EQ types..Parametric or Graphic..which one should i go for?

[trd_camry 10+ year member]

Was kinda confuse which type of eq is better over another. I notice that many HU has different of types EQ and the number of bands it offer to suit the SQ.

Ok here my situtation. I got two head unit that i want to get...either a Kenwood x990 with 4 band Parametic EQ or pioneer P780MP with 16 band Graphic EQ.

they both have fantastic screen (color) and are at my buget range ($350 - $450), although the P7800mp is not releast yet. Not untill a month or so. I kinda worried which one will sound better depending on the type of EQ it has. Should i go for the x990 or wait for the p7800mp?

Is this true...it is the more band your EQ offered the best SQ you'll get out of your HU?

Depending on most brand and model of HU..i know that a HU can have as little as 2 parmetic EQ or as much as 16 Band Graphic EQ. Does this affect the SQ?

Click to read more...

 

[Jaredl 10+ year member]

You have to know how to use the EQs for them to have an effect on the sound. The decks may have some preset choices, but the purpose of having EQs is to target specific frequency ranges where your system needs to be boosted or cut. A parametric EQ is more complicated, and affects the frequencies around a certain point (very hard to explain how it works). A graphic EQ you simply go to a certain frequency and boost or cut it. Parametric EQs generally have fewer bands. For graphic EQs, you can find 60+ bands on the very high-end processing combos. To learn more about EQs, go to http://www.bcae1.com and read their equalizer section. That should explain the difference in a much clearer way. No offense, but it doesn't sound like you know how to use an EQ so I'm not sure that the EQ should determine your deck choice (of course you could learn how to use one). You may want to also look at the new P880 - it has 16 bands stereo (so 32 total) and can crossover a 2-way frontstage and sub if you decide to go active later when you learn more about tuning. Either of the decks you're looking at should be fine if you just want to run passives, though. Good luck.

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

Was kinda confuse which type of eq is better over another. I notice that many HU has different of types EQ and the number of bands it offer to suit the SQ.
Ok here my situtation. I got two head unit that i want to get...either a Kenwood x990 with 4 band Parametic EQ or pioneer P780MP with 16 band Graphic EQ.

they both have fantastic screen (color) and are at my buget range ($350 - $450), although the P7800mp is not releast yet. Not untill a month or so. I kinda worried which one will sound better depending on the type of EQ it has. Should i go for the x990 or wait for the p7800mp?

Is this true...it is the more band your EQ offered the best SQ you'll get out of your HU?

Depending on most brand and model of HU..i know that a HU can have as little as 2 parmetic EQ or as much as 16 Band Graphic EQ. Does this affect the SQ?

http://www.caraudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=106069&highlight=parametric+graphic

http://www.caraudio.com/forum/showpost.php?p=766996&postcount=8

http://www.caraudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=111417&highlight=parametric+graphic

http://www.caraudio.com/forum/search.php?searchid=1125206

Should explain everything you need to know about EQ's.

More is not necessarily better, but you want enough to properly adjust the problem areas. Parametric or graphic depends on your needs. Install, install, install is most important. Don't use an EQ as a bandaid to poor installation. Many top SQ competitors only use 5 to 9 bands of parametric equalization because they've maximized their installations to minimize the need for equalization. Last, but not least, EQ's should be used to cut peaks rather than boost valleys...meaning, you should sparingly boost frequencies (remember, for every 3db increase it requires double the power) and should be extensively cutting frequencies. Adding too much boost without compensating for it in the gain setting will lead to clipping, which will lead to dead speakers.

 

[OldOneEye 10+ year member]

Parametric is usually pretty good (Got a Eclipse CD7000 on the way that has 11 bands) but 4 doesn't seem like enough for the most part. 7 seems like a good start for parametric bands.

Either way, the ones built into a CD player are pretty powerful, but not THAT powerful. If you need more than 13 bands after lots of tuning you are in trouble.

Juan

 

[billybrown66 10+ year member]

so with a parametric, do you have the ability to boost or cut only one frequency in each band, or can you individually adjust all of the frequencies in the band?

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

so with a parametric, do you have the ability to boost or cut only one frequency in each band, or can you individually adjust all of the frequencies in the band?

With a parametric EQ, you can only select one frequency per band. But you can adjust that one frequency to be any frequency within a certain range. Say one of the bands on your parametric EQ lets you adjust between 50hz and 150hz. You could select any frequency within that range. But on that single band, you can't select more than one frequency.

But, most parametric EQ's, especially digital EQ's (like what's built into most headunits), have predefined frequencies you must select for each band. For example, band 1 may allow you to select between 50hz, 100hz or 150hz. Band 2 may allow you to select 200hz, 250hz or 300hz. Etc. In which case, you must select one of the predefined frequencies.

But you can only select one frequency per band. You can not adjust all of the available frequencies in the band.

 

[billybrown66 10+ year member]

hmm, this is making me rethink my xxv-01d purchase. i wonder if 4 bands will be enough. i am running passive though...

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

For competition level sound quality...probably not.

For a good sounding daily driver....yes, it will probably be enough to hit the major problem areas.

 

[billybrown66 10+ year member]

For competition level sound quality...probably not.
For a good sounding daily driver....yes, it will probably be enough to hit the major problem areas.

i hope so, though i suppose if the clarion drz9255 only has a 5-band and can get the job done, so can the xxv-01d. thanks.

 

[OldOneEye 10+ year member]

Keep in mind that while you have only a few frequencies to select, you can select how wide the band is (which is why its called parametric, you can adjust the frequency, the Q (width of the band) and the intensity of the band.

So a regular 30 band EQ, you might have to crank two adjacent bands up a little, with a parametric, you might just pick one and make it sort of wide and you fixed that problem.

Juan

 

[loserpunk 10+ year member]

So a regular 30 band EQ, you might have to crank two adjacent bands up a little, with a parametric, you might just pick one and make it sort of wide and you fixed that problem.
Juan

exactly.....you just start to run out of bands quickly w/ these limited band para. eq's.....this is where a RTA would come in HUGELY handy

 

[OldOneEye 10+ year member]

I would argue that if you have to use a bunch of bands, and do a bunch of adjusting, you have done something wrong. Kind of like slathering a steak with ketchup, salt and A1 sauce. Shouldn't need it if you did a good job, should just need an accent of flavor to get you where you want to go.

Juan

exactly.....you just start to run out of bands quickly w/ these limited band para. eq's.....this is where a RTA would come in HUGELY handy