Life without tone controls ... it sucks!

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by albertoderoma, Mar 19, 2011.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Clay B

    Clay B Forum Resident

    I guess my gear is no good!

    I recently purchased a McIntosh C-22/MC 275 VI. I'd had the system about two weeks and was listening to a CD which seemed harsh sounding. I was about to stop change the CD when I thought to myself, "hey I have tone contols"! Walked over to the preamp and knocked the treble down slightly. After that that CD, while not a great recording, was enjoyable enough to play. Works for me.
     
    kyouki, Eigenvector, Manimal and 5 others like this.
  2. TVC15

    TVC15 Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey
    Use them all the time. Nobody has perfect rooms free of reflections. Nobody has perfect speakers, either.
     
    arisinwind, dalem5467 and The Pinhead like this.
  3. sublemon

    sublemon Forum Resident

    lol i have *too much* gear
     
  4. fogalu

    fogalu There is only one Beethoven

    Location:
    Killarney, Ireland
    That would seem to be the idea. It's like telling a person who doesn't like Wagner to keep listening anyway because the music is better than it sounds. ;)
     
    Manimal likes this.
  5. Doug Sclar

    Doug Sclar Forum Legend

    Location:
    The OC
    Tone controls can work well to augment deficient speakers, but they will not do much for room reflections.

    Tone controls can by boosting the lower and higher end, can essentially increase the range of the speakers, and if you have speakers that don't have much extension on either end that can be a good thing. Remember that just because a speaker rolls off at 70 Hz doesn't mean it doesn't reproduce lower frequencies. It means that they are not as loud as frequencies in it's range.

    So by boosting frequencies below the lower end of a speakers curve, you can compensate for that rolloff to some degree. The problem is that you are also reducing system headroom. Often systems with limited range speakers don't have excess power to spare, so to get that extension you must turn down the volume a bit.
     
    The FRiNgE and Kyhl like this.
  6. ukrules

    ukrules Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kentucky
    Nobody has perfect ears...mine are sensitive to high frequencies.
     
    dalem5467 likes this.
  7. marcb

    marcb Senior Member

    Location:
    DC area
    Exactly the same for me. Couldn't have said it better.
     
  8. Manimal

    Manimal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Southern US
    "Works for me" that's all that matters:)
     
    Heckto35 likes this.
  9. P2CH

    P2CH Well-Known Member

    I come from the days when the loudness switch was flipped to on and tone controls were twisted clockwise.

    I suppose I may have adjusted to listening to audio flat but my systems also deliver better sound than I was able to achieve back then too. Having a sub woofer sure makes a world of difference also. When were sub woofers introduced anyway? I wish they were around when I was younger.

    If tone controls are needed, can't a nice outboard EQ be slipped into the chain?
     
  10. Solitaire1

    Solitaire1 Carpenters Fan

    To me, you should use one or the other but not both. The advantage of an outboard EQ is that they tend to have more bands than a built-in one. As an example, my Sony Walkman NWZ-A17 has a five-band equalizer which is useful for broad adjustments (such as reducing excessive bass) but not for fine adjustments.
     
  11. marcb

    marcb Senior Member

    Location:
    DC area
    Define "nice". In my mind, consumer grade graphic equalizers degrade more than improve.
     
  12. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    To quote myself from months, years, decades (probably) past:

    Tone controls on gear are way too broad to be of any true use in making something sound good. They do more harm than good usually.

    If you're serious about it, get a parametric.
     
  13. Dentdog

    Dentdog Forum Resident

    Location:
    Atlanta
    Then you have to adjust them for each record, at least I used to feel the need. Take it as it comes. Improve your system and listen to the recording.
     
  14. Tullman

    Tullman Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston MA
    No tone controls here. I had some good McItosh preamps with it but after moving to CAT, I have no regrets.
     
    Dave likes this.
  15. P2CH

    P2CH Well-Known Member

    I just thought I'd throw that thought into the mix.

    I have a "nice" Onkyo Integra series which I found to be very clean sounding. I have it hooked up to one of my systems but it's currently switched out of the chain.

    I also once owned an SAE parametric EQ. It was OK but the switches and sliders needed routine cleaning. I don't have it anymore.

    I agree with you though. I prefer not to use one due it only muddies the water and it gets to the point where the whole mix is realigned.
     
  16. Krzysztof Maj

    Krzysztof Maj Forum Resident

    Location:
    Poland
    Never used them. Always Direct LED blinking on my amp.
     
  17. House de Kris

    House de Kris VVell-known member

    Location:
    Texas
    I don't know when they were introduced, but I got my first one in 1978. So musta been before that.
     
  18. Got Hi-Fi?

    Got Hi-Fi? Member

    Location:
    Earth
    And tone controls are only going to make both of these things worse.
     
    Dave and tim185 like this.
  19. Got Hi-Fi?

    Got Hi-Fi? Member

    Location:
    Earth
    no tone controls here, I find that the benefits of not having them far outweigh the benefits of having them. I have just added subs for low volume late night listening.
     
  20. Solitaire1

    Solitaire1 Carpenters Fan

    I basically use them to make an adjustment to compensate for the sound characteristics of my equipment (such as speakers and headphones) to try and make it as flat as possible. I don't adjust it for recordings.
     
  21. fogalu

    fogalu There is only one Beethoven

    Location:
    Killarney, Ireland
    I LOVE TONE CONTROLS. I COULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT THEM.
    (Excuse the shouting but I am 70 this year and have some hearing problems. I use all the help I can get with the high notes.)
    :D
     
    Shiver, Dave, Heckto35 and 1 other person like this.
  22. Static Discharge

    Static Discharge Forum Resident

    Location:
    Selkirk, NY, USA
    I have not had tone controls in 20 years and I never miss them.
     
    Dave likes this.
  23. riverrat

    riverrat Senior Member

    Location:
    Oregon
    Opinions are like you know what; everyone has them.
     
    dalem5467, Dave and Heckto35 like this.
  24. tim185

    tim185 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Australia
    Tone controls and controlling room reflections have absolutely zero relation to each other. Like trying to hammer a nail with a knitting needle.
     
    Dave, Got Hi-Fi? and The FRiNgE like this.
  25. The FRiNgE

    The FRiNgE Forum Resident

    My guitar has a tone control on it! :cool:
    My first record player had volume and tone! :p (Voice of music)
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine