How to tune an equalizer.

First of all, if you haven't already, download and install foobar2000.

What we are going to do, is learn to tune an equalizer for your particular sound equipment. It may be your headphones, your stereo or your car stereo. The principles are the same regardless.

Download this file here and extract it to a folder. This is a collection of sound files, each 2 seconds long, playing a frequency that corresponds to those on the equalizer.

Next, open foobar2000. Click the file menu, then add folder. Add the folder you extracted the sound files to.

Then click the Playback menu, scroll to repeat, then repeat playlist.

When you have done that click the View menu and open the equalizer.

Set your equipment to a comfortable listening volume, and play the sounds you have downloaded.

Start with 55Hz and play through to 20000Hz. As you do so, adjust the equalizer so that each sound is the same level of volume.

Once you have made each frequency sound as close as you can to the same level of volume, your equalizer is set.

Save the equalizer settings with the name of the equipment you are using (for example if you were listening with a pair of Grado SR60 headphones, name it GradoSR60). That way, you have a perfect setting for the equipment you are using.

Congratulations! You are now listening to your music the way the producer intended! You may notice that some equipment is a bit quiet using this technique. This is normal.

This is because you are only able to have perfect sound up to the volume of your systems weakest frequency (Usually the lower Hz are not powerful enough, i.e. not enough bass). Most systems are biased towards middle frequencies and you will often find these are the lowest on your equalizer after it has been tuned.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.