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Author Topic: Playing with Harman target EQ curve with various hi-fi headphones  (Read 4868 times)

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OJneg

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Playing with Harman target EQ curve with various hi-fi headphones
« on: September 09, 2015, 03:24:50 AM »
Topic brought up by Mr. Katz in this article: http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/big-sound-2015-bob-katz-eqing-headphones-harman-target-response#kFQ8eBuXx6zYEP7Q.97

I think it's going to be very important in this thread to use the same recordings. Live stuff with minimal digital foolery and compression. If the Harman curve really is supposed to mimic the way we hear real life then the differences we hear should be positive. For those part of the Sennheiser ubermench, let's start with the HD800 and see what sort of results we get. Be sure to qualify impressions with state of modifications.



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OJneg

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Re: Playing with Harman target EQ curve with various hi-fi headphones
« Reply #1 on: September 09, 2015, 04:01:03 AM »
Everyone can use something like this setting in Jriver. Make sure to adjust level to avoid clipping on the digital side. Low Q curve on 1.5k (0.5) and high Q at 6k (5.0). High shelf Q of 1.0.





Feel free to correct and adjust based on what you suspect. Must take cold shower before donning the HD800
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Yuanathan

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Re: Playing with Harman target EQ curve with various hi-fi headphones
« Reply #2 on: September 09, 2015, 04:32:27 AM »
Hi OJ, sorry for a noon question, but how did you get the DSP studio to display the resultant response curve? U played a test tone?  p:8
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OJneg

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Re: Playing with Harman target EQ curve with various hi-fi headphones
« Reply #3 on: September 09, 2015, 04:37:41 AM »
Quote from: Yuanathan on September 09, 2015, 04:32:27 AM
Hi OJ, sorry for a noon question, but how did you get the DSP studio to display the resultant response curve? U played a test tone?  p:8


Playback pink noise and use analyzer tool in DSP studio. I happen to have a rip of the Stereophile Test CD on my hard disc
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thune

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Re: Playing with Harman target EQ curve with various hi-fi headphones
« Reply #4 on: September 09, 2015, 04:39:26 AM »
Unless I'm looking at it wrong, the amplitude scale on the target curve (hand drawn solid line) on the HD800 graph does not match the scale of the target curve on the other graph (solid black line). On the HD800 plot the 200Hz-3000Hz diff is ~7-8dB and on the other it is ~12dB. The bass boost on the HD800 graph is ~2.5~3dB and is 4dB on the other.  I must be misunderstanding what the hand drawn black line is.
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OJneg

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Re: Playing with Harman target EQ curve with various hi-fi headphones
« Reply #5 on: September 09, 2015, 04:46:24 AM »
Quote from: thune on September 09, 2015, 04:39:26 AM
Unless I'm looking at it wrong, the amplitude scale on the target curve (hand drawn solid line) on the HD800 graph does not match the scale of the target curve on the other graph (solid black line). On the HD800 plot the 200Hz-3000Hz diff is ~7-8dB and on the other it is ~12dB. The bass boost on the HD800 graph is ~2.5~3dB and is 4dB on the other. 

I didn't notice that. But I'm definitely not boosting that region another 5dB
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Solderdude

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Re: Playing with Harman target EQ curve with various hi-fi headphones
« Reply #6 on: September 09, 2015, 04:56:37 AM »
Tyll already did the OW correction thing:



In order to get the OW sound you just need to apply the EQ to this plot thus boosting the bass and 2kHz 'dip' and you will hear 'OW target sound.
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OJneg

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Re: Playing with Harman target EQ curve with various hi-fi headphones
« Reply #7 on: September 09, 2015, 05:09:17 AM »
Quote from: Solderdude on September 09, 2015, 04:56:37 AM
Tyll already did the OW correction thing:



In order to get the OW sound you just need to apply the EQ to this plot thus boosting the bass and 2kHz 'dip' and you will hear 'OW target sound.

You mean to say we need to make the red/blue traces in that curve flat. So my proposed EQ should more or less do the trick?
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OJneg

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Re: Playing with Harman target EQ curve with various hi-fi headphones
« Reply #8 on: September 09, 2015, 05:23:12 AM »
Can someone help me out and give this a listen. With lossless source obviously.

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Solderdude

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Re: Playing with Harman target EQ curve with various hi-fi headphones
« Reply #9 on: September 09, 2015, 06:01:37 AM »
Quote from: OJneg on September 09, 2015, 05:09:17 AM
You mean to say we need to make the red/blue traces in that curve flat. So my proposed EQ should more or less do the trick?

Yup a 'flat' line = OW target reached = OW's view on what sounds 'correct' to people in general.
It fits quite well with your method because the same raw plots and correction is used.

Don't own a HD800 but if I did I would likely have used roughly the same EQ.

There are some other well known headphones you can apply the same trick to.
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/first-test-estimated-harman-target-response-curve-various-headphones
They should all sound the same tonally yet all still sound different in some aspects.
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