Ideal EQ Settings for HK Audio System

[Lincoln30]

Originally Posted by Andrew115

Has anyone stopped by a local car audio shop and ask if they will use a meter to setup? If you find the right person they may do for free in exchange for a ride or just a few bucks. I bet they will have some reasonable modifications/additions to suit your individual preferences assuming your feeling that your HK isn't measuring up.

If you can't wait until I can do it on my car then I will post the info for M3 HK sound EQ settings for closest to flat sound. Once you have that then you can customize to your liking. I was a car stereo installer (a long time ago), always have been an audiophile. This dates me, but I was certified as a CMAA sound quality judge before IASCA ate them

[M4TW]

Originally Posted by Lincoln30

If you can't wait until I can do it on my car then I will post the info for M3 HK sound EQ settings for closest to flat sound. Once you have that then you can customize to your liking. I was a car stereo installer (a long time ago), always have been an audiophile. This dates me, but I was certified as a CMAA sound quality judge before IASCA ate them

What is flat sound and how is it achieved with EQ settings? I'm interested in the subject and am trying to learn something.

[Lincoln30]

Originally Posted by M4TW

What is flat sound and how is it achieved with EQ settings? I'm interested in the subject and am trying to learn something.

Flat sound means that using a real time analyzer and pink noise (sounds like static) you set the EQ to make all the RTA bands as flat as possible (each frequency band outputting the same decibel level at the measurement microphone). Microphone placement is important and I use ear level, drivers seat and tune the system to my seat...if you like you passengers more then I do you can use an ear level position in between the seats. Now an audio system really can't be set to perfectly flat for a multitude of reasons but this method and some others will result in an "as good as you can make it" scenario. For those of us that probably won't upgrade the OE system this is about the best you can do for making the system sound it's best. Set it as flat as possible and then make some personal adjustments from that reference point. I usually leave mine flat.

Since you are getting an M4, my measurements in the M3 won't be totally invalid but it will be better if your reference settings come from measurements taken in an M4. If you want to get really picky the reference settings in an M4 with full leather would likely be slightly different in a car with just extended leather or cloth. There may not be enough fine adjustment on the EQ to compensate for these small difference but I'll bet it would measurable if you had all 3 cars with the various major interior surface differences measured using the same equipment and mic positions.

You can buy an app called audiotunes and it has the RTA. It's not great but it works. You can buy a good mic for the phone, which is better then using the phone mic (I borrow a co-workers). I use an IASCA judging CD with a pick noise track.

[peter_s]

I'm a hobby producer/audio engineer who have produced a couple of bands and I spend quite a lot of my time in a studio.

I haven't found anything wrong with the EQ settings flat, they sound good to me. I especially wouldn't cut all the mids out like in the previous posts, because you'll loose a big part of the music when you don't have any mids. The music will sound very thin and it will be drowned out by road noise.

Lincoln, I'm really looking forward to the analysis of the freq response. Can you post a result somehow?

What kind of noise is produced that cover all the freqs you need for a proper analysis?

[Lincoln30]

Originally Posted by peter_s

I'm a hobby producer/audio engineer who have produced a couple of bands and I spend quite a lot of my time in a studio.

I haven't found anything wrong with the EQ settings flat, they sound good to me. I especially wouldn't cut all the mids out like in the previous posts, because you'll loose a big part of the music when you don't have any mids. The music will sound very thin and it will be drowned out by road noise.

Lincoln, I'm really looking forward to the analysis of the freq response. Can you post a result somehow?

What kind of noise is produced that cover all the freqs you need for a proper analysis?

The Pink Noise wiki page can explain what pink noise is better then I can.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_noise.

