Would and EQ help balance sound?

Question

So I'm trying to put a home studio together:

got a pair of Alesis M1 520's (best you can buy for $200)

http://www.zzounds.com/item--ALEM1ACTIVE...

with a Behringer XENYX 1002 Mixer ($69)

http://www.zzounds.com/item--BEHXENYX100...

So, I hook everything up, I plug in a cd player, and I see (ok, I

'hear') lots of detail and all of that, acoustic instruments sound

very detailed and I'm happy, BUTplaying with other kinds of music

where did the bass go?

So I got a subwoofer from FOSTEX, it was too boomy in the low end, I

needed more bass in the lower/ midrange (I don't how else to expalin

it), so that going back!

Then I thought, can an EQ help fill those parts of the sound spectrum

that are missing?

http://www.zzounds.com/item--PRSEQ3B ($99)

What's your take when you're using Monitor speakers? In your

experience would and EQ help balanacing things out just for listening

music? I know that monitors are suppose to be flat.

Any input is much appreciated.

Thanks,

Alex

Answer 1

Keep the sub...you'll need it. The EQ will help smooth the audio out, but at the same time, your monitors don't have enough bass on their own for a straight 2 channel audio system.

Answer 2

I just read the pdf on the specs of the Xenyx mixer and it comes with a built-in EQ. I assume you've hooked up your CD/turntable/mic through this mixer and hooked the sub to an external amp. Are the monitors hooked to the amp as well and if so what crossover network are you using-the amp's or the mixer's?

Does the amp have its own crossover network and separate sub output connect or is it playing full range stereo frequencies?

Have you checked the settings for the EQ on the mixer? The specs state it cuts off bass frequencies at 80hz and also a low cut mono channel setting for low frequencies. Something might be turned on or connected incorrectly.

I'm not familiar with mixers but I know you have to have a crossover network that allows a sub to only play certain upper bass frequencies with a roll off in volume created within the crossover circuitry of the amp or it will muddy the entire midrange and if you cut too much of the upper bass regions you'll only hear an occasional low boom and not hear anything else depending what type of music you're playing.

Did you check to see if the sub was wired out of phase-(+/- swapped) or maybe some kind of phase switch was turned on the mixer. Not sure.

Answer 3

Yes, keep the sub and get an EQ too.  There is no one right way to use the EQ, but you may find that lowering some frequencies will do a better job that trying to boost certain frequencies.  Have fun and experiment!

I love Behringer mixers - dirt cheap, rock solid.