How To Make dAP's Auto EQ Work For You

[craze]

How To Make dAP's Auto Equalizer Option Work

If you have ever tried using dAP's Auto Equalizer option you quickly realize what a powerful tool it can be. Not only can you save Eq settings with it that dAP will automatically switch to but you can also fine tune some of those pesky volume settings too. After all, one of our goals is to have the best sound possible with as much control over it as possible.

Let's assume that most folks who use the equalizer have a preferred setting to cover the broad range of their music collection. Kind of a one setting fits all thing. And this may work out just fine until you encounter files that have too much/too little bass or treble. What happens if we modify the Eq settings for a particular track, artist or album and then save this change with the Auto Equalizer option from dAP's EQ Save button?

Well first off, we find out that dAP has super intelligence and recognizes those files the next time that they are played and automatically changes the equalizer to the new settings (which is very cool). But then we notice that the equalizer doesn't change back to our previous preferred settings after the file has played. Hmmm. Not so cool.

In order for this feature to work correctly, one needs to establish a baseline Eq setting for their entire collection and save that setting. Otherwise, dAP cannot return the equalizer to a previous unsaved state. This sounds like a monumental task considering the size of some of our libraries. But it need not be.

There is a simple way to establish our Eq baseline with the current version of dAP (r3beta6) that does not take much time to set up. Here's what we're talking about.

dAP currently has four options for Auto Equalizer saves. Save for Current Track, Artist, Album, or Genre. If one thought about it, the category that has the broadest range of files in it is the Genre option. So here's how to make this simple.

Open up dAP and dial in your preferred settings on the equalizer. Then open MMC and cue up one song from every Genre in your collection. As each song plays click on dAP's EQ Save button and select Auto Equalizer: Save for Current Genre until you have covered all of the Genre's in your collection. You won't have to play each cued song in it's entirety. Just enough of each song to save the EQ setting. After that, any changes you make for an individual track, artist, or album will result in dAP changing to those saved settings and then returning to your specified preferred settings.

An added thought might be to use less than the maximum boost setting which will allow you room for making fine adjustments to any quieter files that may still have a volume level problem.

To gain maximum Eq capabilities, consider downloading a skin with the 18-band Graphic Equalizer built in before trying this. That will save you from doing things twice. http://www.aussiecommunity.com.au/fo...hread.php?t=71

Hope this is helpful to all dAP users.

Best wishes,
Craze

[donny]

a nice article I guess it could be very helpfull to all the people who like their equalizers

[craze]

Well that would be me. I am an equalizer lover. dAP's 18-band EQ does work well and is definitely a step above the 10-band version. Although I know that Razgo would still like to see a 30-band + version.

I bought a new set of speakers recently for the desktop. A nice set of Altec Lansing's, a definite upgrade. These have a lot more bass (a ton more) than my original system. So it was off to tinkering with the equalizer cutting much of the bass settings I had been using with the old set.

Then there is the problem with differences in the Eq (and volume) used in recordings from one album to the next, and from one era to another. Some recordings made during the 60's can use some serious help in the bottom end while some of today's music might need some bass cut.
Everybody has their own personal taste for what sounds good to their ear. The equalizer is where it's at in terms of achieving the sound quality one desires.

After tweaking for a few days, I decided to see if I could set some sort of an Eq baseline for my collection which I've talked myself out of doing on a number of occasions in the past. It just seemed to be a monumental task. But it wasn't that bad.

So now, with a baseline to work from, and one that dAP recognizes, I will be able to tweak some artist and albums on the fly as I go. I hope to fine tune my library so every artist sound like they are right there in the room with me. I thought I'd share the idea with others.

Hopefully this is a good read for dAP users with the same goals.
Great hearing from you Donny.

Best wishes to you and Archon.

[craze]

Oh,...I almost forgot.

Happy Birthday Donny!
Enjoy

[donny]

thanx

[craze]

Testing RSS feed.
-Craze