How do you use a sound equalizer?

How to use a sound equalizer?

• What does the 32,64, 128, 250, 500, 1k, 2k, 4k, 8k, 16k Hz frequencies mean? Also what's a PreAmp? I'm using the G35 headset by Logitech and its settings have an equalizer, but I don't know how to use one. Also, I play games and I love listening to techno / trance etc etc ( loud music with lots of bass etc), so how would I set up the equalizer so it suits for what I do on the computer?

• Answer:

  The lowest frequency most humans can hear is about 20 Hz, and the highest is about 20 kHz (most men are lucky to hear up to 16 or 17 kHz; I'm fortunate to have started with something better than that, although it's slowly creeping downward...). The range between 20 Hz and 20 kHz encompasses ten octaves, and therefore most 10-band equalizers affect frequency response in approximately one-octave 'slices'. [Some equalizers have different arrangements for certain reasons; an explanation would make this answer far longer than it's already destined to be.] The numbers refer to the "center" frequencies within the range of frequencies each control will affect; the larger the number, the higher the frequency. A common reference musical note is 440 Hz (A). A note of 880 Hz is the A one octave higher than that of 440 Hz. The proper use of an audio equalizer is to "equalize" (flatten) the frequency response of a speaker (or set of speakers) in a specific space (room) so that recorded music can be reproduced exactly as it was intended to "sound". Many people seem to believe otherwise, though, and they use their equalizers as somewhat complicated tone controls. This isn't really "wrong", but it's also not really right to use an EQ for such a purpose. Unless you have a signal generator that is certain to produce all output frequencies of which it is capable at exactly the same level (or a test CD with suitable tones), a calibrated microphone, and an accurate audio spectrum analyzer, there is virtually no way to correctly set up an EQ. The best most people can do is adjust the controls until the character of the sound is as "flat" as possible. The term "preamp" can mean a few different things, depending on the context, viz: In general, when someone speaks of a preamp as part of an audio system, the they are referring to a component that consists of, at the very least, a simple input selector and a volume control, and usually there are additional controls, such as bass and treble, and sometimes a lot more stuff. The correct name of this component is "control amplifier", but that term is rarely used. Another meaning of "preamp" is connected (literally) to turntables in which magnetic cartridges (moving magnet, moving coil, moving iron, or "variable reluctance") are used. Such cartridges have essentially (but not really) flat frequency response, so, in effect, they transduce the squiggles of a record groove (relatively) precisely into an electrical signal of the same character. These cartridges produce much lower signal levels than do tuners, tape decks, CD players, and other "line level" equipment. Since records are "cut" (for practical reasons) with a specific intentional distortion in the form of altered frequency response, in order to restore the proper frequency balance on playback, the opposite of the original distortion (commonly termed "equalization") must be applied to the signal coming from the cartridge. The phono stage (commonly called a "phono preamp") both suitably amplifies and corrects the frequency response so that, at the output of the phono stage, one may expect to obtain a signal basically equivalent to that of any other type of component. Many control amplifiers, integrated amplifiers, receivers, and disco mixers have phono stages built in. For those that don't, separate phono preamps are readily available, and their outputs can be connected to any line-level input on whatever other component they are used with. Most good modern microphones produce output voltages comparable to those of magnetic phono cartridges, but since microphones have (relatively) flat frequency response, there is no need for any "equalization". All that is required is about 40dB of voltage gain (100 times) to bring them up to line level. Therefore, one will occasionally see a separate "microphone preamp", although most of them are built into other equipment such as mixers. The best idea I can suggest for setting the "equalizer" of the headset is to start with all of the controls centered within their range of adjustment. Slowly move each control about halfway up and then halfway down from the center so that you can learn how it affects the sound you hear. Return each control to its center before proceeding to the next one. After you have some idea of what each one does, experiment with them until you find a sound character you like. Try to keep them as close to their centers as possible, and avoid setting any of them either all the way up or all the way down.