What Are the Best Equalizer Settings? (Ultimate Guide)

What Are the Best Equalizer Settings? As a die-hard music fan and audiophile, I have a lot of reservations about the equalizer. Perhaps the equalizer settings aren't that important for the average person. But, if you're anything like me, you're probably curious about the best equalizer setting.

This is why, in order to assist a fellow music enthusiast, I am providing the best equalizer available. I'll go over equalizers in detail and show you how to get the best sounds out of them.

WHAT IS AN EQUALIZER (EQ)? 

Every audio you've ever heard is a mash-up of different frequencies. A single audio clip can contain a wide range of frequencies. The human hearing frequency range is 20hz to 20000hz. So, technically, anything you can hear with your ears falls within that range.

An equalizer, on the other hand, is a medium that allows you to control the impact of those frequencies. To control the effect of those frequencies in the audio, you can increase or decrease the frequencies. With an example, this will become much clearer.

So, when you listen to classical music , it typically has three frequency ranges. Low frequencies are also classified as bass. Mid and high frequencies are also present. You can increase the bass in your song by using an equalizer to boost the lower frequencies. It has no effect on the fundamental audio file or its quality. It only adds the boosted effect to your headphones or speakers.

In a nutshell, an equalizer allows you to control the different frequency ranges of an audio file. And anyone must understand how to use the equalizer. Because knowing how to use it opens up new worlds of audio for you.

You will get the most out of your classical music experience once you have mastered the use of the equalizer. Certain songs, for example, benefit from increased bass, while others benefit from increased clarity. So, if you know how to use the equalizer to achieve the desired effect, you can get the perfect sound for any music you listen to.

HOW TO USE AN EQUALIZER?

The thing is, using an equalizer isn't difficult. Especially in today's world, where an equalizer can be found in almost any audio device. They also have a digital equalizer that allows you to fine-tune the frequencies.

To use an equalizer, you must first go through the various frequencies that it contains. The frequency number or digits will also differ depending on the equalizer you use. There are also graphic equalizers that provide precise control over each frequency. In any case, a few basic frequency ranges are sufficient to achieve the best possible sound.

Here are the frequencies that you will typically hear in music or other audio. Remember that these are ranges, not actual numbers, so you may need to experiment a little to find accuracy.

• 20hz – 60hz: Usually, these are the lowest frequencies you can hear in audio files. They typically come from the kick drums or such kinds of instruments.
• 61hz – 200hz: These are sounds that you can get from bass and some other drums. They are also very low on the spectrum and have a deep, heavy sound.
• 201hz – 600hz: This is the range where you get some other instruments added. For example, the lower notes of a guitar or a piano will typically be within this range. From a musician's perspective, your chords mostly lie around this range.
• 600hz – 3000hz: Here, it’s the mid-range of frequencies. You will find most of the vocal sounds here. Also, the mid to higher notes of your instruments lie within this range.
• 3000hz – 8000hz: Within this range, you will get to hear the higher notes of your instruments. Also, some vocals seep through here if the song is sung in a higher key. So, you can expect some high vocals here as well.
• 8000hz – 20000hz: Typically, you don’t get to see this frequency range in classical music or anything else. However, sometimes there might be noises that can go up to this range to create a certain effect. It’s not likely, but it can happen.

For example, if you're listening to a song with lyrics, you should try to get more clarity. You can accomplish this by slightly lowering the 20hz to 600hz ranges and then increasing the 600hz to 3000hz range. This will give you a boost in the vocals, allowing you to hear the lyrics clearly.

It is up to you to decide how to use the equalizer. Different musical genres have preferred equalizer settings. For example, because rock music is primarily about the drums and guitars, you will want to boost the lower and higher frequencies to achieve the best sound.

Overall, knowing the frequencies and the sounds associated with them is all that is required to use the equalizer. Once you've identified them, you'll need to experiment with the numbers to find the perfect sound for you. And keep in mind that your perfect sound will not be the universal perfect sound. It differs from one person to the next.

SETTINGS EQUALIZER FOR BEST SOUND

As I previously stated, the best sound setting in an equalizer will be determined by the song and genre you are listening to. So, play a song and open the equalizer, then experiment with the sliders or waves in the equalizer to find the best settings.

