Processor EQ

[whit979]

Considering making some changes to our processor EQ...here's what I've got to work with:

- Bass shelf EQ with adjustable freq. and slopes of 6, 12, or 24 dB/octave
- Low freq. parametric EQ from 20 - 500 Hz
- Mid freq. parametric EQ from 250 - 6000 Hz
- High freq. parametric EQ from 1 - 15 KHz
- High freq. shelf EQ with 4 KHz turnover freq. at 6 dB/octave
- "Brilliance" control, capable of adding 6 dB boost to the super-high freq. band

Any suggestions on good EQ settings for FM music? Any advice is GREATLY appreciated.

 

[littlejohn]

Uh, I believe first I'd try to figure out what it was I wanted to accomplish. If I know that, it will give me some direction. i.e you wanna be louder than the other guy, you want it 'brighter', you want more /'boom'... whattaya want?

 

[jcolletta275]

That and what format you're working on tweaking this thing for... that helps to know as well.

EDIT: And seriously, you have an option of a 24dB/octave slope on the low shelf? Good grief! I can feel my stomach disintegrating from the drowning bass already!

 

[whit979]

Sorry, y'all...it's a Hot AC format. Unrated market station competing with a medium-market CHR, and a medium-market AC that is in the process of flipping to Hot AC.

The CHR station has music EQ'ed with boomy bass primarily on rap/hip-hop, big vocal presence, and very light HF enhancement which emphasizes only the super-high end. The AC station has a little punch...more of a "warm" feeling in the bass region. Light EQ on presence and HF sounds...I'm assuming to increase TSL.

Correction: The bass shelf doesn't have a 24 dB/oct. slope; it has an 18 dB/oct. slope option.

This is what I think I've got right now:

Bass shelf: 120 Hz, 6 dB gain added, 18 dB/oct. slope
Low EQ: 260 Hz, 2 dB gain added, 1.8 octave bandwidth
Mid EQ: (approx.) 2750 Hz, 3 dB gain added, 1.1 octave bandwidth
High EQ: 4100 Hz, 1 dB gain added, 1.1 octave bandwidth
Brilliance control (boost to super-high frequency band): +3.5 dB

Looking for a sound that isn't "out-of-the-box" like the rest of the stations in my town. I appreciate any and all thoughts or suggestions.

 

[littlejohn]

Well, it looks as if you're 'adding' in every segment. Reduce all those gains by 1dB, and you'll have a bit more headroom with the same frequency mix. Then, if it was me, and if the exciter was reasonably modern, I'd probably get out of the RMS compression some, and make the up the loudness with some sort of limiting, baseband included. Pick the most challenging song you have in rotation, and use it as a control. For a country format, I used to use Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, "Islands in the Stream". If you overdo ANYthing, that song will come unglued. For hot AC, probably something with a sizzler cymbal prevalent in it. When the sizzle turns to noise, back everything up .1 and go from there. For hip-hop or hard rock, find something with a good bass guitar line and keep it from being just one more THUMP like the drums. Go till it breaks, and then back up just a bit. In a competitive situation, back up 2 or 3 dB so you can counter when your competitor tries to match what you've done. When he tries, you can re - add what you held back, and trump him again without doing your own sound dirt.
It takes time, but given time and a good view of what you want to accomplish, you ought to be able to make your station sound quite good.