Global Equalizer?

mehall · 2009-04-08 16:16:11

I am an audiophile, and seek best quality of sound I can get often times.

I am, unfortunately, not a coder.

Does anyone know of an applet style something or other, or even a full-blown app, that allows you to have a global Equaliser in Linux?

I don't want any "that's already in Pulse Audio" because Pulse Audio is <self-censored>

Eni · 2009-04-08 16:51:19

Have you tried to use OSS rather than Alsa ? It has interesting options like per application volume.

mehall · 2009-04-08 16:53:39

Per application volume != equalizer, though granted that's a nice feature I might look up.

My biggest bug-bear is the lack of a global equalizer.

Eni · 2009-04-08 18:00:34

Per application volume != equalizer

I know that. OSS have an equalizer too ( I though it was clear just by answering ).
You have to use SoftOSS. Have a look at :
http://www.4front-tech.com/forum/viewto … =equalizer
http://www.opensound.com/softoss.html

rwd · 2009-04-08 18:12:43

Do you plug it into your stereo? In that case a dedicated hardware equalizer will probably give you better soundquality than a software equalizer ever would.

mehall · 2009-04-08 18:50:58

Yes, but that costs more money, which I don't have, and wouldn't allow me to have EQ when I'm out the house, as it is a laptop.

apperception · 2009-04-08 19:59:23

if you're an audiophile, you probably want to disengage any EQ, be it soft- or hardware, loudness or bass/treble controls on your amp and invest in a good peair of speakers and nice headphones with as linear output as possible.

mehall · 2009-04-08 20:32:15

Fair point, but again, speakers cost money.

My headphones are good, got a fantastic set of BeyerDynamics for around £30, but I've tried headphones over £100 that haven't sounded this good, especially now that they've gone past their wear-in phase.

Can't really afford better speakers though, and I don't like carrying my good headphones everywhere, hence why i was looking for an EQ: make the most of the limited speakers in the laptop when I'm not home.

Fackamato · 2009-04-11 02:20:27

+1

I'd also love global equalization. Currently thinking of trying oss4...

Wintervenom · 2009-04-11 04:34:27

If you're using ALSA, you can use the LADSPA equalizer plug-in. It will take a bit of a hit on your CPU, though.

Themaister · 2009-04-12 17:59:32

If you're an audiophile, why use equalizers?

Fackamato · 2009-04-12 18:07:55

Themaister wrote:

If you're an audiophile, why use equalizers?

Because not everyone has their computer in a studio room with perfectly dampened walls, or studio monitors which are flat from 30Hz to 20KHz? There's nothing wrong with correcting the signal if you do it right.

pauldonnelly · 2009-04-12 18:29:24

Fackamato wrote:

Themaister wrote:
If you're an audiophile, why use equalizers?
Because not everyone has their computer in a studio room with perfectly dampened walls, or studio monitors which are flat from 30Hz to 20KHz? There's nothing wrong with correcting the signal if you do it right.

Realistically, you're not going to make a big change in your sound unless you've already got nice speakers, unless you're just removing some massive hump in the response. Better to save a little money and get something not quite so terrible, IMO.

Fackamato · 2009-04-12 18:33:22

pauldonnelly wrote:

Fackamato wrote:
Themaister wrote:
If you're an audiophile, why use equalizers?
Because not everyone has their computer in a studio room with perfectly dampened walls, or studio monitors which are flat from 30Hz to 20KHz? There's nothing wrong with correcting the signal if you do it right.
Realistically, you're not going to make a big change in your sound unless you've already got nice speakers, unless you're just removing some massive hump in the response. Better to save a little money and get something not quite so terrible, IMO.

Of course. But if you don't want to spend money, EQ is the way to go. Everybody has different room acoustics. Just because you and I have the same speakers and amplifiers doesn't mean we get the same frequency response. EQ can remedy some of that.

freakcode · 2009-04-12 20:33:32

Why people try to argue against the reasons one wants an equalizer when they find there's no such easy solution in Linux?

I also would love an equalizer for all audio playback...

Procyon · 2009-04-12 23:12:00

I just started using ladspa equalizer. The ALSA wiki article had all the info I needed to setup and it works really nice. I always heard a bass boost from my headphones, and I'm still experimenting what settings to use, right now I'm trying controls [ 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 5 5 5 5 1 1 1 1 ]. Sound is already much prettier.

pauldonnelly · 2009-04-13 00:36:08

Fackamato wrote:

Of course. But if you don't want to spend money, EQ is the way to go. Everybody has different room acoustics. Just because you and I have the same speakers and amplifiers doesn't mean we get the same frequency response. EQ can remedy some of that.

My point is that in this setting (home/on the go audio), you're basically trying to convince your speakers to perform better than they can. What am I going to do, EQ in some nice clipping on the low end or some ragged beamy highs? Most speakers, even computer speakers, don't have the kind of humps EQ is useful for subtracting. And room acoustics are not especially significant without either extreme volume or a high-end setup, except for sub placement — which is best fixed by changing its placement. EQ isn't going to get you something better, just something different and bad. IMO, if you want better sound, you want to spend money. Use the time you would have spent playing with your EQ to mow a few lawns for extra cash.

