highs by 1-3dB in this upper treble range, the sound will have enhanced brilliance and shimmer. It may also help reveal details in the audio that were previously obscured, giving a more “open” or “airy” quality to the tune. However, take care not to boost the highs too much, as this can lead to ear fatigue and even pain. Go incrementally with small 1dB boosts, listening carefully for increased clarity and avoid harshness.

Find and Reduce Resonant Peaks

Room acoustics can lead to build-up of resonant frequencies that appear as peaks on an equalizer. You can find the resonances using a broadband signal with lots of frequencies like pink noise or white noise. As you play the noise through the speakers, listen for peaks in the sound where certain frequencies seem overly loud or dominant. You can pinpoint these problem frequencies using a sweep tone that slides up and down the spectrum over time. Once you find a resonant peak, reduce it very carefully by about 3dB on the equalizer. Take care not to cut a peak too much or other parts of the sound will feel hollow. Repeat to address any other peaks you find. This will clean up muddy sound and help provide a flatter, more balanced frequency response overall. For more information on finding resonant peaks, see these helpful references:

• https://mixingmonster.com/what-are-resonant-peaks/
• https://audioservices.studio/blog/eqing-resonant-frequencies

Listen at Moderate Volume

Adjusting the equalizer setting while listening at moderate volumes typical of day-to-day listening ensures that the adjustments suit your normal listening habits. As this source explains, the human ear hears sounds differently at higher or lower volumes. Listening to excessively loud volumes for extended periods can also damage long-term hearing.

The ears perceive bass and treble frequencies differently depending on amplitude or loudness. Boosting treble significantly while listening to loud music may translate into shrill, piercing highs at lower moderate volumes. Conversely, the opposite effect applies to bass frequencies – boosted low end could sound muddy or undefined when loud music is turned down.

By tuning the equalizer to match your typical moderate levels, you set up the sound profile that you will experience most often – balanced, clear sound for day-to-day enjoyment. This avoids needing constant adjustment of equalizer settings for different volumes. It also protects hearing health by avoiding excessive and unnecessary boosts in frequency ranges to compensate for loud volumes.

Use High Quality Source

Trying to get great sound out of highly compressed audio will be difficult. Compressed audio files like MP3s or lower bitrate streaming audio essentially discard some of the audio information from the original recording. This can make it harder to get clean, detailed sound regardless of your equalizer settings.

Instead, try using lossless or high-bitrate audio files from services like Tidal, Apple Music, or Amazon Music HD that offer CD-quality streaming. You can also source 24-bit/192kHz high resolution audio files. These formats preserve more of the fullness and detail from the original studio master recordings.

Giving your equalizer more complete audio data to work with will allow you to shape the frequency response better and achieve clearer, more natural sound compared to highly compressed audio. So when setting your equalizer, be sure to use the highest quality audio source you have access to in order to get the most out of your efforts.

Consider Room Acoustics

The shape and size of your room will impact how music sounds and where audio problems may occur due to resonances and standing waves. Hard, flat surfaces tend to reflect sound and emphasize resonances, while softer or irregular shaped surfaces help absorb and diffuse sound (Jeffries).

Room EQ is often necessary to compensate for room acoustics. For example, a long room with parallel walls will tend to accentuate lower frequencies, requiring EQ cuts to tame boomy bass and muddy sound. Whereas an irregular L-shaped or round room may lack low frequency energy, requiring a slight EQ boost to lows (Baker).

When possible, position speakers and seating to avoid problems like corner bass build-up or listening in an acoustic “null.” Use room treatments (absorbing panels, bass traps) to minimize reflections and resonances. But also rely on EQ as needed for a balanced, clear sound.

Experiment and Trust Your Ears

There is no universally agreed-upon “perfect” equalizer setting that works for everyone. The best approach is to experiment with different settings yourself and trust your ears to find what sounds best to you.

Start by setting all frequencies to a neutral 0dB level. Then make incremental boosts or cuts to specific frequency ranges while listening to music. Pay attention to how it changes the sound. For example, slight boosts around 2-5kHz can increase vocal clarity for some recordings.

Keep tweaking the settings and listening across different genres of music to get a feel for how you prefer the sound. Take breaks periodically to avoid ear fatigue. There may be tradeoffs, like more bass thump but less clear vocals. Find the right balance for your taste and listening environment.[1]

Trust your ears over any “ideal” preset. With experience, you will develop an intuitive sense of which equalizer adjustments work best for you. Allow your personal preferences to guide the way rather than adhering strictly to recommendations.