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From: michaelk@tekmdp.UUCP (Michael Kersenbrock)
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: Re: Equalizers and Spectrum analyzer
Message-ID: <2180@tekmdp.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 31-Aug-83 17:15:15 EDT
Article-I.D.: tekmdp.2180
Posted: Wed Aug 31 17:15:15 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 1-Sep-83 19:30:30 EDT
References: sdcrdcf.478
Lines: 36

Good grief.  I am one of the folk who have contributed to the discussions
on graphic equalizers.  I was caught completely off guard by the stone age
flaming arrow.  The discussions here primarily centered around a graphic
equalizer being a useful tool that can improve a system.  The arguements
about setting up the equalizer also apply to setting your volume knob, and
I do not advocate doing away with volume controls just because I can't 
absolutely set it to the same volume as the original artist's performance.
     The choice is not between perfection or nothing.  The choice is between
what you have now, and something better.  Being able to partially (however
imperfectly) improve the performance of a speaker/room system is a valuable
thing to have. I'd rather be at 80% perfection than be at 50% perfection anyday.
Then, while sitting at 80% I'll look for higher.  I have a graphic equalizer,
and I don't regret buying it.  It makes my system *better* than it was
before.  It is better because it *sounds* better.  (I *DO* like to listen
to my stereo system occasionally, rather than just oggle the specs).
I had NO TROUBLE at all setting up the Graphic equalizer.  I used the
spectrum analyzer trick to get the starting points, and tweeked it by
ear some from there.  THEN you try pushing the in/out button and see what
you think you have done -- improvement or detriment.  If I had a larger living
room the equalizer MIGHT not have been able to produce an improvement.  Had
that been the case, then that would have been that. It would NOT have ruled
out the device's usefulness.  I have *NO* use for a cement truck, but that
doesn't mean it isn't useful to someone.

Mike Kersenbrock
Tektronix Microcomputer Development Products
Aloha, Oregon

P.S.- I play my CD player through this equalized system.  If you don't
have a CD player, you *are* in the stone age!  (I encourage counter
flames on that one--try to convice me that mechanically dragging a 
stone-tipped stick through a vinyl groove is *better* than the CD "way").
Talk about STONE KNIVES and bear skins!

P.P.S- The peak-to-peak equalization accross the band in my system is no
more than 3-4 dB or so, but the improvement is noticeable.