Master EQ Settings

[elad770]

Ok, So....

When i perform  - Listening through speakers it will be a different setting - With the Compressor On and EQ settings to my liking - This part is covered and i LOVE what i hear

When recording for CUBASE:

Compressor OFF
EQ - Flat

add all these things later in Cubase? correct?

what about recording internally , Do yourecommand also Flat or EQ and compressor is fine? - Becasue through the speakers it does sound nicer when they are on

[JohnS (Ugawoga)]

Hi Elad
If you want the finish on the Genos then add EQ compression before recording .

I should think it will record the same as you hear, but when putting the song on a stereo or in the car it may sound not so good.
Also if your room acoustics are like mine in a square room you will sitting in the Bermuda Triangle of death!! .
I have done some room acoustic panels and where i have a window ,i put wooden blinds in. they are to be angled at 45 degrees to scatter the unwanted frequencies.
When finished recording on the Genos for Cubase the sound is flat .
I purchased Sonarworks which calculates the sound for headphones and if you pay more you get the Reference speaker settings as well, by measuring with a microphone all the places the program suggests. Lots of beep, beeeps.!!!
This worked 100% for me.
Being in a square room i have a tall foam panel each side of me at the rear of my chair on Microphone stands.
This stops the crossing frequencies that bounce of walls.
This is great for me as afterwards i just dismantle them and put away, so i can go back to the pleasurable playing on my main speakers .
I have Focal Alpha 50's for mixing and mastering.
I am not the best in the world yet as it is a long road to the holy grail.

My recomendation is -- Get your room acoustics as best as you can and it does not mean expensive. Wooden blinds for windows
                                    If you are looking to get a real decent job done ,go for Sonarworks .
                                    If you get the acoustic panels right it will make a 1000% difference
If to get all of that right your recordings should sound great on everything, once you crack the mix side of things.

My problem was too much bass on fiinshed recordings and muddy mids. . You have to get used to flat sound in the mix stage before Cubase.

In Cubase learn gainstaging (-12 to-18db) and all the hard work will disappear. It is a matter of the EQ, Compression and the nice things. I use my heaphones doing this with Sonarworks inserted into the master output channel Post. Not Pre. After that i finish on the speakers. Then use a limiter to adjust to -12/-14 LUFS  and then all should be go for listening on the stereo hi-fi and car.

Another big tip Elad if you have Cubase is use the Control room to put a pro song that you like on a track and then put your song on a track .
You can switch beween them  at a press of a button once set up . Not difficult to do this. Also you can check on the Decibels of your song and adjust with limiter.
As I have said i am still learning and have been for six months in Cubase now. KEEP AT IT, It's fun!!!
Paul White put me right from Sound on Sound magazine.He came down to see me personally.
This goes for anyone if they are having a difficulty with their acoustics
Write to Sound on Sound and you may have a visit!! HOME STUDIO SECTION All for a cup of tea and a packet of chocolate  'HOB NOBS'
Also thanks to Tommy 73 for putting me on to Paul White and Sound on Sound.
It put me on the right track baby!!!


All the best
john

[Joe H]

Master EQ settings are set to ones own personal taste and what speakers or headphones are used to listen.  There is no such thing as a perfect or optimal setting for everyone.

Joe H

[Esa]

I use Eq Gold gain level 3, I think it's good for me. I have a Behringer B2030A speaker and a Yamaha Active Subwoofer YST-SW012.

[JohnS (Ugawoga)]

Hi
Anyone who wants to put some room acoustic panels  up in their room , but has opposition from Queen Bee /the wife , do not despair.
It is going to ruin the walls, "Hell no"!!! the wife says!!!

TIP to get your own way------------ On back of foam acoustic panel strategically glue two cd's
                                                      Drill two small holes and rawplug . put a couple of screws in

                                                     You can now hang acoustic panel up like a picture using the middle holes in the CD's


                                                        A stroke of genius without upsetting Queen Bee!!

[elad770]

It's A good idea ugawoga!

I'm in the process of moving. In my new house, I think I will do it

[pjd]

Master EQ settings are set to ones own personal taste and what speakers or headphones are used to listen.  There is no such thing as a perfect or optimal setting for everyone.

Joe H

Amen to that! Count me in the flat earth, er, flat EQ school.

-- pj

[Al Ram]

Thanks to all contributors to this exchange.

I have the same problem . . . I like the Genos sound when playing live . . . . . . however, my recordings in Genos are lacking quality.   I always thought that i was doing something not quite right when recording directly into Genos.   Now, thanks to this post exchange i understand that recording is a completely different thing than playing live and simply recording into Genos.

Not sure, that i understand all the pieces required for recording or that i will learn soon. It looks very challenging with all the pieces involved, DAW, sound interface, etc.  things that i do not even know the names . . . . .  but at least now i understand that recording directly into Genos will not provide the quality i am looking for.

thanks

[JohnS (Ugawoga)]

Hi Al

It Is a pain when you record something and it does not sound the same when you play on other equipment. It is so important to have the right listening environment.
You can do most work on headphones and finish on monitors and calculated by Sonarworks if the money is not to much.
Acoustic treatment and sonarworks and Cubase (or similar) is the way to go with plenty of hard learning to do.
It just takes a little time to get used to a flat recording, but once in a daw like Cubase it all comes clear when applying EQ, Compression etc.
Gainstaging is also important to save later headaches as it will give you mixing headroom
All the Best
john

[Lee Batchelor]

We mustn't confuse the two topics here: recording and playing live (either at home or a gig).

I believe Elad wants to optimize his recordings. I say record the Genos with EVERYTHING set flat and no compression. Even Cubase LE probably has more audio editing power than the Genos. After he gets his feet wet with Cubase LE and the money is right, he can upgrade to a more robust version of Cubase.

[Dave Nuttall]

My Genos is en-route (purchased about 14 hrs ago!).

Is the consensus:
- record flat on Genos with no compression
- adjust EQ in DAW?

What purpose does the audio interface serve when you can import the WAV or other audio into the DAW?

I have ProTools on Win10/64.
TIA.
Dave

[Lee Batchelor]

Hi Dave,

A quality sound interface is not only required during recording but also for playback. The standard sound card we get in our computers is fine for YouTube videos or other such audio tracks from the internet. For studio-quality production, a decent sound interface is the way to go - especially if you want to add vocal tracks later.

[Dave Nuttall]

A quality sound interface is not only required during recording but also for playback. The standard sound card we get in our computers is fine for YouTube videos or other such audio tracks from the internet. For studio-quality production, a decent sound interface is the way to go - especially if you want to add vocal tracks later.

If I add vocals to an existing backing track, I connect my 8-ch Focusrite to the ProTools PC and add up to 8 mics at a time.  So, I guess I already have the audio interface which can play back thru the audio interface or the local PC (but not both simultaneously).

Does that sound correct?
Thanks, Lee.
d.

[Lee Batchelor]

Hi Dave,

Focusrite interfaces are very good. If I understand you correctly, you want to know if you should use your PC sound card or the Focusrite for playback? Definitely the Focusrite.

Which studio monitors do you use?

[Dave Nuttall]

Which studio monitors do you use?

I have Samson Rubicon and M-Audio BX5a's

[Lee Batchelor]

I'd say you're good to go, Dave .

[Toril S]

The Focusrite is super!