Active EQ on Amps?

[benjaturner]

Please can someone tell me if there's anything that everyone should know about active EQ. There's one on my new Fender amp and I'm finally going to get it back in a few days. I had a little go on it before I broke it and the EQ really threw me. I've been told I should keep the EQ reletively low to what I would normally set a passive EQ section and turn the master up, sound about right?

What do active EQ's have in common with passive EQ's? I never (really never!) set the treble below 5 (usually about 6/7, sometimes 8) on my old passive EQ amp. Should I approach an active EQ differently?

Thanks,
-Benja

[greendy123]

Re: Active EQ on Amps?

I don't think it really matters, just set the eq to whatever sounds good to you. No one can give you exact settings, it should just depend on your ears.

[aleclee]

Re: Active EQ on Amps?

Amps are all different but with active EQs, you're generally better off starting from a relatively neutral setting (all knobs at 12:00) and tweaking from there vs. the skewed EQ that folks often use as a starting point.

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: Active EQ on Amps?

Amps are all different but with active EQs, you're generally better off starting from a relatively neutral setting (all knobs at 12:00) and tweaking from there vs. the skewed EQ that folks often use as a starting point.

I think that's good advice for any EQ. Most people use EQ to boost frequencies and forget that they're equally useful for cutting frequencies as well. Start flat and work it from there.

[Mephis]

Re: Active EQ on Amps?

I always set midpoint as maximum and just cut frequencies, other wise you start to lose tonal quality.

I'm not sure if amps work exactly like car audio, but I learned that from EQing stereos for car audio. I would imagine the same would apply, unless you want the EQ to add to your gain. On my amp, perfectly netrual sounds perfect I just add a little presence.