who wants tone controls on your next preamp?

This is the classic study done in the 50's regarding perceived loudness in relation to frequencies. I think this justifies tone controls.

http://www.moultonlabs.com/gallery/image_full/79/

Now, this begs the question of how to do it. "Spatial computer" has begun to build into the computer the software to adjust the sound to your room. It is a beginning. And it may be the future. In the meantime, having some adjustment to compensate for loudness or poor recordings is reasonable. In a perfect world we have a perfect room with perfect material and is played back through a perfect system. Now, back to reality!

If we can put a man on the moon, we can build gear with tone controls that help when needed and not distract when not. Gear done right may be able to get along without them 90% of the time, yet would be nice to have. The better brands that have them and include such things as headphone output offer that much more value and a real world approach to their products.

"I also have a carver C-9 sonic hologram generator, and a DBX-3bx. I have a kenwood GE1100 equalizer with reverb. They have not been used in ages. I don't know why anyone would ever use such things. Back in the day, I thought they were "cool". Lots of blinking lights and such. Always a hit at patys when I was a kid. Now, in the real world, why would you want them, or tone controls?"

Because they work and make life easier.

The world of extreme audio often has little to do with the majority of the real world.

BTW a party is not a good application of Carver holography in that it only works when sitting in the sweet spot and has no benefit otherwise. That would have to be a mighty cozy party.....

It might work with omni speakers in some cases but additional holography should not be much of an issue in that case.

They can make tone controls that work well but they are digital and purists freak out.
A good sub with room EQ sure helps a lot to alleviate the need for tone controls also.

Yes. Defeatable tone controls. I say bring them back. Poor recordings can be doctored to sound good. Even "bass boost" for low volume listening, and "rumble filters" have been found in my opinion to be quite useful. My old Dyna PAT 4 had a switchable high freq filter that worked wonders on tape hiss. I miss them all.