Fackamato · 2009-04-13 00:39:40

pauldonnelly wrote:

Fackamato wrote:
Of course. But if you don't want to spend money, EQ is the way to go. Everybody has different room acoustics. Just because you and I have the same speakers and amplifiers doesn't mean we get the same frequency response. EQ can remedy some of that.
My point is that in this setting (home/on the go audio), you're basically trying to convince your speakers to perform better than they can. What am I going to do, EQ in some nice clipping on the low end or some ragged beamy highs? Most speakers, even computer speakers, don't have the kind of humps EQ is useful for subtracting. And room acoustics are not especially significant without either extreme volume or a high-end setup, except for sub placement — which is best fixed by changing its placement. EQ isn't going to get you something better, just something different and bad. IMO, if you want better sound, you want to spend money. Use the time you would have spent playing with your EQ to mow a few lawns for extra cash.

Example: So with my neutral (no eq) setup I have a 40Hz peak (+8dB) because of a room resonance. I've tried toeing the speakers in/out, moving them around etc without results. I can't change the furniture.

Adding a notch filter on 40Hz, lowering it a couple of dBs, will worsen the sound?

Dieter@be · 2009-04-13 08:13:31

you could also use jack. then you can route your audio anyway you want and add as many plugins as you want. (though this may be overkill)

pauldonnelly · 2009-04-13 10:01:10

Fackamato wrote:

Example: So with my neutral (no eq) setup I have a 40Hz peak (+8dB) because of a room resonance. I've tried toeing the speakers in/out, moving them around etc without results. I can't change the furniture.

A 40Hz peak? That would be awesome.

Anyway, I'm not sure where you got this "worsen the sound" stuff. I just said it would be bad in a different way than it was before.

Fackamato · 2009-04-13 14:58:32

pauldonnelly wrote:

Fackamato wrote:
Example: So with my neutral (no eq) setup I have a 40Hz peak (+8dB) because of a room resonance. I've tried toeing the speakers in/out, moving them around etc without results. I can't change the furniture.
A 40Hz peak? That would be awesome.
Anyway, I'm not sure where you got this "worsen the sound" stuff. I just said it would be bad in a different way than it was before.

A 40Hz peak would give people headaches, not sure why you would think that midbass peak is awesome.

Bad in a different way? Care to explain?

thisperishedmin · 2009-04-13 17:01:35

the simple question was for a global eq, can we get back on topic?

I'd also like a solution for that...its often bothered me that I cant set a global eq. Frankly, its nice to apply the same effect to youtube videos, music, games, movies, etc., all in one place.

Whether its "better" by definition is irrelevant...as I've found I can make something "better" to my ears using an EQ. I dont care what anyone else thinks, as its MY computer and MY ears.

That said...are there other helpful solutions aside from the 2 or so mentioned? and more importantly, aside from bickering about buying better equipment?

Fackamato · 2009-04-13 17:18:41

thisperishedmin wrote:

the simple question was for a global eq, can we get back on topic?
I'd also like a solution for that...its often bothered me that I cant set a global eq. Frankly, its nice to apply the same effect to youtube videos, music, games, movies, etc., all in one place.
Whether its "better" by definition is irrelevant...as I've found I can make something "better" to my ears using an EQ. I dont care what anyone else thinks, as its MY computer and MY ears.
That said...are there other helpful solutions aside from the 2 or so mentioned? and more importantly, aside from bickering about buying better equipment?

The ALSA solution works here with ladspa, but it's very limited. AFAIK it's not a parametric EQ, and it has very few bands:50hz, 100hz, 156hz, 220hz, 311hz, 440hz, 622hz, 880hz, 1250hz, 1750hz, 2500hz, 5000hz, 10000hz, 20000hz.

thisperishedmin · 2009-04-15 19:16:22

Thaks, I'll keep that in mind for future reference!

quarkup · 2009-04-17 22:07:41

you got it under the wiki (ive found it now): http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/ALS … _Equalizer

Arch Linux

#1 2009-04-08 16:16:11

Global Equalizer?

#2 2009-04-08 16:51:19

Re: Global Equalizer?

#3 2009-04-08 16:53:39

Re: Global Equalizer?

#4 2009-04-08 18:00:34

Re: Global Equalizer?

#5 2009-04-08 18:12:43

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#6 2009-04-08 18:50:58

Re: Global Equalizer?

#7 2009-04-08 19:59:23

Re: Global Equalizer?

#8 2009-04-08 20:32:15

Re: Global Equalizer?

#9 2009-04-11 02:20:27

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#10 2009-04-11 04:34:27

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#11 2009-04-12 17:59:32

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#13 2009-04-12 18:29:24

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#17 2009-04-13 00:36:08

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#18 2009-04-13 00:39:40

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#25 2009-04-17 22:07:41

Re: Global Equalizer?

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