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 Post subject: EQ Curves
PostPosted: Sun May 06, 2018 9:03 am 
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Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2012 11:22 am
Posts: 70
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma USA
I'm loving the Auto EQ; I'm even using it without paying for it, resulting in the "This sound is processed by..." message. It's totally worth it. :-)

One thing I'm NOT loving is trying to decide how to set the target levels, and also the mix on the output of Multiband 1 into Multiband 2.

I finally hit on an idea: why not scan my music library? Calculate and plot the average frequency curve of our songs, and then set the EQ curves to match that average?

I thought I could use Adobe Audition for this, but it turns out even at its lowest resolution, it's giving me 15 bands... and they're not spaced an octave apart like I have the bands set in Stereo Tool.

Does anybody know a tool that would scan a bunch of files (FLAC and mp3s), plot the average frequency response of the files I give it and output the level for each octave (or whatever crossover points I give it)?

EDIT: I also just realized: there would be a difference between peak level and average level in each band... I'm thinking maybe average level for Auto EQ and peak level for the mix levels of the MB? Not sure.

I'm willing to put in the time if this has to be done file by file and put into a spreadsheet, but the ability to bulk scan the frequency response would be FANTASTIC.

...help?

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Gene Savage
BlackLight Radio
https://BlackLightRadio.com
Tulsa, Oklahoma USA


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 Post subject: Re: EQ Curves
PostPosted: Thu Jun 28, 2018 1:53 pm 

Joined: Sat Nov 25, 2017 2:14 pm
Posts: 16
I'm loving the Auto EQ as well. For my setup, I'm using 4 bands, which is sufficient for me. Generally, audio comes in unprocessed. I leave the target levels at or around 0dB, Effect Strength 50%, Max Cut (default values), max Boost at around 2dB. And the output level, I just tailor that to my own personal tastes without getting carried away. Make note, that, Auto EQ is not a compressor, but more like a band-for-band normalizer over a + - range. There is no knee being applied here. Now, when you increase the Band Mix levels, you'll see more gain reduction in the AGC and Multiband. It may then mean having to lower the AGC and MB drive to balance things back out again, unless that's exactly the effect you want. But I would think you wouldn't need to analyze any audio beforehand, because Auto EQ is doing all of that work for you on the fly, hence the name "Auto EQ". Save yourself the time. Remember also, the Multiband will also re-EQ the audio coming in at its input, and you don't those two filters fighting with each other. That's my take on it. I could be wrong about a few things here, but I hope it helped you out somewhat.


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 Post subject: Re: EQ Curves
PostPosted: Thu Jun 28, 2018 2:04 pm 
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Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2015 12:22 pm
Posts: 362
Note that there is a "Median display" in Auto EQ (and Bass EQ) that shows the median boost / cut per band (the white dotted line). Ideally this ends up in the middle, so that Auto EQ does nothing on average. Run enough tracks through Stereo Tool and you'll get an idea as to how well your target levels are set.

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 Post subject: Re: EQ Curves
PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 8:38 am 
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Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2012 11:22 am
Posts: 70
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma USA
Ugh... I've been looking at the results of median scanning through the Multiband instead of the auto-eq! I somehow totally missed that option... time to start again. Thanks for the heads up.

Another question, though: with the shareware message be figured into the median results? (I still haven't had the money to pay for the Auto-EQ but can't live without it now!)

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Gene Savage
BlackLight Radio
https://BlackLightRadio.com
Tulsa, Oklahoma USA


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 Post subject: Re: EQ Curves
PostPosted: Wed Sep 05, 2018 11:13 am 
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Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2012 11:22 am
Posts: 70
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma USA
I've found a problem with running all my songs through the AutoEQ to get the correct levels: when a song ends, the meters stay up! I can't always see the median line.

I'm not sure what to do at this point other than maybe run all the songs through, then run them again and see if there are places within songs the meters fall and I can see the line.

The things we do for sound... ;-)

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Gene Savage
BlackLight Radio
https://BlackLightRadio.com
Tulsa, Oklahoma USA


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