Does a graphic equalizer show where your amp is lacking?

It's well established that the lower a volume you listen to the less sensitive you are to bass and treble.  This is the basis for loudness switches.

Of all the items you could pick, your amp would be far down your list, after your  listening level, room and speakers.

I suggest you don a flak jacket and raise an umbrella

Regarding the use of your Loki, in order to improve your high frequencies did you actually rotate your high frequency control or did it just sound better plugged into the circuit? If you did, how much?

Your present interconnect and speaker wire could be a major impediment to good sound. On the more inexpensive side I would suggest you get some IC's from Blue Jeans and some new speaker wire as well, perhaps the Canare 4s11. Don't even think about whether or not your amp is adequate yet (if ever) until you have at least put in some decent economy wires.

A graphic equalizer boosts or cuts certain frequency ranges in volume. It has less control over the frequency range than a parametric equalizer (which, as the name indicates, allows you to set parameters on the boosts and cuts).

So it is kind of like changing the music to make certain parts of it sound louder or softer. This is not really analogous to changing the speaker, in the same way you might ask a pianist to play certain keys harder or softer but it will still sound like the same piano.

Since it is easier to hear louder things, and harder to hear softer things, just because you now notice something more does not mean that what you were hearing before was incorrect or that your equipment was lacking. (Like above, same piano, just some notes louder or quieter now.) Without doing a measurement of your speaker's frequency response in your room, you can't really say for sure that the boosts or cuts you have added are making things more correct or actually less correct, even if it sounds better to you.

Erik got that one right.

If I had issues with any frequency, I would look at the source first. I have a difficult time with some of my older media, THEN the room. I say that tongue in cheek. Both have to be right to make a call for tone control. If the room and source are good, I have to do very little with a full range speaker. Set the controls to flat and away I go.

I use GR servos and DSP Bass management I also use Helmholtz tuning with 2 100cf tuning resonators on the front wall and 4 adj traps on the side walls.

I EQ the room just like a graphic and parametric. I can actually notch single or multiple spots or tune around to lower SPL with a lower region. It can’t correct for suck-out or combing but if the room is tuned 1/2 way right you won’t have that problem.

If all else fails, tone control or a graphic EQ will work just fine.

Loudness trim is what made Mcintosh controls so nice. My personal favorite if I’m using a NON "Line stage pre". Currently I’m using a SLP-05 Cary.. There is ZERO tone control there. Most of the media is working out well enough. I still have LPads via speaker XO for treble and mids. I have a little wiggle room. 280hz and below has always been the greatest challenge in any of my rooms. Once I clean that up, the mids and highs are easy..

Helmholtz the only way to fly..

I recently purchased a Schiits Loki equalizer and was surprised at the amount of added detail it provided to the music most noticeable in the higher frequencies...

Could be your ears!

Some 60+ year old can't hear frequency higher than 10kHz.

If you like it, then just pour any extra funds into a CD or two.

And if it is OK for you, then the last thing you want to do is start spending up on cables.

Let’s see, I’m 87 was in the military in 1954 in the signal corps working around 105 mm guns with no protection, I probably can’t hear frequencies above 10kHz  but I still enjoy my music  😂😂😂

All amps have a certain signature sound. You want to find one that is as neutral as possible to let the recording come through untouched. The true purpose of an EQ is to correct for room acoustics . If you are using to try and correct your amp get a different amp. Example; an amp with bad mids run into an EQ will only amplify or boost the bad mids. 

I was not aware there were graphic equalizers for sale.  I think this is why people purchase amplifiers that produce the sound they like, as each amplifier has its own sound.  

Fundamentally any good amplifier has no sonic signature. When combined with cables and a speaker the amplifier interacts through the cables and with the speaker such that the three create a unique sonic signature. There are three variables you have to consider to get a sound that you are now attributing just to the amplifier.

Amplifier technologies (design typologies) that have a propensity to create curtain definable types of signatures on average but each combination is again, unique.  There are enough 'outliers' to this state that it is a general rule and not a law.

An equalizer, regardless of controls will shape the frequency and phase response of the above combination handling only the tonal aspect of the audio image you wish to create.  Basic common use is to accommodate specific room-induced interaction with the speaker.  Given that the whole system, that is the room, speakers, cables, and amplifier is a dynamic interactive 'thing', in the end we are lucky to get the sound we do.

Hi Scott 22! You're learning! Good for you! If an added piece of equipment increases your enjoyment, Hooray! Yes, it is like getting different speakers; and much cheaper.  There is good stuff available from manufacturers you haven't heard of, but a company's reputation is worth something. Some outfits have not much to sell besides their reputation and don't mind taking your money for the "pride of ownership." When you read reviews, remember sombody is paying for that review. When they say, "I bought the review sample," you can believe them. When they say, "If you are looking for an XYZ in this price bracket, this is worthy of consideration." it means "eeenh." It is very risky to buy something you have not heard - in person. Be sure you can afford (or return) the gamble. Your grandmother could have told you that. Good gear is available used for much lless $$. Keep Smiling.

Thanks everyone for taking the time to respond. Imhifiman and Yogi42 yes ears for sure hearing is shot at 75. bomerbillone Schiits seems not to be Shi$ and for $150 it was a good toy for being a pandemic shut in and boomer keep on keeping on. holms agreed I bought 600 classical CDs for $200 mostly from the 1990 and late1980, Oh my what fun this has been listening to all these recordings what an education.

Here's to my 7th grade music teacher Charles Higgins from Trenton NJ. A wonderful man we would come to class put heads down on the desk close our eyes and he would play the masters Beethoven, Bach, Mozart etc. who know decades later the lessons learned in that class would bear fruit later in life.

Nekoaudio thanks for the explanation. 

NO

I never used a graphic equalizer until a year ago. I got a Bellari EQ570 and really glad I got it.  The Bellari is just enough to take the edge off of some of the bad recordings. A pure audio fie person will disagree on using one. I listen to all kinds of music and why suffer through a bad recording.