How to use Jet effects properly?

[RealX1]

I've now eq'd my new headphones and they sound pretty good. When I try to add the jet effects each one seems to add distortion even at the lowest setting. I can tell my sound could use some further cleaning up etc but I can't seem to get improvements from the jet settings. How do they work?

[burningfist]

well what kind of headphone are you using?

i often notice the difference only if i significantly raise the adjustments

i dont hear any differen when i raise bbe from 0 to 1 but i have it on 10(max)

did you try it this way (probably but sometimes the solution is right in front of the eyes thats why im asking)

[Confispect]

Play around with it, if done right it won't add distortion.

[DSperber]

Originally Posted by RealX1

I've now eq'd my new headphones and they sound pretty good. When I try to add the jet effects each one seems to add distortion even at the lowest setting. I can tell my sound could use some further cleaning up etc but I can't seem to get improvements from the jet settings. How do they work?

You probably just have to stumble onto a combination of more significant tweaks, to notice a very significant change. And then you need to further experiment to really find out which tweak it was that truly made the difference you like, and just play around further after that.

Also, it definitely is true that the EQ settings are really trying to improve/change the sound coming from the specific playback device. These are, after all, tone controls (glorified bass/treble + effects)... whose results depend on the speakers, headphones, amp, listening environment, etc. The same EQ setting will sound very different in your headphones than through your home stereo system or played back through your car audio system.

So each listening environment really deserves its own "best" EQ (i.e. to your own ears and listening tastes).

There is a particular EQ setting that another member produced which I discovered some time ago, which results in a DRAMATIC difference (for the better). I refer to it by the author's username (MDWright1032), just to give credit to him. I didn't invent it, I only tout it.

It really improves the "vibrancy" of listening to the same track through headphones, vs. "normal" or "BBE" which will both sound flat, dull and having little treble characteristic, in comparison to MDWright1032 which quite frankly is rather startling in its result. It may not appeal to you at all, but its use of BBE tweaks may inspire you to use them (or even leap-frog off of this setup) to find something you like.

You can find the setup for MDWright1032 in this post, so you might just give it a try (save it as USER4 or something).

Several things I've noticed about using it:

(1) It really does seem to boost the effective volume, so I have to turn the actually J3 volume DOWN by maybe 5-7 units so that it's at an acceptable level.

(2) It's "too hot" to be used in my car's audio system, which has its own EQ. Does not sound good, except in headphones.

(3) Its treble may be too "harsh" (i.e. accentuated) in comparison to its mid-range or bass, but I suspect that's totally a function of your headphones and your ears and your own listening tastes. So you may have the need to play with it to reduce its treble to a more satisfying level. That's why it's YOUR EQ setup, to adjust to appeal to you.

[RealX1]

burningfist: I'm using AT AD-700 headphones. I now have my BBE at 10 and it did improve the sound. MP enhance is on.

DSperber: I don't know what volume to eq from. My volume is reasonable at around 20 for full sized headphones but I always have the lows/low mids very far down to keep them out of the other frequencies. I have my other frequencies close to 0. I have BBE 10, MP on. Everything is narrow. Is this result because of the volume I'm eq-ing from or are these results not as strange as I think. Do best eq settings end up all over the board?
the only way I can raise my lower frequencies is to lower my volume. This requires me to boost the higher frequencies because they become too quiet. The boost doesn't sound right so I end up with the results above. Lows/low mids far into the negatives but the j3 sounds the best it has since I got it. I've put at least 10 hours now messing with it and there's an improvement but I think what seems missing is enough detail/clarity in my music. This could be an mp3 in general issue, a headphone issue, or an issue with my settings but with two pairs now I get this colored kind of sound or things sound kind of dispersed or un-precise. I don't know if there's a method to bring the elements of a song more into focus but I feel like I'm missing details in my music.

Edit:MDWright's settings are successful in certain ways for me. I had to adjust the frequencies downward but it is a good place to start. What I don't understand is that this works even though negative eq is usually supposed to be better. I think the boosting in this case is bringing out more of the music. I wasn't able to get that approach to work on my own. I still have a problem making the details clear enough. Anyway this is sending me on another little adventure adjusting from these levels.

[RealX1]

And suddenly I get it. The J3 is putting out large amounts of information and faithfully. The skill is in getting the settings right.

[Confispect]

[RealX1]

Because I was having such a hard time with the EQ & SQ I just wanted to mention that I have arrived at contentment. My current settings sound great on pretty much every song I have(mostly electronica). I tried positive and negative settings. The settings look odd but they work very well on the ad700's full sized and there's plenty of bass.

80Hz (na): -12 (removes boomy sound and mud)
220Hz (na): -12 (removes mud and excess)
780Hz (na): -6 (removes over-coloration and diffusion)
2.4kHz(no): -4 (removes over-coloration and diffusion)
13kHz (no): -4 (tones it down but let's me keep 13k)

BBE: 5 (Cleans up sound without adding mud)
MPE: ON (Just works)

[Satellite_6]

Turning the bass down and using BBE can't possibly be a good thing. . .

[Marvin the Martian]

Originally Posted by RealX1

Because I was having such a hard time with the EQ & SQ I just wanted to mention that I have arrived at contentment. My current settings sound great on pretty much every song I have(mostly electronica). I tried positive and negative settings. The settings look odd but they work very well on the ad700's full sized and there's plenty of bass.

80Hz (na): -12 (removes boomy sound and mud)
220Hz (na): -12 (removes mud and excess)
780Hz (na): -6 (removes over-coloration and diffusion)
2.4kHz(no): -4 (removes over-coloration and diffusion)
13kHz (no): -4 (tones it down but let's me keep 13k)

BBE: 5 (Cleans up sound without adding mud)
MPE: ON (Just works)

I'm glad that sounds good to you....but it doesn't look like it would sound very good to me at all! I don't have the same headphones as you though.

[Confispect]

Originally Posted by Satellite_6

Turning the bass down and using BBE can't possibly be a good thing. . .

Was thinking the same but it all depends on how the phone is naturally tuned that might just balance it out. If it does it sounds like it had a shitload of bass. I'd change those bands to wide on the bass region just to see if you like it your already hitting low or maybe not. Just play around with it.

[RealX1]

I guess I don't like much bass. My old senn's($300) focused mostly on details. Bass was just a mild foundation. I think everyone looks for a different experience.

It's possible I didn't properly eq also. It could use work its just the best I came up with. The headphones do have a lot of bass to my ears. At 0,0 the bass is completely over powering but what I haven't tried is lowering the volume far down, raising the bass, then adjusting the mids and highs up to compensate. I don't think the lows will end up at 0,0 but my sound can be more balanced if I approach it differently.

Edit: I've decided to mess with my settings more. I can see this is going to take awhile.

[RealX1]

Update: Audio Technica ATH-AD700

0/-1/-3/7/3
-/300hz/-/-/-
wid/wid/nor/wid/nor
6/6/off/mp on
optimal volume 15-20

Worlds better. Mids sound muffled when raised.