Should You EQ Your Speakers?
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- Опубліковано 7 січ 2020
- Should you use your speakers' built-in EQ? Is it worthwhile to get speaker correction system for your studio? Justin Colletti offers some ideas and key principles for applying EQ to your speaker and room.
Thanks to KRK for sponsoring this 3-part series. Check them out at krksys.com.
See the other parts in this series here:
• Studio Speaker Placeme...
• Guide to Acoustic Trea...
Wow! This series was really useful. Thx, man!
I have a, Rane pink noise generator and a very nice, Rane 31 band stereo eq.. I've done this a few times when I was in a bad environment.. Going to try it out again now. Thanks!
AMAZING stuff! I fell really confident now to build my own setup. Thank you for your expertise.
Fantastic series, thanks a lot!
Perfect timing on this video! I was just asking myself this question! Thanks Justin! [insert more exclamation marks here]
Yes, another great video, thanks Justin!
I'm happy user of Sonarworks for more than 4 years now (firstly used headphone correction, then also speaker and room correction).
And it helps A lot!
But there are limits to everything it cannot obviously replace acoustic treatment because it solves only frequency response problems and not resonant room reverb decay times. I also find that it does sound the best when it does not exceed range of 6db correction (mainly when boosting bass frequencies) because it creates some phase shifting and also takes up some speaker headroom.
So just like you said, get the room right, get best speakers for your room, place it accordingly and use Sonarworks to do the finetuning, because even when you do the A/B test and Sonarworks do like +-3db of frequency correction, the difference is quite huge!
Great comment Daniel, thanks. Yes, there is a lot that EQ can’t do. It really is the icing on the cake. At the same time, it can do some things that speaker selection and room treatment can’t. But those other two are important to get right *first* I think.
Great series!
Really Good information. Thank you sir.
Grateful to have discovered this
LOL Thanks for answering this here, Very cool.
Excellent Thanks
Thanks for this I just got Krk 5's today and my mix's sounded a bit boomy. I have only recorded with headphones up till now.
Hey Justin great information thanks alot! I have a bit of a dilemma my computer monitors are slightly in the way of the speakers behind them, the tweeters are ok but the woofer is in the line of sight. My room is very small so moving the speakers nearer the wall may bring them within 20%. I was thinking of arranging my workstation table long ways in stead of side ways to get round the issue. Of course i am keen on using two computer monitors but I know i could just use one in the centre. Any suggestions? Many thanks
Great video but I couldn't find any limitations with sonarworks and multiple sets of monitors when using cubase. Just put the SW curve on the insert in control room for each set. Switch between them via control room.
Thank you :)
I hired a fella he used smaart v 8.5 an audio Interface hd 202 and a kateluo km-2 calibration mic connected to his mac laptop and output reference to my system. He measured each channel making an eq setting.to each channel separately. Cinema and music sounds fantastic. Mind blown and worth it.
Great podcast Justin!!! thanks a lot for all the info that you are sahring with this talented community!!!
Just one question about the name of the cellphone program.
And also if is possible to make a video about mixing music for performing arts (really dif in my opinion to the stereo final CD style of work)
Regards from barcelona
The app is called KRK Audio Tools.
Great question! Thanks for the episode request.
I thought I had everything dialed in with great speakers and acoustic treatment. Still I struggled with low mids in my mixes. I bought Sonarworks and it has changed everything. I now don't even feel a need to do a car double check on mixes. What I hear is finally accurate. Great video Justin!
Great to hear! You are not alone in that. Thanks for the comment!
Same here
I had a similar experience but from the other direction. I had great speakers, Dynaudio, and good electronic room/spkr correction (dbx DriveRack then ARC 2.5/Sonarworks) but the lows below 150Hz were just indistinct mud. Acoustic treatment made some kind of magic happen in my system.
@@rb032682 it's due to the waveform decay being way too long on the low end. It's caused from bass reflex systems/ported enclosures. Sound treatment probably stopped the standing waves from bass/low end in their tracks
I don't understand what kind of cables are needed for the eq metering. are there apple thunderbolt to xlr cables?
Thank you for the explanations ! If you have a minute i have questions concerning the krk audio app. I don't mean to diss, i just bought those monitors actually (this is why i'm here^^), i just genuinely ask. I think using a phone mic can't be good for correctional EQ...
