Go get out your pitchforks, I’ve done a sacrilegious thing. . .


. . . I’ve added an EQ!

A Loki Max to be exact - and so far, I love it!

I believe in the purist approach for the most part, and I have a main system that that’s all about, but this system, this is my fun house system, but my room acoustics are not great in my living room.  But that doesn’t mean I want crap sound in it either. The wife won’t let me treat the room, but frankly, that isn’t even the main reason I did it. 

The system is basically Klipsch Forte III’s, Balanced Audio VX 3ix pre-amp, ARC balanced V35 tube amp, Bifrost 2 DAC getting sound from a Marantz ND8006 streamer.  I put the EQ between the DAC and the preamp.

It’s dead quiet, and I can’t discern the difference in bypass mode either. 
 

I figured it’s was a lot easier, and cheaper, to add this one component and get the exact sound I want versus going through a bunch of cables or changing out other equipment. 

Soundstage is great, and there doesn’t paper to be any aberrations, but keep in mind this isn’t the most reveling system, another reason I wasn’t too worried about adding an EQ.

All in all, a good investment and make my music more enjoyable!

 

 

last_lemming

As an early Loki enthusiast I have 2 of 'em (original and "+"). Great and absolutely transparent bit of gear, one for my TV rig and another for headphones and general EQ when needed in my main hifi system. Although the "Max" isn't cheap I bet it's fun to sit there and remote control things...note I also have Heresy IIIs (better mids than the IVs I had for a couple of months) and a Bifrost II.

@last_lemming 

I was drawn to your post to see what responses you promoted.

However, your comment "It’s dead quiet, and I can’t discern the difference in bypass mode either." has me confused. Please can you provide clarification?

I’ve used equalizers for room correction. I’ve settled on a couple Rane ME60s for two of my systems. They do the job -- 30 sliders per channel at 1/3 octave intervals. Great pro build quality with minimal unwanted impact on sound quality.

I've got 2 8024 Behringers...one 'listens' to the room while the other corrects for it.  Both digital, both leave no trace of being in the path.

But I'm one of those heretics' that believe fancy cables are just esoteric eq....*L*