Does Every Track Sound Great on Your System?


How do you know if it is the recording or your system?

By way of example with a focus on bass, for some songs I like the amount of bass, then another song I feel like it needs more bass to hit harder, and then another song I feel like there is too much bass and it is boomy. Does that ever happen to you? I feel like I am getting the treble sorted out, but going back and forth on the bass.

Can anyone listen to the first 20 second of the song Temptation by Diana Krall from the Girl In The Other Room album and let me know if there is a bass component that is a bit much? The vocals sound good so no issue there.

Thanks.

12many

There is a piece, called NGTUBEEQ by Wes Audio that is all analog and with stereo link to automatically match sides when one dial is turned. It uses a digital software to control the unit from your computer. Or you can turn dials yourself. It probably sounds utterly incredible for a cool 6 grand. Insanely over the top for home hi fi. But would integrate fine. XLR balanced. One day…

@OP. There are two possibilities here. The first is that you have room problems. If you have, depending on the key of the song and the bassline, some tracks may sound right and others wrong.

The second is just the fact that depending on the choices made in the recording and mastering, bass sound can differ quite radically across different recordings. Also, a double bass sounds fundamentally different to an electric bass even though they have the same nominal frequency response (like for like in terms of four string basses).

Assuming there aren't equipment or room problems, there is no "right" amount of bass - it varies.

I have the Loki Max, because someone mentioned it on this forum. I agree, it has three presets, plus a bypass. It helps take the edge off some recordings while opening up the imaging. I concur, get one if you don't have one. The age of the equalizer is back.

The LM and Lokius don’t play in the same ballpark as the aforementioned pro pieces. They are sonically inferior. I won’t elaborate here but I’ve done so EXTENSIVELY on the Equalizer in a Hi Fi System thread. As have others there. If you just limit yourself to Schiit equalizers and never hear any pro gear then you have no idea what you are missing. Please, if you want the highest fidelity in an equalizer, then please do yourself a favor and read the other thread. 

There are so many factors that determine how well a particular song sounds, especially the room dynamics. The song for me that"s always strange in its sound in my room is "At Last" by Etta James.  The standup bass in that song always makes my ceiling sound like people with heavy boots are walking up above.