31-band EQ or BFD...? (1 Viewer)

[chris hunigan]

I have two subs that I am in the process of building. 1st sub: If you don't know I have been talking about my sub, which is called "SubTeRRainiaN", which will consists of (4) 12" drivers within a 30"d x 48"h sonotube. I will be using a 12" sonotube port cut down to 27", which gives me an F3 around 22Hz.
2nd sub: This is a dual 12" sealed sub. The only thing I need to do is apply a nice finish, sand it down somewhat, and place the drivers in. This stands roughly 36"h x 14"w x 16"d. Each sub will have its own 2 cu ft enclosure. I will stuff almost 50%-75%.
So I will go more into detail once I complete the subs later on. Hopefully, I can provide pics soon as well.
Now enough with the babble.............!
Since I will using two different subs within my system, should I go with a 31-band EQ or BFD to smooth out the bass response within my room? Which would be a better choice for my situtation?
I know the ART351 is a highly considered EQ, but I posted an EQ awhile back called the Nady GEQ130, but wasn't highly recommend since it did not have variable/adjustable high and low pass filters. Here is the link to the Nady GEQ130:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/ex/sh...903?pid=183702
cree

 

[Mike Knapp]

A parametric (BFD or similar) is the best solution. Everything else forces some level of compromise. Often a "fixed" EQ will do the job nicely, often it will not. A parametric will do the job almost every time.
You do realize that for a subwoofer that 23(?) bands of the 31 will be as useless as ketchup at a fine steak house, yes?
Mike

 

[Matthew Todd]

I don't have the answer, but do have the same question. I have been considering getting a Behringer Feedback Destroyer and then saw that SVS was offering a 31 band equalizer on their web site for roughly the same price. I just wondered which would do a better job smoothing out a pair of subs.
Thanks for the reply above Mike, if I understand right, it sounds like the BFD is the better choice.
matt

 

[Rich Kraus]

FWIW i use an ashley PQX-751 ( Link Removed for information, its US made) 7 band mono parametric. it has enough bands to smooth out my IB and is nice and quiet in the system.
they make a stereo version, so you could eq both subs independantly.
the bfd is stereo, and will do the same thing, but id does it digitally, vs the analog ashley.
there are still other pro audio parametrics by a number of other makers.
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'Till next time,
Rich (the kite guy)

 

[TerryC]

IMHO the behringer is the one to get. Its available for $139-159 online. Just isn't any other EQ's in that price range that does all the FBD does, heck there isn't any good EQ's in that price range that I know of. If you want to get someting different be prepared to spend more although for the life of me I can't understand why other than you need to alter below 20hz.
Terry

 

[chris hunigan]

Mike, Rich, and TerryC,
I am conviced that a parametric EQ is the way to go as far as utilizing a nice smooth bass response within any system. So I guess I am going to eliminate the 31-band EQ. After you think about it an EQ can only fix freq.'s along the same band that is being boosted. For example, most 31-band EQ's have a 20, 25, and 31Hz for the most lowest bands. Now if you take for example, a sub within a room that has a null at 27-29Hz or any freq. could the EQ fix that null at those particular freq.'s or is it only set out to fix whatever band is being boosted?
cree

 

[Tom Vodhanel]

It's generally not a good idea to try to pour more amp into a room induced null. If your subwoofer is *th-xxx* or somthing...and it dies under 35hz...you might be able to get a little more from it down low.
The main benefit for bass EQs is taming a room induced peak or two.
Allowing slight boosting at the bottem end of the spectrum. I think most folks like a few dBs of boost in the 20-25hz range.
The BFD allows more control over the tuning...but there's going to be a lot of folks that aren't going to want to mess with a complex parametric for hours just to get it to work. 8 bands from 20-100hz...PLUS a fully adjustable subsonic filter can make a very nice improvement in someone's subwoofer system.
if you never listen at more than 20dB under reference...you probably won't need the subsonic though.
TV

 

[Mike Knapp]

And if you listen at reference level you will not be needing any audio equipment at all in a few years.
A fixed EQ will do nicely for most folks. The subsonic filter will kkep the sub from blowing up. Tuning a parametric is indeed a pain in the arse and NOT recommended foe a newbie.
Boosting to compensate for nulls wont work regardless of the EQ design.
If you want ease of use and good performance, get a fixed freq. EQ. If you like to fiddle and are a perfectionist, get the parametric.
Mike
I never knew what true happiness was until I got married, then it was too late.

 

[chris hunigan]

Mike,
>>If you want ease of use and good performance, get a fixed freq. EQ. If you like to fiddle and are a perfectionist, get the parametric.

 

[Deane Johnson]

Just to be clear, the BFD frequencies are adjustable from the center frequency.
You can assign any of the 12 bands to any frequency you want. You can even assign all of them to the same frequency if you wanted to, but that would be pretty silly.
You can move any of those bands up or down the frequency scale virtually 1 Hz at a time. It is indeed extremely versatile and controllable.
As pointed out above, it is a bit challenging to figure out from the instructions, but once figured out, it is extremely easy to operate.
So far as taking a few hours, or even a day or two to adjust the system, isn't it worth that investment in time? I spent a day and a half learning to adjust mine and fine tuning it. It was worth every bit of that time.
Part of it was screwing around trying to eliminate nulls. As Tom pointed out above, you aren't going to do that other than perhaps a max of 4 or 5 db. If it's deep, you can shove everything in the world at the sub and all you're going to do is over drive it and make a good sub sound crappy. Besides, nulls are usually pretty narrow and go by unnoticed. It's severe spikes that really mess things up. Those are a piece of cake to remove with the BFD.
I can't imagine a better machine for the money being on the market.
Deane

 

[Tom Vodhanel]

>>And if you listen at reference level you will not be needing any audio equipment at all in a few years

 

[Stan Marcewicz]

>>>And if you listen at reference level you will not be needing any audio equipment at all in a few years.

 

[Francesco Chu]

I don't know about anyone else, but when I go to movie theatres, they are too loud for me. I go with cotton in my ears so that I can more or less enjoy the movie as opposed to feeling the pain. But that could just be me.
On the other hand, I would listen to classical at home at 0db

 

[chris hunigan]

Deane or anyone,
Are their any factory settings that allow you to select a type of frequency curve that you desire? Does a low and high pass filter?
I'm about a inch away from trying a BFD...
What's the best price on the BFD?
cree

 

[Deane Johnson]

There are no factory curves available. That would not work for what you want to do. The idea is to correct problems inherent in your specific system in your specific room. None of us would use the same curve.
I believe they are running around $135 plus shipping, or a little more. I paid $120 from Dave's Music, but he has raised his prices.
http://www.davesmusic.com/
Other's seem to have paid anywhere from $135 up to $159 at various places. This thing is a steal at any of these prices.
Deane

 

[Timmy]

ANother BFD benefit is the adjustable contour of the filters width.... from very narrow to wide ranging.
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[Patrick Sun]

One more advantage of the BFD is that you can select between operating modes +4dBu and -10dBv (both channels or independently) for the input from your equipment's output.
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PatCave ; HT Pix ; Gear ; Sunosub I + III ; DVDs ; Link Removed

 

[Greg Monfort]

Here's some interesting info WRT movie volume:
http://www.dolby.com/tech/toolouds.pdf
GM
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Loud is beautiful, if it's clean