Wow, we need an equalizer.

[Living In Lies]

So, I just bought a pair if nice Sony noice cancelling headphones, so the first thing I did was plug them into my zune, and it sounded just mediocre, like a plain pair of headphones. Of course, I was a little mad, I had just spent $65, I wanted something better then the sound I get out of my $8 skullcandies. But then I plugged my headphones know my newly revived Sony walkman S, and holy crap! They actually sound good, sure, they're not bose, but it was still pretty good. And it was because of sony's custom eq with clear bass. Ya know, at the least, could we at least get a bass boost option? I'm sure they're some of you out there that agree that it would be nice to have a better eq. I felt like bringing this topic back into the light because I think it's important.

[CrowdAds]

[tsupersonic]

Well there are built in presets, you could try one of those. Other than that, you're out of luck. A customizable EQ would be great, but I don't see that happening.

Seriously, Bose? You think those are good? Ha

[sonorguy]

Yeah, I was holding out in hopes that the Zune HD would get an equalizer, but since I have been waiting for so long for something that doesn't seem to be coming, I think I am going to buy the J3 instead.

[Living In Lies]

That's pretty much what I was thinking too, but, the android powered gogear is comin out sometime this year or next (I believe), and that mp3 sounds like it will pretty much blow the competition, in my opinion.

[Satellite_6]

Bose is not good.

A custom EQ can do wonders.

I couldn't live without a custom EQ.

[WalkGood]

Originally Posted by Satellite_6

Bose is not good ...

Neither is skullcandy

[Living In Lies]

Well, I like bose speakers, as small as they are they can get freakin loud.

[WalkGood]

I don’t mean any offense but bose is over-hyped, over-priced and survives only on marketing fluff. You can get better speakers or headphones for less.

[Living In Lies]

Originally Posted by WalkGood

I don’t mean any offense but bose is over-hyped, over-priced and survives only on marketing fluff. You can get better speakers or headphones for less.

Yeah, but that's the best thing you can get without going online.
eh, I don't own any bose things, I just like to sit around and listen to the audio demos in the store. They seem nice. But I would never pay 200 for them.

[musichound]

IMO, the only way the Zune HD would get custom EQ is if it's added to the iPods.
Nuff said.

[Living In Lies]

Originally Posted by musichound

IMO, the only way the Zune HD would get custom EQ is if it's added to the iPods.
Nuff said.

That would be a bittersweet day. Thank goodness apple and microsoft don't do business together much.

[JoshRead]

It does at least need a bass boost option. But it would have to be a good one. Sony's Clear Bass is the best implementation of it I've heard. My iPod Touch's bass boost sounds terrible and muddy using the same headphones. So there are good and bad ways of doing it.

[zaner123]

I don't think a custom equalizer is necessary at all..

I have Shure SE530 IEM's (that cost $300 dollars) and I can easily say that the sound quality of the Zune HD on it's "Normal" equalizer setting is much better than the sound quality of my old Zen HD with a custom equalizer. The equalizer is very much unimportant.

[bullseye]

Dear Dave, if you read this thread please speak with the team and try to implement a 5 band EQ (or 7 band or even graphical/parametric EQ) With its nice screen it could support a cool horizontal customizable EQ.

It could also be some kind of 'app'. AT least take a look at it, I think a lot of people would find it a very nice addition to the player. After all, this player is still looking to give the more pleasant music experience possible.

[Marvin the Martian]

Originally Posted by zaner123

I don't think a custom equalizer is necessary at all..

I have Shure SE530 IEM's (that cost $300 dollars) and I can easily say that the sound quality of the Zune HD on it's "Normal" equalizer setting is much better than the sound quality of my old Zen HD with a custom equalizer. The equalizer is very much unimportant.

Not everybody has high-grade IEM's, or perfect hearing.....so you are wrong, a custom EQ is very important.

[sonorguy]

Originally Posted by zaner123

I don't think a custom equalizer is necessary at all..

I have Shure SE530 IEM's (that cost $300 dollars) and I can easily say that the sound quality of the Zune HD on it's "Normal" equalizer setting is much better than the sound quality of my old Zen HD with a custom equalizer. The equalizer is very much unimportant.

You could also say that the Zune HD's sound is much better than a Coby player. Is that any reason to not have an equalizer? Something sounding better than something else is not a justification to prevent it from sounding even better, imo.

[Jacob]

I see them adding in a custom EQ at some point.
As for the Bose, they are over priced, and you would be better off getting something by Sennheisser for half the price.

[McDougal]

I'm glad somebody finally decided to start this thread. IMO, a custom EQ is the most essential update at the moment, and unfortunately I don't think it's going to happen. The Zune HD has very good SQ, and to use it's full potential, it needs to have a custom EQ. At the moment I see no good reason for MS not to include a custom EQ, as far as I'm concerned, there are no hardware restrictions like the old Zunes that are stopping them from adding a custom EQ. I really do hope that Dave looks at all of our posts on this thread and seriously considers telling the Zune team that this is an essential update, IMO more important than upgrading the browser, or adding new apps to the marketplace. And Marvin the Martian, yes, not everybody has perfect hearing and high quality expensive IEM's (like me), and for that reason a custom EQ is essential. And I also agree that Bose products are way over priced, I would never buy a Bose product before looking at something else, and Skullcandy is horrible too.

[Maxis]

Originally Posted by Marvin the Martian

Not everybody has high-grade IEM's, or perfect hearing.....so you are wrong, a custom EQ is very important.

The funny thing is .. Those very same IEMS hes raving about has a strong mid bias and high treble rolloff which would could surely do with some EQing ...

Word of advice ... Regardless how how much you paid for or how good you think your IEMS are there are always other IEMS in the same price range that will sound better to other people or have a more preffered sound signature so please cut the BS.. It makes no diff between a 15 dollar throwaway headphone 400 dollar SE5x0's, TF10Pro's or a 1150.00 Jerry Harvey 16pro.. They all can do with a little EQing based on user preference or hearing deficiencies.

People dont buy Cowon or Sony DAPS and leave them on flat and everybody does not have the same exact hearing..

[McDougal]

Originally Posted by Maxis

People dont buy Cowon or Sony DAPS and leave them on flat and everybody does not have the same exact hearing..

If somebody bought a nice Cowon player and left it on flat all the time...that would be a waste of money IMO, if you're just going to leave it on flat, but a cheaper player.