Source Direct Fail: Are My Ears Debased?

Back in the days of graphic equalisers, I fell into the typical smile setting. Since then, I've been happy with the bass and the treble whacked up high - bright and boomy.
It's only in the last year or so that I've realised audiophiles prefer the tone defeat/source direct setting. I've tried it. It sounds awful: lifeless, boxy, tinny.
So, after 35 or so years of listening one way, will my ears ever adjust?

 

Ignore what others do and stick with what sounds best to you. It's been a trend in audiophilia to frown upon tone controls, but that doesn't make much sense when one considers the solid science of the Fletcher-Munson curve.

ETA: Trying to follow audiophile trends is at best an expensive endeavor and best avoided, unless of course you're doing it to find case studies in dishonest marketing and cognitive bias.

 

My guess is you have gear producing a sound you don't enjoy natively. Good gear you enjoy won't need an EQ, in my experience.

 

If it sounds good it is good.

 

Do whatever you want. Aggressive use of tone controls could mean a gear/setup problem, or potentially a hearing problem.

 

I used to go with the same EQ curve. However, now that I have purchased a much better integrated amp, I am mostly running the tone controls in the neutral position. Occasionally I use a little bass boost for thinner sounding LP's but not very often. I think this is really equipment dependent.

 

Except for the proven Fletcher-Munson curve. But hey that's just science, right?

 

Not interested in wasting time with a snarky attitude and a vapid premise, sorry. I wish you and Fletcher plenty of happiness.

 

Funny story, a friend adjusted his car system eq with the bass all the way up to+12dB, and treble to +12. The midrange was set to -12. I was still in my 20's at that time, and admittedly I liked to adjust my bass and treble a little positive. So, he's playing Molly Hatchet and asks what I think? "John", I said, "it's all bass and treble, where's the midrange?" His reply was, "I hate midrange!" That's the way he listened, and yeah it sounded like garbage! (I didn't tell him that)

When I started out with my first good system, my Pioneer speakers were a bit "midrangy". My music was mostly late 60's early 70's rock, and many albums of the period were mastered with bass and top end rolloff, examples McCartney: "Band on the Run" Edgar Winter: "They only Come out at Night, Early Beatles, "Led Zeppelin IV", Rod Stewart: Gasoline Alley", Poco (every album) and others. However some didn't need as much tone control compensation on my system (at that time) such as Stevie Wonder "Innervisions" The Doobies: "Captain and Me", Elton John "Captain Fantastic", Blood Sweat & Tears: "II", Moody Blues, "Days of Future Passed" and "Threshold", Jeff Beck: "Truth" (Reel to Reel tape)

So I can relate to someone who feels Led Zep IV needs something extra, or Edgar Winter's "Frankenstein".

I believe my ears were accustomed to how I felt a hifi system should sound, and less on how live music sounds.

My transition to being a more critical listener occurred after a break, a few years at college. My next system sounded good, flat, no other choice.. the Luxman Amp I had chosen had an "Uptilt-Downtilt" control, and only about 3dB range either way. So I was "forced" to listen without massive bass or treble boost (nobody I knew would ever cut these controls) My ears did adjust, and it was a better system.

Now, a scooped mastering sounds abnormal.. even many MoFi masterings sound scooped to me. A small complaint because of the superior quality of the vinyl, and resolution... but would rather the label not "make" its own sound. I once LOVED Telarc discs.. (very scooped) not so much now.

If I may make a suggestion: Take a short break from the setup. Try listening to nature, the sound of birds, sounds of traffic, human voice, and "tune in" to the timbres of them. There's generally not a lot of bass in the world around us. (Yeah a train or truck passing by within 10 feet would, but most sounds are not heavy in bass) Listen to someone playing guitar in a music store.

Then going back to your setup, start with well mastered recordings, such as "Innervisions", Diana Krall, Joni Mitchell, .... avoid Led Zeppelin!

