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Question about Tone Controls + Equalizers

So I wanted to get opinions on Tone Controls.

I listen to all my music including LP's with Tone Controls defeated.

Why do I do that, you say? Because when I started on this journey I had the impression in my mind that in order to be an Audiophile, you have to listen to all music in it's purest form otherwise you are degrading the sound (I know, a very novice and naive mentality). 

So my first questions, do you all listen to LP's with tone controls on or off (if you have the capability in your system)?

My second question is about equalizers and in particular the Schiit Loki. If you have Tone Controls in your system, is adding a equalizer or tone control system useless or does it interfere whit your built in Tone Controls? Would you have defeat the Tone Controls on your own system in order to use the Loki or could they work with each other? I am not sure.

Do you all think a device like the Loki could possibly help fine tune your system sound? Is anyone using it in their own rig with LP playback?

That is what I would use it for, LP Playback, if I ever got the Loki or anything similar.

Thanks
128x128jay73
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,249 posts
 
Jay, being able to adjust a systems frequency response is a wonderful capability but tone controls and analog equalizers are like model T's to digital room control (acts like an equalizer). First of all it helps if you know what your system is doing. Impulse testing with a calibrated microphone does this. Then being able to make specific changes like adding a notch filter and hearing the result are extremely informative. I find that once a system has been corrected the only changes that require adjustment are for specific albums that have problems like sibilance. A 3 db notch filter at 3000 - 4000 Hz usually solves that. So, before this the older audiophiles were right. It was better to correct overall deficiencies is a system as best you could as analog tone controls were more detrimental than helpful given their limited flexibility. This attitude pervades when it comes to digital equalization which is a shame as now the benefits far out weight the detriments. 
Check out Anthem and Trinnov units.
jay73's avatar
jay73 OP
219 posts
 
Thanks for the inputs and suggestions.

Those Anthem and Trinnov units look incredible but unfortunately out of my price range.

I am quite happy with my system at the moment but was curious about the tone controls and how others use them, if at all (if they have that feature).

Thanks
jameswei
883 posts
 
Old school analog equalizers with manually adjustable sliders are much cheaper.

Rane used to make decent graphic equalizers.  The build quality is at the pro level.  Although they seemed to have discontinued this line, used units are still available on Amazon and pro music shops.

I have a two channel ME60 which is helpful for room compensation with 1/3 octave sliders having 12 db range and bypass switches. 
gosta's avatar
gosta
839 posts
 
If you knew how much the recording been eq’d before it is put on your vinyl....and in the RIAA you have a huge eq system already. What’s not been eq’d is your speakers in your room and you need to do that to get a more even sound at least between 20-500Hz. Loki is fine but it only has four controls and therefore paints very broad. If you like to try digital the Anti-mode 2.0 may be a good start.

pratorious
124 posts
 
My McIntosh preamps/receivers have  always had equalizer controls which I used sparingly to make particular recordings more appealing to my ears. On those recordings I would be very frustrated if I couldn’t adjust anything at all!  It was annoying to remember to return it back to neutral on the next album though.
My latest preamp, the McIntosh C70, is a simpler style and has only bass and treble controls with a switch to defeat. This better suits me as I am using it like a loudness switch on those records that need some help. More often than not I want to tame some harsh highs and boost bass with certain recordings. But it’s a very small fraction of records and it’s easy to switch off and then my settings are close to where I need them the next time the recording needs it. 
It’s also, of course, very volume contingent which is why I would be very frustrated without any control at all.



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