You haven't got the mic frequency response, and that must be a problem if you want to calibrate anything, no ? I use the voice recorder app sometimes to remember melodies that come up, and it doesn't sound good !
And during calls, i noticed there is some kind of noise gate occurring, that would make sense to reduce background noises and improve intelligibility.
Using it for placement (volume, angles), yes i will do this, but for the EQ, unless you learn me smthg i don't know that will validate the use of the phone mic... You really think i should use it ? I know you say "yes" in this video, but really ?
Otherwise i will certainly go for the sonarworks reference 4 ... One day... Or just get used to my setup :)
Would the KRK Rokits G4 be worth the money to upgrade from G3 if you using Sonarworks?
Hey Justin! Any opinion on cheap Auto-EQ package as Behringer DSP 8000 + Measurment mic ? 200$ as whole package. Mind you, whole studio is made of each piece being sub 200$. Or just use measurement mic and Room EQ Wizard (free software) to analyze reverb times/problematic frequencies and get acoustic treatment done? Hardware solution seems a bit more robust option somehow. Just bring your rack to the field and you get ok mixing space? Seems to good to be true
So my studio is very big right now it’s in a 2 car garage and haven’t put any walls up just open. Is that good or bad? Should I be in a hurry to get some walls up to make a room for mixing or is it ok the way it is for now?
I have a problem. I've got the rokit 5 g4 and the krk s8.4. I have a small room, so to get the best sound im using the KRK app to get the best preset reccomendations for the EQ settings. The ting is that i dont know if the app takes the subwovers into considerations while analizing. I get different recomendations when i bypass the sub compared with the sub on. I dont think the sub is influenced by the EQ settings. so how do i set up the EQ setting the right way with a sub?
Greetings from the Netherlands.
Great information Justin. So helpful. Unfortunately, my studio area is literally 5ft by 5ft. Don’t have the room for speakers. So I’ve been using Sennheiser HD 700 headphones for mixing. Are there other headphones that you could recommend that would be the best for mixing? :)
I really like the Blue Mix-Fis/Lolas. Nothing is better for low end in headphones in that price range. I also think the new Neumanns are amazing, and the high end Shures are great too, but very similar to the Sennheisers.
@@SonicScoop Justin, really means a lot to me that you would reply so quickly and give me some avenues to pursue. Thank you so much :)
I have my interface secondary 3/4 outputs channeled through a mini-mixer and EQued, then plugged into secondary inputs of the monitors. That way I can switch between Main 1/2 outputs(plugged to main monitor xlr inputs) and 3/4outputs efficiently. The EQs on monitors are actually limiting, it's best to get a mixer and use it as a secondary module.
my krk g2 5" don't have the bells and whistles, can I Use an out board mixer for eqing? The 5" ARE BASS heavy...
This guy looks like he should be teaching Salsa
My thoughts exactly...😂😂😂
😂😂😂
Spoiler alert: he's a sound engineer at a dance hall in Cuba 😅
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Pl suggest how to set EQ in yamaha AV Receiver. There are PEQ and GEQ with some bands. Pl suggest it should keep off or not. What r difference between abv both EQ.
Well, Trinnov also corrects the time domain of the system, as does Dirac Live, Acourate, etc. Sonarworks doesn't do that. In my opinion, correcting the phase response is mandatory when pursuing a true reference playback. But it might not be necessary for creating a great sounding mix, of course.
You’re right that there are a couple more differences with some of the highest end options than what I mentioned in the video, and if I could go back I’d go into a little more detail. It would add in a few minutes and only be relevant to a very small number of viewers, but it would have made my remarks on this even more complete. Thanks for the comment!
Can we use krk app on lsr305??
Justin, can you do a vídeo speaking about the perfect size of the sepakers for a particular Room. Why they have só many studio monitor sizes
Great idea, thanks. We'll see what we can do!
@@SonicScoop thank you, for all the knowloge you teatche us.
One question can the cable used be any Chinese 2 $ stereo 3.5 cable with 2 1/4 mono output?
Is there any free software to eq studio monitors that doesn't require microphone? GIGABYTE has an amazing eq that comes with motherboard drivers but it can only be used when speakers are connected to motherboad audio ports. Something like that would be awesome. EDIT: found it - Equlizer APO. That thing is just perfect.