Audiotools app can produce pink noise, many spectrum analyzers (AKA RTA or Real Time Analyzers) can generate pink noise. I find the easy way to play pink noise on a car stereo is from a CD or USB device. I only like to use uncompressed material from a known good source for tuning and listening tests, so I use CDs (equal to .wav files) or my 1T USB HD with my entire CD collection burned using Exact Audio Copy (painfully slow process) on it in wav format (not all car stereos with USB will play the HD, my E90 does and I hope the F80 does, most that I have tried the HD on do play wav files - The 2013 MP4-12C spider played it, The 2011 Ferrari California did not, 2015 Corvette does, Ford Sync does and it reads the drive fast - that's all I've tried it on so far). That said I will use actual CDs for my tuning. There are many commercially available CDs with pink noise tracks that are known to be clean recordings. I have many of them. My favorites are the IASCA CD used in competition since they also have some good sound quality music tracks. There are also Stereophile Magazine test dics that are similar designed to test and configure 2 channel home systems with a different more classical leaning music selection (not really something I want to listen to driving around like the some the IASCA tracks).

Since I have to wait until November for my car I will have time to find a real "professional" rta to borrow for the tuning. The shop I used to work at folded tent a few years ago after 4 owners and 38 years in business. I worked for owners 2 and 3. The manager of the shop for over 20 years now runs another custom shop, so if he doesn't have one he will know who does. I will post my results when I have them. I'll probably do some measurements with audiotools, as well, then I can compare how accurate it is compared to a real RTA.

For music listening tests I have many CD's that are great recordings and I'm very familiar with how they sound. Some Telarc, some Chesky, some regular CDs that are better the average recordings, etc.

In the end, I love the audiophile CDs but I also love Alternative, Rock, Classic Rock, etc and much of this is not recorded well. I still enjoy it but wish more artists would care about the sound quality.

Here's a few on my go to CDs that I know are still for sale:
Chesky Demo with commentary about what to listen for before each track. Nice CD with some decent music.
http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Demon...udiophile+test

My favorite Alternative recording from the 80's that sounds quite good:

http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Wish-25...rds=propaganda

Awesome recording from Telarc of a Beach Boys cover band. Sounds just like the real thing to me.

http://www.amazon.com/California-Pro...pa+doo+run+run

That's a tiny sample of some of the tracks I will use after the initial tuning is done.

[peter_s]

Thanks for the info.

Great idea about analyzing pink noise in the car. After all that's what you do in a studio so you can monitor.

I will check the albums out. I also have a set of references, but it's all subjective in the end. In later years the musician in me really appreciates good song writing ahead of audio quality. Although I appreciate good quality as well.

As I said before, really looking forward what you'll make out of this. The nerd in me is very curious

[gsrbri]

Given the subjectivity of the EQ settings, thought I'd post this, for general information. I've found that sitting in my car for 1/2 hour, w/a couple of CDs that really provide good sonic range, and playing w/each frequency band in the HK EQ (did this in my E90) can result in some pretty great sounding output.

I'll post my results from this shortly!

http://productionadvice.co.uk/using-eq/

[parky1215]

So any update to good setting we can use?

[rmedeir1]

I am an audioholic...recommendation...get a test CD (available on Amazon...covers bass frequencies up to treble frequencies). Next get an inexpensive decibel meeter. Your $35 in on this by now. Insert the CD and start testing to see where your highs and lows are at each frequency. The goal is to get a super flat response across the frequency range, BUT since the EQ is not greater than 7 adgustable settings you'll have to do your best to work with what you have to get as cloes to a flat response as possible. Keep in mind, if you have a significant dip at 50Hz but flat response at 100Hz I would not raise the 100Hz slider to compensate for the 50Hz dip as it will sound "boomy". You will just have to live with that dip that the EQ cannot adjust for or replace the under the seat subwoofer with a Focal IBus 20 (http://www.focal.com/en/plug-play/27...050750135.html) or install a rear trunk Focal P BombA V27 V1 (http://www.focal.com/en/expert/335-p...058750151.html)

After you have completed the above with the EQ I would not touch it again. Get on the road and if there are certain music sources that sound flat only adjust the "bass" or "treble" sliders. This should give you the best possible sound settings possible for you and your taste.

The only proper way to truly get great sound is an aftermarket system that can be infinitely customized (exaggerating), but I have not done that since my teens and early 20s mainly because cars are the worst environments for truly great sounding audio.

Note: I have not had experience with the Focal IBus 20 (http://www.focal.com/en/plug-play/27...050750135.html) and AM NOT ADVOCATING it will be sufficient for you. Look at all options yourself to determine if this would be a good replacement, as good as what we all have as stock, or better. I listed it in my note because usually aftermarket has a sizable improvement in sound quality, but I could be wrong on this one.

[GarlicBun]

subscribed!!

[DocWeatherington]

Originally Posted by rmedeir1

I am an audioholic...recommendation...get a test CD (available on Amazon...covers bass frequencies up to treble frequencies). Next get an inexpensive decibel meeter. Your $35 in on this by now. Insert the CD and start testing to see where your highs and lows are at each frequency. The goal is to get a super flat response across the frequency range, BUT since the EQ is not greater than 7 adgustable settings you'll have to do your best to work with what you have to get as cloes to a flat response as possible. Keep in mind, if you have a significant dip at 50Hz but flat response at 100Hz I would not raise the 100Hz slider to compensate for the 50Hz dip as it will sound "boomy". You will just have to live with that dip that the EQ cannot adjust for or replace the under the seat subwoofer with a Focal IBus 20 (http://www.focal.com/en/plug-play/27...050750135.html) or install a rear trunk Focal P BombA V27 V1 (http://www.focal.com/en/expert/335-p...058750151.html)

After you have completed the above with the EQ I would not touch it again. Get on the road and if there are certain music sources that sound flat only adjust the "bass" or "treble" sliders. This should give you the best possible sound settings possible for you and your taste.

The only proper way to truly get great sound is an aftermarket system that can be infinitely customized (exaggerating), but I have not done that since my teens and early 20s mainly because cars are the worst environments for truly great sounding audio.

Note: I have not had experience with the Focal IBus 20 (http://www.focal.com/en/plug-play/27...050750135.html) and AM NOT ADVOCATING it will be sufficient for you. Look at all options yourself to determine if this would be a good replacement, as good as what we all have as stock, or better. I listed it in my note because usually aftermarket has a sizable improvement in sound quality, but I could be wrong on this one.

Have you done any additional updates, tricks to the Audio system?

[MWcoupe]

These settings worked fantastic with my e90. Let me know what you guys think

[DocWeatherington]

Originally Posted by alpine330

These settings worked fantastic with my e90. Let me know what you guys think

What settings?

[MWcoupe]

Originally Posted by alpine330

These settings worked fantastic with my e90. Let me know what you guys think

H

[MWcoupe]

H

[MWcoupe]

H

[tkhan456]

Originally Posted by Bluehinder

I gotta believe it's stock. They were paid to engineer a high end system out of the box.

Then you haven't heard the sound from these speakers. It's terrible.

[Tonymiabmw]

I'll do it when I get my car back this week I have everything I need to do it, I just have to remember where my flat frequency mic is.

[audihere]

Originally Posted by Tonymiabmw

I'll do it when I get my car back this week I have everything I need to do it, I just have to remember where my flat frequency mic is.

OK, great, because the HK system really sounds like

Hopefully you'll come up with a helpful starting point.

Chris

[audihere]

I went to the garage and tried something different with the EQ settings. It's the best sounding audio I've gotten out of it. I like bass and this looks light on bass, but it actually isn't. Did it with doors closed and engine off. I'll see how it sounds tomorrow driving around. Pics attached.

Chris

[justinstephen]

Originally Posted by Joz132

Here are mine - It really doesn't sound too bad.

I'm pleasantly surprised, although I set the bar a little low, due to the fact that I came out of a crazy good set up in my Vette.

McHenry county? I'm up in Crystal Lake, I just got mine today. Left it at the dealer because of the snow we got, hopefully bring it home tomorrow and get some winter tires on it.

[Tonymiabmw]

I hate logic 7 it ruins the stereo imaging of music imo.