LA Audio EQX20 - Manual (Page 13)

Page 13
5.0 APPLICATIONS
5.1 Setting up and using the EQX20
Refer to Section 2.6 External connections on page 5 for connecting to and
from the EQX20.
Now unless you are familiar with operating parametric equalisers a good
starting point will be .....
Set all Q controls to 12 o'clock, this gives a Q of around 0.5 (2 octaves)
which is similar to that found on mixers fitted with fixed Q, swept frequency
mid range controls. Use maximum (or nearly) boost so the effect of the EQ
can be clearly heard and now sweep through the frequency range to find
the area that needs attention. This is good practise even if the final solution
involves cutting rather than boosting as boosting produces a more
apparent effect of highlighting the hum, noise, boom or whatever. Gain and
Q should then be adjusted to give the best subjective result.
In general low Qs (wide bandwidth) are useful for boosting without
producing too much peaking or phasing effects. High and Low shelving
type equalisation can be simulated by setting the HF and LF section Qs
fully CW (0.3) and sweeping their associated FREQUENCY controls out
towards the high and low frequency extremes.
High Qs are normally used for cutting sounds such as mains hum or
certain feedback frequencies. In this application Q should be set as high as
possible (narrow bandwidth). Lower Qs and cutting can be used for
reducing boominess found with some acoustic guitars.
A good example of low Q cutting is reducing the 1kHz content of guitars
and snare drums to leave a 'space' for the vocals to sit in. Often cutting in
this way gives a better result than trying to boost the vocals to cut through.
This usually has an added bonus that guitars can stay louder in the mix.
A compressor such as the LA GCX2 may also be used together with
equalisation to bring a hidden vocal forward in the mix.
AUDIO SWEETENING and PRECISION EQUALISATION
The following are a few practical examples which should be treated as
clues, with personal taste, source sounds and material you are creating
deciding the final settings. There are no hard and fast rules, the most
important tools in any equalisation process are your ears.
INSTRUMENT
BOOSTING CUTTING