Combining two EQs (help needed)

[feryllt]

Hi all,

I am trying to help a colleague of mine to improve his living room audio. He has an old Sony system and the idea was to do some measurements with my gear and give it a try with SW equalization from his PC.

The problem I faced is that the system is very bass heavy, so much that clipping happens between 40-80Hz. Reducing the overall volume to avoid this makes the high disappear a bit, being very close to base noise. I checked for any settings in the system, and while something improved, still the issue remains.

I will probably end up suggesting him to get a new system but I still wonder if the clipping issue can be worked-around.

My idea is the following:

1. Run some measurements at "lower volume"
2. Equalize only between ~20-100Hz -> EQ curve 1
3. Apply the EQ, and redo the measurements with higher volume
4. Equalize the new measurements full range -> EQ curve 2
5. Multiply EQ curve 1 and 2 -> EQ curve complete
6. Invert "EQ curve complete"
7. Generate impulse response from "Inverted EQ curve complete" or EQ with parametric the same "Inverted EQ curve complete"

The result seems reasonably ok, but I wondered if my procedure is correct/resonable at all.

Any comment? Or suggestion?

Thanks

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Is there a subwoofer in the system?

What is providing the equalization?

Regards,
Wayne

 

[feryllt]

Yes, there is a subwoofer.

The system is connected to a Linux box, so the plan is to use Easyeffects, to begin with.

Regards,
F.

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

When you say “Reducing the overall volume,” are you talking about the main Sony volume, or the level on the subwoofer specifically?

Regards,
Wayne

 

[feryllt]

I mean the main volume. The subwoofer is not controllable independently.

Best,
F.

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

The sub doesn't have its own gain knob?

Regards,
Wayne

 

[feryllt]

Nope.

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

That's curious.

Well, you are on the right track finding a way to specifically reduce 40-80 Hz range. I can’t advise how to accomplish that with the Linux, as I know nothing about it. Unfortunately, your proposed process makes no sense to me for dealing with a subwoofer problem, but I expect it’s because I don’t fully understand your friend’s unusual set-up.

Regards,
Wayne

 

[ddude003]

You might be interested in some of the methods referred to in this thread... Especially that of @moedra

convolution room correction and room curve

@ddude003 Following this tutorial I expected R corrected to bear a more downward slope. Am I missing something? I did not use the Harman curve but a log progression instead

www.avnirvana.com

Also look into inexpensive "gain control for woofer" electrical solutions... Google is your frenemy...

 

[feryllt]

After another round with the system this weekend, I found out a setting buried into the UI about a +2db bass boost that someone must have fiddled with long time ago and forgotten about it. Disabling it made the base curve more reasonable and workable with.

Thanks for your help!