Outboard EQ for monitors?

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Member Since: Sep 02, 2004

I got these Nady model 250 50/50w biamped near field monitors from my home recording studio book shelf size. They sound very muddy to me. If I EQ down the base up to 160hz and raise up the treble, they sound better. Problem is, I drive a 2nd pair of JBL speakers off the same audio output (Sound card on PC) and the JBLs sound great to my ears(full size passive JBLs with Yamaha 100W amp.)

I got the NADYS as they can be desktop and I wanted something that I location properly to my ears and that would be nearfield.

Is there a cheap stereo EQ I can put inline with the audio to the Nadys to knock down some of the muddyness and boost treb? If so, can you point in the direction to buy such a thing?

Any thoughts on EQ or anything else you think might improve the situation are appreciated.

Thanks for any tips!

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Excuse Me, I Like 2 Ask Question
Member
Since: Dec 05, 2004


Jan 01, 2005 11:28 am

well a cheap eq runs abut $49.

Thats how much I got mines for from Musiciansfriend.com

Look into it... Ultra q pro PEQ2200

great Eq.

About a year ago, I had the same problem with my stereo speakers.. I replaced the tweeter with a more powerful one... And becuz the tweeter was bigger is needed more power, taking some from the speaker, equalling it out...

If u get an EQ for the speakers, ou wont get a natural sound.. if ur not using them for recording, then I guess it would be okay...

Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
Member
Since: May 10, 2002


Jan 01, 2005 11:39 am

Good question rkruz!

Robert is spot on. Musician Friend has a ton of them. Behringer would be fine.

Now, as per Robert's caviot; I too am feeling a big red flag on the play. That's probably my first mistake pretending I qualify as a referee. I have, for whatever reason, adopted a paradigm that says the near field monitors are my standard. My approach is to tune the room to the monitors vs tune the monitors to the room. At the same time I have 'eq-esk' selection switches on the back of my monitors for different speaker placements. I won't even use them. I am probably being anal.

I hope some other folks hop in here who have had experience with using eq on monitors. Now I am interested.

Excuse Me, I Like 2 Ask Question
Member
Since: Dec 05, 2004


Jan 01, 2005 11:46 am

It could be the placement in the room..the sound is not adopting to the room...

and ur said the bass is louder then the trouble?

Well, i think that the bass is bouncing off things in the room...Making it seem like its all you hear..


Hold 'Em Czar
Member
Since: Dec 30, 2004


Jan 01, 2005 03:14 pm

i'd say as long as you're not making critical decisions based on them then go for it...it's good to have a second pair of "monitors" that are a bit more consumer sounding...use it to check levels every once and a while at low levels...also listen to alot of different music on them, the more you get to know how your speakers behave, the better...if you do set an eq in line, i wouldn't change the settings alot. so set it and forget it.

peace

wyd

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Jan 01, 2005 07:09 pm

Yep, not a good thing to go tinkering with EQ for near fields unless it is absolutely unnavoidable. My nearfields run straight out the moniter section of my desk and right through the amp, no EQ nothing. They are designed to be pretty flat, and even the cheaper ones should be somewaht flat.

What you have the need for is what is called a bass trap. Becuase your room appears to be resonatig the bass which is what is giving you the muddy tone. This is usually caused by sharp corners with nothing to block the bass from wallowing around in them. Best bet is to try adn dampen the room abit with something soft tha will absorb some of the reflected sound from the speakers. Next is to try and set up bookcases or shelves or anything that will take away from the straight walls and corners and let the sound bounce in many differant directions, and this will help some with getting the bass to stop hanging out in the corners, thus getting rid of the mud.

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