DesertRose
New member
Re: Is a 31 band EQ overkill for guitar?
My KFK EQ is already a brain blower. I can't imagine a 31 band .. yikes
My KFK EQ is already a brain blower. I can't imagine a 31 band .. yikes
Is a 31 band EQ overkill for guitar?
- Thread starter JLagoon
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Simon_F
Super Moderator
Re: Is a 31 band EQ overkill for guitar?
If you think you need a 31-band EQ, doesn't that suggest that what you actually need is a different amp and/or guitar?
IMHO of course.
It's horses for courses, but for me, if the guitar and amp alone don't sound right I'm not interested in trying to fix it with more gear.
If you think you need a 31-band EQ, doesn't that suggest that what you actually need is a different amp and/or guitar?
IMHO of course.
It's horses for courses, but for me, if the guitar and amp alone don't sound right I'm not interested in trying to fix it with more gear.
idsnowdog
Imperator of Indignation
Re: Is a 31 band EQ overkill for guitar?
First off I think there is a strong anti-BBE sentiment from people for god knows what reason? I have always used one and I love it! If you can get a 31 band EQ cheap enough go for it. I use a parametric but I could use the fine grained support of a 31 band EQ. It will take a couple of hours of tweaking but I think it will do what you want. I would place the EQ before the BBE. I would probably put the BBE in bypass while tweaking the EQ until you get a sound you like and then turn the BBE back on and adjust the BBE until it fits with the EQ curve you like or visa versa.
Snowdog
First off I think there is a strong anti-BBE sentiment from people for god knows what reason? I have always used one and I love it! If you can get a 31 band EQ cheap enough go for it. I use a parametric but I could use the fine grained support of a 31 band EQ. It will take a couple of hours of tweaking but I think it will do what you want. I would place the EQ before the BBE. I would probably put the BBE in bypass while tweaking the EQ until you get a sound you like and then turn the BBE back on and adjust the BBE until it fits with the EQ curve you like or visa versa.
Snowdog
drew_half_empty
Looking for Real Life
Re: Is a 31 band EQ overkill for guitar?
ok, here's what i think
a 15 band and a 31 band rackmount cost about the same, so why not just go for the 31? Could you get by with 15? yes, technically you can get by with just a tone knob, but if you're gonna drop the cash for one you may as well go for the 31, atleast that way you know you have control over just about every frequency. If everything sounds great except, i dunno, maybe shrill highs - no problem, easy fix, you have a 31 band EQ.
ok, here's what i think
a 15 band and a 31 band rackmount cost about the same, so why not just go for the 31? Could you get by with 15? yes, technically you can get by with just a tone knob, but if you're gonna drop the cash for one you may as well go for the 31, atleast that way you know you have control over just about every frequency. If everything sounds great except, i dunno, maybe shrill highs - no problem, easy fix, you have a 31 band EQ.
Marcel
New member
Re: Is a 31 band EQ overkill for guitar?
but i checked out the (official?!?) directx plugin which should do the same as the bbe and i wasn't that impressed ... ok with the knobs 3.5 + 2 it sounds very good ... but it reminds me just of a loudness control of a hifi amp... maybe the plugin is crap... with high settings it sounds negative imo coz it seems to scoops the mids
That's what you can read on harmony central yeah....Zerberus said:http://www.bbesound.com/technologies/BBE_HDS/
BTW, MANY players swear by the combination of Peavey 5150 with a BBE 362 or 462 in the loop... I think the 5150 is far from a crappy amp (not my personal taste, but...)
but i checked out the (official?!?) directx plugin which should do the same as the bbe and i wasn't that impressed ... ok with the knobs 3.5 + 2 it sounds very good ... but it reminds me just of a loudness control of a hifi amp... maybe the plugin is crap... with high settings it sounds negative imo coz it seems to scoops the mids
The Golden Boy
Fleecy Sweaterologist
Re: Is a 31 band EQ overkill for guitar?
Seriously, unless you're Eric Johnson or something, or you have some odd need to isolate a certain frequency, "bigger or more is not always better." First, it's more dinking with to get it 'right.' Second, it's 31 other knobs that can get bumped and mess up your sound. If something gets bumped, you've got 31 faders to figure out what's been bumped.
I've got an amp with 2 seperate semi-parametric EQs on it. I absolutely detest messing with that. I have amps that have 7 bands plus low and hi contour switches. Perfect.
But why?drew_half_empty said:
Seriously, unless you're Eric Johnson or something, or you have some odd need to isolate a certain frequency, "bigger or more is not always better." First, it's more dinking with to get it 'right.' Second, it's 31 other knobs that can get bumped and mess up your sound. If something gets bumped, you've got 31 faders to figure out what's been bumped.
