Please don't shout..though I won't hear you anyway - an age old question

[Deafolddog68]

ok...this question has been asked billions of times on millions of forums so please bear in mind the reason I am asking. I have severe hearing loss so I need to add an equaliser to the sound chain for listening to music, vinyl and CD etc. But as many of you are probably already foaming at the mouth to point out audiophile's hate EQ's...understandably, unless you are quite deaf like myself. I purchased a vintage NAD 7140 and added a Bellari EQ570 via the pre-out/main in connections but this has irritating hum on it and I suspect it is simply old and knackered..a bit like me or it simply is not suitable to add an EQ this way.
So does anyone know of an amp, pre-amp, headphone amp or any other concoction of audio equipment that would allow me to add an EQ so I can enjoy music again. I know some modern AV amps do have pre-outs and power-ins, e.g the Audiolab 6000a which would allow you to add an EQ to the sound coming from the speakers but most seem to cut the pre-out once you plug in headphones so they will not do what I need. I would happily spend up to £2000/$2700 IF such a product exists. Preferably I would want to also pass my TV through the amp too.
Ok, I await any replies with trepidation but if you do feel the need to shout at me for daring to ask this question - shout loudly!!! Very loudly!! ;-)
NB just been reminded US equipment runs at half UK voltage so US gear may not be of any use to me

 

[Alrainbow]

Let me ask you a couple of questions
You want to add eq and still want to use the preamp unit headphone jack ?
IF I am understanding you correctly why not use a standalone headphone amp ?
Then you can use an eq in the tape loop and normal output to your headphone amp .
Correct me if I'm wrong

 

[Deafolddog68]

Hi AIrainbow, firstly thanks for posting..I'm afraid although not unitelligent hifi is a complete mystery to me and I don't really understand your reply. Let's say I am starting from scratch equipmentwise. Are there headphone amps that I could plug a turntable, cd and say tv via rca cables into that has some kind of processor loop so all inputs are routed to my EQ and back into the amp and headphones? It is probably a lunatic suggestion. I don't understand the outputs on my NAD, if it was that you were alluding to, it does have tape out (rec) and tape in (play). It is so frustrating not being able to grasp what seems so simple. If my idea of a headphone amp as above existed it would be salvation

Let me ask you a couple of questions
You want to add eq and still want to use the preamp unit headphone jack ?
IF I am understanding you correctly why not use a standalone headphone amp ?
Then you can use an eq in the tape loop and normal output to your headphone amp .
Correct me if I'm wrong

 

[213Cobra]

ok...this question has been asked billions of times on millions of forums so please bear in mind the reason I am asking. I have severe hearing loss so I need to add an equaliser to the sound chain for listening to music, vinyl and CD etc. But as many of you are probably already foaming at the mouth to point out audiophile's hate EQ's...understandably, unless you are quite deaf like myself. I purchased a vintage NAD 7140 and added a Bellari EQ570 via the pre-out/main in connections but this has irritating hum on it and I suspect it is simply old and knackered..a bit like me or it simply is not suitable to add an EQ this way.
So does anyone know of an amp, pre-amp, headphone amp or any other concoction of audio equipment that would allow me to add an EQ so I can enjoy music again. I know some modern AV amps do have pre-outs and power-ins, e.g the Audiolab 6000a which would allow you to add an EQ to the sound coming from the speakers but most seem to cut the pre-out once you plug in headphones so they will not do what I need. I would happily spend up to £2000/$2700 IF such a product exists. Preferably I would want to also pass my TV through the amp too.
Ok, I await any replies with trepidation but if you do feel the need to shout at me for daring to ask this question - shout loudly!!! Very loudly!! ;-)
NB just been reminded US equipment runs at half UK voltage so US gear may not be of any use to me

I think I have one way for you to solve this problem within your budget. But to be sure, tell me: 1/ Do you want to have EQ available for both headphones and speakers? 2/ What headphones and speakers do you use? 3/ Are you sources phono and digital, and if including digital, do you have a DAC? 4/ If digital, do you have a streamer or use a computer to access streaming services? 5/ If there is phono involved, what phono cartridge do you use?

Phil

 

[Hear Here]

I'm sure this isn't possible, but if you could replicate your own hearing problems into a microphone, then a DSP such as Dirac will adjust the frequencies the mic is having difficulties with to compensate for its hearing difficulties.