Hi! I love the idea behind the KRK app. But... wouldn't it depend on the mic of your smartphone? Thanks!
Fortunately, on iPhones and iPads, the frequency response of the mic in each model is known, so the app can account for this in making EQ recommendations.
For Android devices, it’s a little trickier, but with how far modern electret condensers have come, it’s likely that the frequency response of your room is much further off than even a tiny phone mic of reasonably quality.
That said, something like the KRK app is really for making the kinds of fairly broad recommendations that an onboard EQ can handle.
For more precise corrective EQing that goes beyond what is built into most speakers, you definitely want a decent measurement mic, and preferably one of the more modern software solutions like the ones mentioned in the video.
@@JustinColletti thanks for the reply!
Hey wondering about headphones. I have some blue lolas which you say give amazing bass information, if i sonar works then to be flat would that be better or should the blues bass boost be left on to help give me a certain perspective? Thanks always!
That is a totally personal choice and something to try both ways. For the way I hear things, I like my Blue Mix-Fi just the way they are with no EQ. I find they lead me in the right direction right out of the box, which is why I like them so much.
If you charted them would they be a little darker and with more weight on the bottom than perfectly flat? Maybe. But I find that darker headphones keep me from pushing things too dark and bass rich, which I might be inclined to do otherwise.
Maybe that will work for you too...or maybe you have the exact opposite problem! But it’s worth a try both ways to know what works for you.
What I can tell you is that I get great results with them without EQing them, and have been using them that way so long that I wouldn’t want to relearn them with an EQ!
As always your best bet is to try some things and see what works best for your ears, tastes and approach.
Hope that helps Ritchie!
-Justin
Justin you are literal always the best! Thanks.
KRK is one of the hands down best all rounders. They are like the swiss army knife of studio monitors. For the price you're getting, it's very generous. You can use them for mixing and mastering or playing live gigs (add a sub, and you have a rave. Their subs are nuckin futs). If you are a total beginner and you want to both party and make masterpieces, KRK is the way.
Thanks for that helpful video! I want to ask tho, what can i do in a really small room when monitors are near to the wall (not so much tho) and only way you can hear all the bass, all the low frequency is to stand really near to the rear wall. It's just impossible to hear them when you are sitting in front of the speakers itself. how can i solve that to hear that low fr when i'm sitting normally at desk and not standing near the rear wall or the rear corners. Thanks!
Try moving them closer to the front wall.
You could also try boosting the bass with an EQ.
@@2m0ng032 i have this same problem, do you think a digital EQ would work fine? I'm on PC
@@yodada2858 It's worth a shot! I recommend Equalizer APO with the PEACE user interface. Speakers are not my area of expertise, but as long as you mostly sit at the same listening position I think it could work pretty well!
Question:
How can you trust microphones? I mean your phone, or even a good mic, would bias certain frequencies aswell ? Right?
I guess app has profiles for phone mics, especially iphones.
The correct way to do this is to use a measurement mic, which has a flat frequency response and is Omni directional
Im sorry. Im confused. EQ was the devil before and now the recommendation is to use EQ? Audiophiles make me dizzy
That's because audiophiles have different opinions on things.
Honest question, I have been looking at forums and I am wondering, why do people hate KRKs? I have heard them once in a pro studio and they are definitely not bad. If there is something that I am maybe skeptic about it is it does sound too "crisp". But the ones I have heard are from 6 years ago.
There are definitely legit studios, producers and engineers that use and love KRKs. But they do get some "haters" too.
A couple generations were maybe a little "hyped" for some tastes, but some people still loved them. The latest generation is a little more like their most acclaimed models, which is slightly more neutral than their most hyped generations.
They offer a little more "excitement" than some brands, while still being squarely in the reference monitor category. That's a big plus for some, and not the right feel for others. Give 'em a listen among other options and see what works for
you! But yes, they are a little polarizing in that they do have lovers and haters more than some other brands. The people who like them often seem to REALLY REALLY like them which is always cool.
-Justin
SonicScoop thanks for the insight 🙂
Probably in favor of the low end. I always felt like they were too muddy.
yes
Is it correct to assume that I should not EQ correct my cube style speakers?