I've got an amp with 2 seperate semi-parametric EQs on it. I absolutely detest messing with that. I have amps that have 7 bands plus low and hi contour switches. Perfect.
ParameterMan
New member
Re: Is a 31 band EQ overkill for guitar?
A full graphic EQ has too narrow of bands to be musical, IMO. To get a good sound out of it with guitar, you'll probably have to use 6+ bands at the same time. But then, it still don't sound the same to my ears.
The BBE delays low and midrange frequencies to correct frequency phase shift caused by typical speakers impeding high frequencies. It works the best with PA boxes with deep thoat horns, or less-than hi-fi(guitar) single speakers. Computer speakers and headphones do not need this, and will sound bright, mushy, and overly-3D'd with BBE processing. There is no way this could be replicated with an EQ.
A full graphic EQ has too narrow of bands to be musical, IMO. To get a good sound out of it with guitar, you'll probably have to use 6+ bands at the same time. But then, it still don't sound the same to my ears.
The BBE delays low and midrange frequencies to correct frequency phase shift caused by typical speakers impeding high frequencies. It works the best with PA boxes with deep thoat horns, or less-than hi-fi(guitar) single speakers. Computer speakers and headphones do not need this, and will sound bright, mushy, and overly-3D'd with BBE processing. There is no way this could be replicated with an EQ.
neosadist
New member
Re: Is a 31 band EQ overkill for guitar?
About EQ, here's my take. Not that it's evil or bad. Just that somehow with my Fender Twin Reverb EQ (3 band) all at 5 and my rig, it sounds right already, without having to tweak a thing. If I have to, it's usually because of what effects I am running on my Boss ME-50, so I just use the tone shaping on that with the preset and I'm done. The only time I've even had to even touch the tone knob on my guitar while playing live is for getting "whale sounds" or for certain bluesy solos. So my comment isn't coming from experience or being a master player, but more from questioning the need to even have a 31 band EQ.
About EQ, here's my take. Not that it's evil or bad. Just that somehow with my Fender Twin Reverb EQ (3 band) all at 5 and my rig, it sounds right already, without having to tweak a thing. If I have to, it's usually because of what effects I am running on my Boss ME-50, so I just use the tone shaping on that with the preset and I'm done. The only time I've even had to even touch the tone knob on my guitar while playing live is for getting "whale sounds" or for certain bluesy solos. So my comment isn't coming from experience or being a master player, but more from questioning the need to even have a 31 band EQ.
Re: Is a 31 band EQ overkill for guitar?
Well, I think that it would not hurt to have a control over 31 frequencies, given that you are really picky and can discern the "effect."
As for BBE, I think that the computer version does scoop out the mid if it is used excessively. I used it before to give any recording juuuust a liiittle bit more clarity. However, in terms of the hardware, I think that its effect can't be compared to an EQ. I mean, there's something that a sonic maximizer does that EQ doesn't cover--the fixing phase shift and all that.
For neosadist, I can see why you doubt the necessity of a 31 band EQ (I still have a little doubt myself), and it's probably because of your amp. I tried a twin reverb at a rehearsal studio and it didn't require a lot of tweaking with the EQ. So, you can set it all equally and it already has a balanced sound, at least for clean only. However, I can't do that with any Marshall amp. Usually, the Marshall doesn't have enough punch and aggressiveness if all the EQ knobs are at 5.
I have a Boss GE-7, but it is not enough for me, except for basic tone shaping. My 5 band parametric EQ does the job better. I just feel that a 15 or a 31 band EQ would add a nice touch to the overall sound.
Well, I think that it would not hurt to have a control over 31 frequencies, given that you are really picky and can discern the "effect."
As for BBE, I think that the computer version does scoop out the mid if it is used excessively. I used it before to give any recording juuuust a liiittle bit more clarity. However, in terms of the hardware, I think that its effect can't be compared to an EQ. I mean, there's something that a sonic maximizer does that EQ doesn't cover--the fixing phase shift and all that.
For neosadist, I can see why you doubt the necessity of a 31 band EQ (I still have a little doubt myself), and it's probably because of your amp. I tried a twin reverb at a rehearsal studio and it didn't require a lot of tweaking with the EQ. So, you can set it all equally and it already has a balanced sound, at least for clean only. However, I can't do that with any Marshall amp. Usually, the Marshall doesn't have enough punch and aggressiveness if all the EQ knobs are at 5.
I have a Boss GE-7, but it is not enough for me, except for basic tone shaping. My 5 band parametric EQ does the job better. I just feel that a 15 or a 31 band EQ would add a nice touch to the overall sound.
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