Of Bob Caarver and other nefarious folk

Some things work and some don't.
His ADC 520 EQ works, and doesn't hurt your ears or toobs. Ebay, $50. If you've got antique speaks could save you a fortune.

All equalizers suck! Here's part of my collection ...



Current opinion, humbly given, as I've moved on to DSP for all my eq needs ... I mean, like ... EQs are so last millennium ... right now, I'm running convolution filters in jRiver Media Center, built with  a mixer and calibrated mike using REW software ...

Not dissing Carver though ... I recently picked up a C4000 super pre that's in line down in the shop for some TLC ...



Thing's got some serious I/O onnit ...



Mine's also got the rear channel "ambience" amps built in, as well as a center out. It does holo, expansion, impact restoration, auto correlation, the aforementioned ambience, and I think it even slices and dices and does julienne fries! But wait ... there's more!!   

Also, I can't imagine listening to the system without the C9 outboard holographic generator in line. Real PITA to set up properly, but once that's done, it just adds much more muchness to the sound. I went thru and recapped that, as well as upgraded all the ICs with TI silverbacks and OPA 2032s on browndog adapters in strategic locations a couple years back, and it's better than new!

Almost forgot ... I also got one of the infamous Carver Cubes (M400) driving my center channel. Tiny little thing - but it do make a big noise ... got it as junk with a bad channel, but I only needed the one channel anyway ...

I stand one-upped and humiliated. Now, where is that R 3550 dual-bank 18-tube radial M-125 you were consigned to devise? People you don't even want to know are anxiously awaiting the draft plans.

How does DSP eq-ing improve on the problems of equalization?

Digital Signal Processing covers a LOT of territory.

For EQ, same thing, only different. Instead of an external analog box, you're doing it all with software and a flick of a mouse.

I originally got into the whole analysis thing with a calibrated mike, mixer, laptop, etc. Used the results to set up my trusty old Technics SH9010 PEQ. I was actually pretty dang close doing it by ear, but there were some major inconsistencies and blips that the REW software pointed out and that I was able to correct.

Just recently started looking into DPS plug ins that ship with jRiver Media Center. v19 is chock full of bells and whistles, some quite intimidating, but the guru's on the board are nice enough to dumb it down for us old school types. Here's a link if you're interested in the background and process ...

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=87538.msg599555#msg599555

Short version ... DSP eq is the ultimate tweaker. An analog box is limited by the number of controls you have available. Graphic EQs are even more limited as adjusting one range tends to also affect the surrounding bands even more than you'd think. A good parametric box gets around that by allowing you to adjust both the center frequency and bandwidth when adding a filter, but those are expensive and once again, only have so many filters available. Not saying that's all bad ... I got REAL close with my SH9010. But ... a software approach removes all the limits as you can build any number of filters you want, much more complex than any analog approach, and you're not limited on cut/boosts. Not all that complicated either once you get the hang of it - in fact, way easier than trying to "read back" the filters on my SH9010.



Go ahead ... tell me what filter #3 on the left bank is ...  Myself?? I cheat ...   



A digital approach does have it's limits when working with analog equipment though. Anything out of the DAC or HTPC can use the software EQ, but I still have to use the PEQ for analog sources now that I've got HD Radio and have ripped most of my vinyl to FLAC.

sKiZo wrote:Digital Signal Processing covers a LOT of territory.

For EQ, same thing, only different. Instead of an external analog box, you're doing it all with software and a flick of a mouse.

I originally got into the whole analysis thing with a calibrated mike, mixer, laptop, etc. Used the results to set up my trusty old Technics SH9010 PEQ. I was actually pretty dang close doing it by ear, but there were some major inconsistencies and blips that the REW software pointed out and that I was able to correct.

Just recently started looking into DPS plug ins that ship with jRiver Media Center. v19 is chock full of bells and whistles, some quite intimidating, but the guru's on the board are nice enough to dumb it down for us old school types. Here's a link if you're interested in the background and process ...

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=87538.msg599555#msg599555

Short version ... DSP eq is the ultimate tweaker. An analog box is limited by the number of controls you have available. Graphic EQs are even more limited as adjusting one range tends to also affect the surrounding bands even more than you'd think. A good parametric box gets around that by allowing you to adjust both the center frequency and bandwidth when adding a filter, but those are expensive and once again, only have so many filters available. Not saying that's all bad ... I got REAL close with my SH9010. But ... a software approach removes all the limits as you can build any number of filters you want, much more complex than any analog approach, and you're not limited on cut/boosts. Not all that complicated either once you get the hang of it - in fact, way easier than trying to "read back" the filters on my SH9010.



Go ahead ... tell me what filter #3 on the left bank is ...  Myself?? I cheat ...   



A digital approach does have it's limits when working with analog equipment though. Anything out of the DAC or HTPC can use the software EQ, but I still have to use the PEQ for analog sources now that I've got HD Radio and have ripped most of my vinyl to FLAC.

Do it run on Linux? Anybody know? Assume if it runs on Mac OS there are probably some hacks.

jRiver runs on Linux now, and I imagine most any VST plugin would work as well ... I (believe) right now it only does audio, but is slowly building towards full AV to match the other versions. I suggest you download the trial version and see if it does what you want it to, as they do tend to charge for upgrades when they change the major version number ... usually half price.

There's also a dedicated Mac version.

Not sure about the other freeware I mentioned ... I suppose if nothing else you could run that in a shell, or just build a dual boot ...

Many thanks.
I must reiterate that the Spotify player is working perfectly on my noise-makers in the den. Gave away the CD player to a street person. But if I'm going to set up a small-form computer in the living room where Bob's stuff is, I will probably need more serious software. I run a dual-boot now, shells suck, and if I'm in Windows 95 I'm not doing anything else.
Cheerio
-d-