I see you (the op) owns a pair of Tannoy floor standers. I am sure your speakers are excellent sounding, but maybe they need to be repositioned, or toed in? It may be the tweeter (even if dual concentric design) may not be working properly, or a component not up to spec.
I have found in my lifetime the value of auditioning equipment well out of my budget. These can be for reference, very eye opening -er- ear opening!! If there is a hifi shop within a few hours drive, audition an electrostatic speaker, or Apogee ribbon (would be used and kinda hard to find) maybe KEF or Harbeth ... or a musical instrument store, audition the Adam monitors with ribbon tweeters, and Dynaudio. (not KRK as these are hip-hop voiced, IMO)

Some say just be happy with your preference, as there is no right or wrong way of listening! But... if I had listened to that advice, I would not have refined my listening to what it is now, nor sought out gear that truly reproduces music magnificently without lots of boost or cut. Midrange is wonderful. If it doesn't sound right, why not mask it with thump n sizzle?

 

I once met a guy who loved it when his system clipped! Couldn't believe it but there really is no accounting for tastes and there are all kinds.

 

What's that?

 

Poor posture.

 

In short, our ears are more sensitive to the upper midrange than any other octaves.

 

Duh... From an evolutionary perspective, it makes sense as those are frequencies where our children's cries live. I'll be conducting a seminar on the topic next week. Bring your lab coats, clipboards and snarky attitudes.

 

I've set the bass and treble to the 3 o' clock position for now. In a week I'll ease them back to 2 o' clock. My ears might need to adjust in increments, the poor things.

(Speakers are toed-in a little, after much experimenting.)

 

Duh? Didn't you just call out heathen for being snarky? His post much less so than yours.

 

Good plan imo. Would be nice to use a mic, pink noise and RTA to be able to see the in room freq response of your system. That tells you quite well if your ears and/or brain are messed or not and can help you set your system to flat as possible if you desire it.

 

I've managed to survive the past 30+ years without (using) tone controls. Sure I've had the odd piece of gear with 'em but I never felt the urge to change the treble or bass.

And I don't necessarily always listen to well-recorded music.

 

Thanks, and what does that implies regarding EQ and tone controls? What are the claims? That we should bump all other frequencies except upper midrange?

 

I believe your ears will and do adjust, and it doesn't need to take a long time. I would "reset" by choosing some really well-recorded music that you like, and listen to it with a "flat" EQ (or tone defeat). There will be enough bass and treble in the recording already. You'll be able to hear things in the mix more clearly, and may start to enjoy listening to most music that way. If it sounds too small, turn up the volume.

For me, that music was The Nightfly, Brothers in Arms, Rage Against the Machine (debut), and Spilt Milk (Jellyfish). I actually did a little research to see what albums/tracks audio engineers use to calibrate a system, and picked from that.

Some recordings aren't so good, and if they need a little boost, go for it. But you'll have a baseline of performance for good recordings on your own system.

Anyways, here are a couple different takes on this concept:

Test your speakers like a Cambridge Audio Engineer
Need a Sonic Test for Your Audio System? Here Are Our Favorite Tracks

 

Just depends on the gear, but flat measuring gear won't sound flat to our ears.

 

Let us know how it goes. Personally, it just sounds like you dislike the sound of your gear. Do you have any friends or family with good stereo systems? If so, do you have the same opinion of the sound those systems dish out?

 

Having either Naim or Linn amps since the 80s, I'm not used to EQing.
Never quite understood the need.
But each ear to its' own.

Listen how you prefer and what makes you smile.

 

Oddly enough, I remember that when I was young I could not stand to listen to music unless the treble and bass were jacked up. I had the same impression that you did, that "flat" sounded truly "flat." Now I do everything direct or flat and don't like it any other way. My suggestion is to experiment with the EQ if you have the ability - start at 0 and make tiny adjustments and see if you can't come to appreciate it. Bump up the midrange a little bit and see if that suits you. Ultimately though, it's your gear and your ears and you ought to listen to it any way you like it.

 

Really good systems simply don't require tone controls to help them sound good. When people who have always associated good sound with using an equalizer hear my system, they often ask if I have one hidden somewhere because they can't believe how good it sounds when it is played dead flat.