EQ vs Soundcard's EQ

[Grayburg]

I've got some program, Realtek HD Audio Manager, that can apply EQ to every sound my computer makes. It makes everything sound unbelievably clear with a rock preset (boosted lows and highs, cut mids).

People won't be hearing that, of course, so I turn it off and try to apply it to my work. I tried mimicking the numbers into the EQ plugin I normally use, FL Parametric EQ 2, but the results still sound nowhere near as good. Turning back on the EQ from the Realtek program still makes the mix sound even better with the extra FL EQing.

The EQ on individual instruments are how I like them with or without the Realtek EQ, so they're okay.

If you have a Realtek soundcard, you Must use this program. It's like tacking on &fmt=18 to your whole computer.

[Nekofrog]

I used to use this, until I realized one day that scooping the mids doesn't magically make things sound better, it removes a lot of those key frequencies that make a tune shine.

I spent a lot of time pursuing exactly what you are, never found a way to replicate it, and gave up.

Mostly because I learned how to make my stuff sound good without killing mids. Now, mids are my friend, and I'd be lost without them.

In other short, you're not the first to embark on this quest. Good luck!

[Jens Wulvik]

If you have a Realtek soundcard, you Must use this program. It's like tacking on &fmt=18 to your whole computer.

Actually, applying a such equaliser is the safest way to destroy the accuracy of your monitoring.

And as Nekofrog says, scooping the mids is not the way to make things sound better. The reason that scooping mids looks like the ultimate mixing solution, is that the mids are what normally contain the mud in a mix. When you scoop the mids, you also scoop this mud...but you also scoop the meat of your sound.

[Cyril the Wolf]

I used to scoop mids a lot myself... I used to scoop mids out of everything, but the funny part is, I could never get that tone I wanted (bass or guitar)

When I accidentally forgot to apply my normal EQ when I was mixing once, I was surprised at how amazing it sounded. However:

You could have a room issue, becuase some rooms do create mid issues. Though I'm not sure which room configurations would actually accentuate those frequencies.

[KaelitioN]

Keep in mind that when people play your song , they will probably have their own EQ/Bass boost/ surround set up , so if you do it for them when you mix , and they do it again for themselves , the results might not be too pretty

[OverCoat]

Fuck equalizing

I don't use it when making songs and I don't use it when listening either :3