Great question! If they are really band limited speakers like the original Auratones, probably not. The Reftone however, are meant to be pretty flat from 70Hz on up, and so could work well with a room correction EQ that is meant to make sure your environment doesn’t compromise their pretty mistral frequency response too much. But it’s not a requirement at all.
Since the Reftones roll off the very lowest subs, they are probably less susceptible to the issues that necessitate room/speaker EQ than a larger studio speaker would be.
So I probably wouldn’t EQ original Auratones, and I’d maybe consider EQing with the Reftones if the room had a lot of problems, but wouldn’t feel like I really needed to that badly in a halfway decently treated room. A nice feature for either design.
That’s just my taste though, and the best way to find out what works best for you is to try things it both ways.
Hope that helps!
-Justin
I find if your looking to just eq out some harshness and you don’t know where to start the best place is right where your mid to treble cross over frequency is, then work on that fine tuning for preference. Just some average joe fix my cheap speakers advice. I wish I could afford high end speakers like this that probably sound pretty freakin good right out of the box.
what do you think of the iLoud MTM speakers with included mic for self calibration
I haven't heard them yet, but one of our writers recently wrote a review that should be coming out on SonicScoop.com soon. I'll post a link here when it's up, but I think it's not scheduled for a few weeks yet.
you should continue focusing on the camera to your left. its better quality.
Just act as you're moving and move the camera with you :D
first camera is blury.
Thank you for the video, the content is great
can we put an EQ for speakers inside the DAW?
Yes. Solutions like Sonarworks work exactly that way.
Flat speakers don't exist lol....... I swear, add in the room. I do use Studio Reference cause the one area I held on speakers. But that's not perfect either. I swear sometimes I'll get the best mix via switching phones, bad speakers, laptop equivalent (yea no BS) speakers, then back to good. But on DAW 32 float to192 now. More tracks, it's a whole new game. And man it's a tough one. And with X out, I can finally write. Haven't done that since 80s. Not just jam quick tracks.
I'm not really familiar with EQing music, but for games, the idea is to use no audio modification. The principal is that you are interfering with the "the way the creator intended it to sound".
But the creator never necessarily intended for what he created to be played back on your specific system with all of its specific faults, did he?
The creator probably created the sound in a fairly neutral sounding environment unfairly neutral sounding speakers. If your speakers are wildly skewed from that, you may not be hearing what the creator intended.
That said, if your speakers are skewed in a way that you really enjoy hearing, that’s great! But for music creation, it is good to get a fairly neutral system going. EQ correction can help with that.
Some listeners may also prefer to flatten their system some light, so they can hear something closer to what the creator intended. But when it comes to consumption, having a system that is skewed in a way that you really like is just fine.
Hope that helps!
-Justin
I came because haircut. And stayed because haircut.
#WinonaRyder i swear you do
Eq ftw when you want a massively over capable center channel in your system but the brand you use dosent make one so you get a klipsch and dial the rest up to match resulting in you never knowing how amazing your speakers could sound until you asked them to match the massively over capable center channel because you like good and bad audio mixed movies.👍
Go by your ears, play around, find what you like and dont like.
(Y)
Kali All Day!
What are the odds of you scrolling to exactly 11111Hz at 5:40
This video is an ad
Too bad eq will never fix the massive amount of self noise hiss these new krks produce. I owned the rp7g4s for about a week before I returned them due to the self noise. They should have charged 30 bucks more per speaker and used better amps on the tweeters. Sitting 3 feet away was unbearable. Mid field they would be fine. Sound wise I loved them. Way better than jbl lsrs or yamaha hs series.
Bro its not about the monitors, just change ur cables to balanced
the app does not work anymore in the newer android or os. and krk did not updated and there is no date for that, also very dificult to talk with KRK people. they do not anwser or fix anything. very a shame. do not buy
advertisement。。。。。。just that
I think you need more oil in your hair and at least another 10 unnecessary camera angles. 🤦♂️🤣
Ain’t no oil on those locks baby. It’s called “still wet from having gotten out of the shower right before filming”.
There’s also exactly 2 camera angles 😃
I think it looks better than jump cuts. I’m just too lazy to do it most of the time.
-Justin
Talk too much😂
What should I do, dance?
-Justin
Pl suggest how to set EQ in yamaha AV Receiver. There are PEQ and GEQ with some bands. Pl suggest it should keep off or not. What r difference between abv both EQ.