Symphony hidden EQ settings can fix flabby bass and tonal balance

[Stoney]

I experimented with these EQ settings in my 2001 A6 4.2L (Bose), and found settings that tame the midbass bloat rather nicely. They also flatten the response at higher frequencies.

I now use 74384444, with bass and midrange knobs flat, treble at -1 or -2, and Fader to -5 (for a front soundstage). The first number in each group of four digits (which control front and back speaker pairs) is lower bass, the second is upper bass, and so on. I found that turning up lower bass and down upper bass tames it nicely. Settings within one unit of the above setting sound pretty good. Your best sounding settings may vary with year, Bose vs standard, and possibly manufacturing variations in the speakers.

I also found that the flabby midbass is in part due to harmonic distortion created by the moving trunk liner, including the removable panel over the woofer. So, I remove the panel, and bass now sounds flatter. I may someday stiffen all of the liner panels.

You can also fold down the rear middle console, exposing the ski sack cover, which makes the bass a bit louder and more dynamic.

This phenomenon of vibrating walls creating harmonic distortion, was studied in home listening environments by a PhD acoustician friend of mine, Brian Elliot, a manufacturer of $100k loudspeakers. Dr. Elliot found that such distortion can be very large, even louder than the fundamental tone that triggers it. Harmonic distortion in the bass is perceived as midbass bloat.

Another thing that tames the bass is to set the fader to mostly front speakers (-5 or -6). You see, when I adjusted the equalizer, I did it with each pair separately. If you set the rear pair closer to the volume of the front pair, then the bass will reinforce, more than the midrange and treble (which beam and can't be heard much from the front seat), and become excessive. If you choose to set the fader closer to equal levels, then you will need to cut bacl on the bass and midbass settings. For example, first try turning down the rear pair bass and midbass settings by 1 click each, and see if that is enough.

Caveats: The EQ cannot work wonders with the cheap speakers and amps. The Bose system still suffers from limited dynamics and very little top or bottom octave. Some colorations cannot be elimited. Complex instrumental lines sound congested. Distortion is high and some instruments like brass section will never sound realistic. Treble tends to all sound the same, due to what sounds like a cheap tweeter. The distance between tweeter in the top of the door and midrange at the bottom damages the frequency response in the crossover region and destroys imaging.


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HOW TO IMPROVE BASS REPRODUCTION AND USE HIDDEN EQ SETTINGS IN SYMPHONY RADIO

You access the setting by turning off the car, removing the key, then turning on the radio by pressing the volume knob while simultaneously holding down the 5 preset button.

The readout says 55555555 initially. Each digit is a band for either front OR rear speakers.

"ABCD EFGH"

A= low bass front
B= upper bass front
C= lower treble front
D= upper treble front

E= low bass back
F= upper bass back
G= lower treble back
H= upper treble back

The first digit will be blinking. You adjust the blinking digit's setting using the volume knob. To advance to the next digit, press the P scan button. When you're done, turn the radio off then on again to test your settings.

The filter bands are rather wide, not quite narrow enough to fix some of the problems I hear. But, they are narrower than the bass and treble tone control knobs (although the midrange tone knob is very narrow).

How to do it:

1. Use well-recorded natural sounding CDs (preferably not synth or dance music).

2. Don't use FM stations because they all sound different.

3. Set the tone control knobs to flat. These you will use later only to adjust between sources (CDs, tape, FM).

4. Listen at a loud but typical listening level so you can easily tell which frequency band sounds too loud or too soft. Discomfort is a good indicator!

5. Always experiment ONLY with front OR rear speakers, using the fader at one extreme or the other.

- With the fader set so that only the front speakers are playing, adjust the first 4 digits until it sounds flat on several songs or CDs. Keep the settings near 5, and only change those bands that need a little more or a little less. In other words, 9999 is not a useful setting.

- When done, shift fader to rear, and adjust only the second 4 digits. Your goal is to make the front
speakers sound like the back speakers, which should both sound like live unamplified music.

- Finally, set the fader where you like it and check that the tonal balance still sounds good. The bass may now sound too loud, so you may have to cut back on the first and second numbers for the front and rear pair slightly. I prefer the fader about 5 clicks to the left of middle, so that the rear speakers are relatively quiet. That way, the front speakers are perceived as being where the soundstage is located, and the back merely provides a slight fill. Otherwise, if the back is loud, images jump and smear between front and back too much. Also, the bass of both pair tend to combine and need to be reduced slightly.

6. I find that some the bloated bass comes from vibration of the trunk liner panels. Not only do they resonate, but they generate harmonic distortion which is quite loud. The result of this distortion is tubby, bloated, inarticulate bass.

To reduce this, I removed the panel that covers the woofer, and found that it sounds flatter and less distorted. Perhaps I will one-day damp and stiffen all the trunk liner panels.

I also tried putting towels or other damping material below the woofer in its compartment. This may help slightly.

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A previous thread that discussed this was here: http://forums.audiworld.com/a6/msgs/75433.phtml. Since then, I've used the hidden EQ settings to turn down the midbass a bit more, and turn up the lower bass.

How to access the hidden EQ settings: http://forums.audiworld.com/a6/msgs/75310.phtml.

Covering the woofer hole partially to tame the bass (I don't recommend this, as it will raise the frequency of the woofer's resonance, and reduce its output): http://www.audiworld.com/tech/elec38.shtml.

[Michael Kwok]

in the frequency of the base harmonic distortion (different areas).

Mike

[LMGotts]

[Keith]

[TraderAlex]

Our opportunities for really good harmonics are limited by the nature of the beast-driving a wagon. Having a sedan's trunk is an enormous advantage for good sound dynamics. This cannot be duplicated in a wagon version, no matter what we do.

[A6 Top Cat]

[Stoney]

[JC-allroad]

Tried this morning with my allroad. Sounded much better with this setting. However sound seems a bit at the Backside, let's try for a few days and see.
I use to use this before with my allroad before I change to this.

58285828
Tre set at Mid
Mid Set at Mid
Bas Set at +2
Bal to Right +1
Fad -3

I understand I am not at the allroad Forums, But hope this may help with some Anant owner

[psyber2]

FYI-
I found that I could access the equalizer while driving the vehicle. (Not that the driver should be doing this on the highway.. but well... i sit in hours of traffic each day )

I simply:
1. Shut off the stereo.
2. Hold the "5" key
3. Power on the stereo.
I come directly to the series of "5"s with the first one flashing.

I do all of this with the key in the ignition and the car running on the highway.

Great post, guy! Thanks!

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[Stoney]

The reason we say you can't change the settings while the engine is running is... that you CAN'T. Nevermind that you can SEE the settings, or even adjust the digits... it won't have an effect on the frequency response that you hear. This has led to confusion, as some people thought the adjustments didn't do anything.

So, I repeat: Adjust them only with the engine off. I think it is even necessary to take the key out.