Traps vs Equalizer

I would use an equalizer to fix bad recordings - their low frequency room correction is simply an added bonus.

All an equalizer is is a phase distorter. If you, as an auiophile, are comfortable with intentionally distorting the hell out of your signal before it even reaches your speakers, which will, as a result, not transduce the full range signal, then go for it. I am not comfortable with that myself and already feel there is enough distortion in my rig without adding another power using EMI/RFI laden IC needing black box.

I say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. if the problem is with your hifi, fix the hifi. If the problem is with the room, fix the room.

I would also add that, unlike some audiophiles, I am willing to accept a recording as it is, good or bad. Maybe it's because I am an aspiring recording engineer myself, but the recording is what it is, and I for one do not care to correct the engineers', artists', and producers' hard work, whether or not it "sounds right" to me or not.

Would you buy an artists' painting only to get it home and touch up the parts you don't like with your own strokes, and if so, why did you buy it?

Would you buy an artists' painting only to get it home and touch up the parts you don't like with your own strokes, and if so, why did you buy it?

It takes a whole lot more skill and talent to "touch up the strokes' on an accomplished work of art, than it would to adjust the equalization on a recording. I know you were just trying to make a simple point, but I just don't agree.

The music/sound has already been 'distorted' the moment it leaves the instrument...more so when it bounces around a room, and even more so when some recording engineer makes decisions based upon his own subjective interpretation and manipulates the music for recording. There is no such thing as a pure isolated and undistorted sound. If you could hear it, you may even not like it as much as one that's been distorted by an environment, and or manipulated by an engineer. It's all subjective. It is also relatively easy for an average audiophile type who knows what they are doing, and what kind of sound they prefer to, with the proper equipment, make adjustments to tailor the sound to their liking. If that's what they like, I say, have at it and good on'ya! Whatever brings you closer to the music you enjoy. And yes, if you happen to have the skill and talent to manipulate a great work of art in a similar way so that you enjoy it more than you did in its original state, why the hell not, you paid for it! It's your life after all.

Marco

Dirtyragamuffin...The problem is that unless you use earphones, or listen with the same speakers and room as the engineer did you don't hear what he did.