Is Dynamic EQ HURTING Your Sound?

Have you often wondered what Audyssey's Dynamic EQ is doing to your sound? Do you use it occasionally and think it sounds strange and muddied? Does a full moon cause you to howl uncontrollably? Well then check out this video and be sure to like, subscribe and hit that bell notification! I post new videos every week!

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[VicharB]

Dynamic EQ = On for sure (Reference for me), it simply works if your setup and calibration is done correctly. Surely you, the audience, is not watching movies at home close at 0db! Surrounds can be set -2-to-3db with DEQ ON. Dynamic Volume will depend on the needs. For pure music switch all OFF and engage Pure Direct. Period.
Good video. :)

[cellfactoruser]

I actually tested Dynamic EQ on/off in my system too. I don't even have surrounds, just 2x Klipsch 8000F and 2x Klipsch SPL-150 hooked up in a Denon-X4500H. The difference between Dynamic EQ on and off is also tremendous for me. With DynEQ on, I get boomyness and tons of bass. With it off, the system becomes much more balanced, just like you described in this video. I've been using Dynamic EQ on for months now and as soon as I turned it off, I won't turn it on again. What I do use though, is Reference/Flat MultiEQ from Audyssey, since when it's off, I get lots of mids. Could be my room, but I find those EQs from Audyssey spot on and the quality is just outstanding. Great video!

[johto]

If you use DEQ, make sure your initial level matching is actually FLAT. ..also make sure that when your receiver displays eg. -30, your speakers outputs 75dB(30+75=105), so it matches the 105 "reference" level. Example i use REW to output a -20db speaker signal, my AVR is at -10, so that is basically combined -30db...so -30-105 = 75 should be seen at the desibel meter. You might need to go and adjust either "trim" settings or "input levels" to get it to match. My main listening volume with or without DEQ is between -20-30, i find that lowering the surrounds 1-2dB from non DEQ (level matched) makes it more balanced, my "normal" max listening volume is only -25 on the Denon receiver (i live in a apartment) Oh, all of these tips are for the "-15 DEQ" settings which i use. I have the Denon X3500H

[Youthman]

Very cool video Brad. Interesting to see some effects of Dynamic EQ. I prefer Dynamic EQ on but Dynamic Volume OFF. Remember, no judgment lol. Keep up the great work my friend

[johnpoo]

Have you experimented with setting Dynamic EQ to the least aggressive -15dB ref setting? Then EQ is only applied below -15dB master volumes (for example at night).

[gamegenieny]

WOW ! I never thought of trying something so simple yet so informative on what is being done to the sound scape with Dynamic EQ. Now I have to rerun Audyssey and start playing with settings to see what I've been missing ! Thank you so much for this video. Glad I found this channel and I'm looking foward to whatever comes next !

[jean-francoisr]

Thanks! Wish I had seen this video earlier. Spent all weekend working out why the sound was so out of whack at -25db to -30db!! I ended up turning off dynamic eq and it solved my issue. Audyssey is otherwise fantastic - even if I have to make some adjustments. Great video.

[ZZ-ougp]

I have done a lot of tests on a lot of movies using dynamic EQ and Dynamic Volume. The first thing is, is Dynamic Volume completely messes up the listening experience for action-heavy movies. If you live in a small flat or apartment, I can see this being something useful. Dynamic EQ in my testing at least seemed to definitely boost the listening experience and I actually found this function to be very useful, especially on films mixed today; which have already been neutered by the studios by decreasing the decibel levels in post-mix. I suppose what I am saying is that modern films are so badly mixed that even the center channel seems to lose dialogue comprehension because of the way they mix these days. The Dynamic EQ for me at least is a godsend and rebalances the mix which is deliberately lowered and am finding streaming channels are beginning to go down this route. I'm keeping my Dynamic EQ on, it's one thing DENON got right :)

[iansteventon]

Wow, thank you for taking time on this video, I just bought my denon avc-x3700h yesterday and all I could hear was the rear heights and sides ! I'll now do a re cal and turn OFF DEQ.. NEW SUBSCRIBER 👍

[RealSeth]

Interesting, but with this measurement you do not see what DynamicEQ does to the frequenzy reponse, which is also a big part of DynamicEQ i think.

[Music.Movies.]

I find Dynamic EQ and Dynamic Volume handy living in an apartment is great because you can listen at lower volume levels and dialogue is loud and get good impact from effects
Sounds Great to me

[TopperDude]

Very interesting way to present. Making me curious to try it out and see for myself as I normally turn these features off without even trying them out.

[Tecnetico]

This really provided me with much needed answers. Thank you for taking the time to explain with evidence the pros and cons.

[MrJjburgess]

Funny I just switched from a Yamaha a2080 receiver I used for 2 years . To a new marantz 7706 pre/pro. I was using dynamic eq from the first day I set the marantz up. I didn't really know what it was. But I set it to on when it asked me in the setup .I noticed right away the rears were very loud. But I just thought that's how Marantz wants it setup. Good to know what the issue was. I won't be using Dynamic EQ from now on.

[DannyLeBuse]

the old purist in me probably would have turned it off years ago. but honestly its useful if you want to appreciate your setup while still keeping the neighbours in mind. still having that impact at low volume is only a win for me

[brodelicious]

I definitely agree with turning off dynamic EQ. But I find that most surround mixes, in movies especially, have the surrounds too low. It’s a real pain to remember which movies are the ones that exhibit this. So I created a list and every time I pop in a disc I’ll just add the movie to the list if the surrounds need adjustment up or down. Games don’t seem to exhibit the behavior as much but I find boosting the surrounds by a couple dB is usually enough for most content. I don’t know if I’m going against artistic intent or not, but I used to think surround sound was a waste of time until I stopped level matching on test tones and started level matching based on content. But like you said one man’s trash is one man’s treasure.

[mihailkful]

And I was wondering, why at lower volumes I felt like I was wearing headphones only for the surrounds... Thank you

[tonycipps]

Been going back and fourth on/off for movie watching.
I find bass much more accurate and tighter with it off, when its on just too muddy and constant.
Also i find many times when an audio track comes on or like an explosion happens, with EQ on turns it down the fronts too much and loses its effect.
For those two reason I prefer to have it off BUT.... I hardly get any surround sound effect with it off, with 4 ceilings and 2 sides I can go an entire atmos movie and not hear any of the 6 surround speakers even once. Ya i can just turn up the surrounds but some movies or scenes surrounds get too loud then i'm turning them back down. Anybody have similar issues that has solved this problem ?

[nazreex]

I am using a Sony STR dn1080. We have this kind of dynamic EQ but I don't have a problem with over volume for surround speakers when playing with lower volume.

[Ibhenriksen]

This is exactly why some call Denon garbage. It's not. Just use Dynamic EQ properly at low volumes or not at all.