How to Modify the Equalization for Your Stereo System

You can modify the equalization (EQ) settings if your recording lacks "punch" in specific frequencies. Adobe Audition offers some advanced editing tools with a simple enough interface for a beginner to grasp, a demo is available for either Mac or Windows at the Adobe website.

Upon starting Audition, you'll notice that Multi track is the default interface configuration, so be sure to choose View > Edit View first, because this is the correct layout within which to edit a single file. The File menu will then allow you to open audio files-navigate to the audio file you want to edit and click Open. Then, choose Edit > Select Entire Wave to ensure that you have the entire song selected for editing.

Choosing Effects > Filters > Graphic Equalizer will bring up a dialog box with ten fader controls as the default selection. However, if you try out all the presets, you will see that most are set to work with the 30-band equalizer for increased accuracy. You should also take note that, for the most part, these presets are moderate-no fader is set to extremes, and if anything, greater adjustments are made when cutting rather than increasing volume. This is something to remember when you want to come up with your own settings later, but for now, select Classic V from the Effect Preset drop-down menu at the top left of the dialog box.

Make sure the Power button at the extreme lower left of the dialog box is green, meaning that the EQ is functional, and press the Preview Play button immediately to the right of it to hear the difference the EQ setting makes. You can switch the EQ on and off as the track plays to hear the significant difference the adjustment has made. The mid-range of the song has been cut, reducing the overall volume, but bringing up the low and high frequencies a bit and giving the track some "air."

Next, try the Generic Attack Booster preset-this is a very subtle setting. By turning the Power on and off with Preview Play enabled, you can hear how it adds brightness and punch to the overall sound. Keep playing with the presets. Once you have found a setting you like, click OK to apply the EQ to your sound. Feel free to experiment with finer adjustments yourself. Remember, you can always choose Edit > Undo if you change your mind.

A rule of thumb with EQ is to take it easy, it can be tempting to jack up all the bass frequencies on a dance track, for example, or even to increase all levels to get a "louder" sound. Unfortunately, this will obscure sonic detail, thereby reducing the dynamic range of your track, and it may cause the track to clip or distort. Be sure to "normalize" your track once you are done adjusting the EQ.

The human ear can only perceive sounds in the 20Hz-20 kHz range, and that is a healthy, young ear! More importantly, speakers, especially computer speakers, have a rather limited dynamic range, not only in that they stop working at certain high and low frequencies, but in the inconsistent manner in which they reproduce frequencies across the spectrum. Don't forget that virtually all stereo systems, MP3 players, and computer-based media players offer their own equalizers that work without making permanent changes to your audio tracks. When you play a song back, you can turn it up as loud as you like, and the detail will remain intact depending on the quality of your speakers and your ears, of course.