If this could be achieved by wrapping some material around the mic that blurs the frequencies that are blured in your own hearing, it may work. The problem is knowing what material to use. I wonder if an optician may be able to suggest something.

Alternatively perhaps the calibration table for the mic could be adjusted so that it doesn't measure a flat response but one that compensates for your hearing. In fact, this may be the better solution though you'd have to know what frequencies your hearing needs adjustments to. Good luck

 

[Deafolddog68]

I think I have one way for you to solve this problem within your budget. But to be sure, tell me: 1/ Do you want to have EQ available for both headphones and speakers? 2/ What headphones and speakers do you use? 3/ Are you sources phono and digital, and if including digital, do you have a DAC? 4/ If digital, do you have a streamer or use a computer to access streaming services? 5/ If there is phono involved, what phono cartridge do you use?

Phil

Hi Phil, i only want EQ available via headphones. I have Beyerdynamic 990 Pro 250ohm headhones. Speakers, currently attached to Yamaha R-N500 av receiver, Monitor Audio MR4. Sources Project Primary turntable (no built in phono preamp) and moving magnet type with Ortofon OM 20 stylus and Denon cd player using rca connection. So no DAC. I do not stream or use a pc or similar via audio equipment just potentially the tv via rca or optical.

 

[Deafolddog68]

I am trying to exclude the NAD 7140 from my enquiry as not sure it is working ok

 

[Deafolddog68]

I'm sure this isn't possible, but if you could replicate your own hearing problems into a microphone, then a DSP such as Dirac will adjust the frequencies the mic is having difficulties with to compensate for its hearing difficulties.

If this could be achieved by wrapping some material around the mic that blurs the frequencies that are blured in your own hearing, it may work. The problem is knowing what material to use. I wonder if an optician may be able to suggest something.

Alternatively perhaps the calibration table for the mic could be adjusted so that it doesn't measure a flat response but one that compensates for your hearing. In fact, this may be the better solution though you'd have to know what frequencies your hearing needs adjustments to. Good luck

I'm sure this isn't possible, but if you could replicate your own hearing problems into a microphone, then a DSP such as Dirac will adjust the frequencies the mic is having difficulties with to compensate for its hearing difficulties.

If this could be achieved by wrapping some material around the mic that blurs the frequencies that are blured in your own hearing, it may work. The problem is knowing what material to use. I wonder if an optician may be able to suggest something.

Alternatively perhaps the calibration table for the mic could be adjusted so that it doesn't measure a flat response but one that compensates for your hearing. In fact, this may be the better solution though you'd have to know what frequencies your hearing needs adjustments to. Good luck

Thanks HH but I think Dirac wouldn't help as you can't manually tweak it. Audyssey does but as soon as you plug headphones in it disables it as it is for room correction. One simple solution, for those confident with electronic tinkering, would be to disconnect the cut off switch in the headphone socket of say an Audiolab 6/7000 range as I believe that is how they cut the feed to its pre-out but I am a klutz with most DIY let alone risking damaging a brand new AV unit. Personally I think big brands are missing out on allowing EQ to be added in a simple way as there are plenty of people with hearing problems like myself.

 

[Hear Here]

Thanks HH but I think Dirac wouldn't help as you can't manually tweak it. Audyssey does but as soon as you plug headphones in it disables it as it is for room correction. One simple solution, for those confident with electronic tinkering, would be to disconnect the cut off switch in the headphone socket of say an Audiolab 6/7000 range as I believe that is how they cut the feed to its pre-out but I am a klutz with most DIY let alone risking damaging a brand new AV unit. Personally I think big brands are missing out on allowing EQ to be added in a simple way as there are plenty of people with hearing problems like myself.

I think you may have misunderstood my suggestion. If the microphone can mimic the OP's hearing problem by adjustments to its calibration table, then perhaps it will "hear" what the OP hears and will optimise the frequency response sent to the speakers. If the speakers' outputs satisfy the tinkered-with mic, then they may also benefit the OP. The likely problem is that is may not be possible to make big enough adsjustments to the mic's calibration table. I'm no mic expert but someone may be able to develop this idea.

I appreciate that headphones outputs are not normally influenced by DSP but perhaps there are work-arounds for headphones too.

An old-fashioned graphic equaliser may also help the OP if he knows which frequencies he is having difficulty with.