At the very least, you now know which frequency does what. From here on out, things shouldn't be too difficult. However, to assist you even further, I have some basic settings that work very well in most cases. You can experiment with them to find the best sounds for your situation.

BEST EQUALIZER SETTINGS FOR BASS

Many people believe that increasing the decibel level will result in better sound. Increasing only the lower end of the frequency spectrum will not provide you with the desired bass sound. Simply increasing the bass will increase the volume of the frequencies, but it will also result in a decrease in sound quality.

This is why you must strike a balance here. You can do this if you want more bass on the sound while maintaining the quality.

Increase the sub-bass frequency by 6dB below 60hz. Then, keep the bass frequencies (60-200hz) between 0 and 6dB. The rest, on the other hand, can be kept flat or lowered to suit your needs.

BEST EQUALIZER SETTINGS FOR CAR

There is no single equalizer setting for a car because it depends on the music you listen to. However, most people prefer to have a heavy-sounding bass in their car audio. Keeping this in mind, you'll want to make sure your car audio system has plenty of bass.

However, when changing the bass, don't go overboard. Because your car isn't the most open environment, too much bass can be harmful to your hearing. As a result, keep the changes to a minimum.

You should divide the frequencies into three sections here. Consider that bass from 20 to 200hz and boost it somewhere between 0 and 6db. You can either keep the mid and treble flat or reduce the decibel count. This should provide some balanced sound quality as well as some powerful bass.

BEST EQUALIZER SETTINGS FOR HOME THEATRE

This is where you can turn up the bass for a more immersive experience. Because the majority of the time, the purpose of a home theater is to watch movies. When watching a movie in your home theater, you would expect an immersive surround sound experience. Only increasing the bass with the equalizer will ruin the experience.

So, the goal here is to strike a balance between clarity and bass. Most of the time, you should try to get the mid-range frequencies to their best level because the dialogue in movies is in those ranges. However, if you're watching an action movie, you might want some bass power as well.

In the equalizer settings, you should not increase the sub-bass and bass frequencies by much, if at all. Keeping them flat, or even lowering them, is a better option in this case. Then, move on to the mid frequencies and boost them slightly, but not too much, as this can cause noise.

Also, keep the surround sound perfectly balanced; you don't want overpowering sound from one side and no sound from the other.

BEST EQUALIZER FOR TV

The equalizer setting for television should be similar to that of your home theater. Except, if you don't have a subwoofer connected, you might want to consider customize the bass a little. Because you might not get the best bass experience from the shows if you don't have a subwoofer.

So, if you don't have a subwoofer, I recommend increasing the bass and sub-bass by 6db or more for the best tv equalizer settings. However, if you have one, keep it below 6dB. Then, for the mid and higher frequencies, you can go flat or slightly higher, but keep it within 6dB.

BEST EQUALIZER SETTINGS FOR HEADPHONES

You will need to make numerous adjustments to your headphones from time to time. Because you primarily use your headphones to listen to classical music . And different equalizer settings are required for different types of music.

Some music sounds better with more bass instruments, while others sound better with more clarity. As a result, for a casual music listening experience, I recommend a balanced sound. You can have a boost in the sub-bass while keeping the bass instruments section flat. The mid and high frequencies can then be boosted.

This will ensure that you have good sound quality for any music. After that, you can adjust the frequencies to suit your needs. Aside from all of this, you can also experiment with some presets that may already be available based on music genres and improve it.

BEST EQUALIZER FOR GAMING

Audios now have a significant impact on the gaming community as well. Many shooter games rely heavily on audio cues such as enemy footsteps. And, to gain a competitive advantage, you can equalize your sound to better hear your opponents.

I strongly advise using a clarity-based sound for the best gaming equalizer settings. This will help you immensely in hearing those footsteps. So, simply increase the mid and high frequencies without affecting the bass instruments frequencies. And that should suffice for you.

WRAP UP Best Equalizer Settings

To summarize, there is no single equalizer setting for your needs. Because there are so many variables to consider, and they are heavily improve by personal preferences.

So, the best thing you can do is experiment with the equalizer and frequencies to find the best setting for you. Whether it's for music, movies, or gaming, you'll know which one is best for you.

And, if you're not sure where to start, you can use my suggestions as a starting point and make changes from there.

FAQs Equalizer Setting for Sound