Add more equalization options!

  • 23 December 2012
  • 41 replies
  • 7606 views

Userlevel 2
Would like to tailor sound to room and content. Current bass and treble adjustments aren't sufficient.

This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

41 replies

I would be happy, initially, with a very basic equalizer that just expanded the current implementation's treble/base--even just adding a midrange control would help immensely.

Later, more functionality could be added, including easier access to the eq when a song is playing, and other suggestions on this thread.
I remember those multi-band graphic equalizers from the '70s - 90s. Those dreadful department-store "rack" systems all had them.

Most people had no idea how to use them; you'd often see them set up to look like waves. I suspect that the software versions in phones are abused in much the same way today, as they have no interaction with or knowledge of the room's nodes.

I've said in a recent post that Sonos has all the necessary hardware to provide proper room correction, which can be much more sophisticated than simple EQ, as it can measure and compensate for the room's issues.

https://en.community.sonos.com/wireless-speakers-228992/dsp-room-correction-43916

ELAC compensates for the phone/tablet microphone's non-linearity by doing relative measurements. Appears to work very well. I would much sooner see room correction in Sonos speakers (the Connect and Amp, unfortunately, don't have the necessary DSP) than more manual EQ options.
Userlevel 5
Badge +11
I would like to see additional equalization capabilities.

But whet I would love is the ability to balance the surround speakers in the 5.1 setup. During initial setup you can specify distances, but the ranges are broad (if I recall correctly, something like "under 2 feet", "2-9 feet", and "over 10 feet".

Because of my room setup, my left surround is significantly closer to my primary seating position than my right surround. I would really love to be able to bump up the right as I can with an AVR.
Room equalization is all very well, but I suspect that people are different, too (especially as we get older). So I may prefer a boost of certain frequencies, which would not be covered by room equalization.

I remember those multi-band graphic equalizers from the '70s - 90s. Those dreadful department-store "rack" systems all had them.

Most people had no idea how to use them; you'd often see them set up to look like waves. I suspect that the software versions in phones are abused in much the same way today, as they have no interaction with or knowledge of the room's nodes.

I've said in a recent post that Sonos has all the necessary hardware to provide proper room correction, which can be much more sophisticated than simple EQ, as it can measure and compensate for the room's issues.

https://en.community.sonos.com/wireless-speakers-228992/dsp-room-correction-43916

ELAC compensates for the phone/tablet microphone's non-linearity by doing relative measurements. Appears to work very well. I would much sooner see room correction in Sonos speakers (the Connect and Amp, unfortunately, don't have the necessary DSP) than more manual EQ options.
Please simply add the equalizer - a real one - not just this toy tool and sound will be really flexible and individual. You would solve so many complains with one extra tool - not really extra as its everywhere basic (not with sonos). thank you very much
Userlevel 5
Badge +11
I'm trying hard to understand my logic.
I buy something that does not have a feature I consider to be essential. I do not like and am unhappy with the product I have bought. I then complain to the manufacturer that it needs to include the essential feature immediately.
Nope. I still don't see what is wrong with that.

I am about to write in the strongest terms to my fridge manufacturer because it does not have a separate freezer section.
Badge
I believe a Five Band EQ is the minimum Sonos should create, and preferably, a Seven Band would make a Huge difference for me. and allow me to tailor the different zones that are using different speaker brands/sizes etc.
I have to agree with others on this. My playbar and sub in particular could do with some level of custom EQ control to bring up the vocals and allow for more subtle bass. I love the bass when i'm watching movies, but it does tend to overwhelm a little when listening to music.

I'm open to a clever solution, I will admit I don't know everything about how the Sonos speakers were designed and the decisons and trade-offs the team have made in the software.
It is however glaringly obvious to me that something needs to be done. If the 5-7 band EQ is a cheap hack in the interim, i'm in. At least give me the illusion you are listening to our feedback.

Don't forget you are selling us an audio experience as well as a software one :-)

Thanks,
Ed
I love the bass when i'm watching movies, but it does tend to overwhelm a little when listening to music.

For now have you tried setting the Sub output based on what works best for music? Bass content on movie tracks is usually far from subtle, so this approach may do better for both modes than the vice versa.
Badge
Bump... Please add a more advanced equalizer along with genre presets. Christmas is coming up and it would be the best gift ever!
Bump - again. Christmas is coming up - again. This is a deal-breaker for me. Is tone adjustment done in hw so this isn't possible to add, if it is then please say so and I can go find myself another sound system.
Bump - again. Christmas is coming up - again. This is a deal-breaker for me. Is tone adjustment done in hw so this isn't possible to add, if it is then please say so and I can go find myself another sound system.We all have our own priorities and deal-breakers. For example, my deal-breaker for the Bose system would be having to listen to Bose speakers.

Out of curiosity, what EQ options do the multiroom competitors offer?
Userlevel 7
Badge +21
Also have you trued Trueplay tuning?

Personally I like just treble and bass, a full equaliser just means I am paranoid that I am missing the one variance that delivers the perfect sound... to my ears 😃
Audiophiles very often claim to want only the pure untouched virginal signal - until their speakers+room botches it up in ways they often don't realise, minus controls as Sonos offers that actually allow to set straight this botching up to a large extent - and will have the Sonos tone controls as one more reason to look down their noses at Sonos kit. On the other hand, another set want Sonos do more with the signal than what it does via EQ+Trueplay.

I reckon that both sets are outliers as far as the Sonos target market is concerned.
Userlevel 1
This has request has been in the loop for over 4 years.

I just paid through the nose for a really expensive piece of tech that has no equaliser?

Is there some 'head in the clouds' tech head that is blocking this feature at SONOS?

The bleeding obvious and 4 years and still haven't responded to customer needs?
Userlevel 1
Badge
So...? 🆒 all we got in 4 years was a badly implemented max volume feature? :?