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Topic: How do I read this frequency response graph properly? (Read 4084 times) previous topic - next topic
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How do I read this frequency response graph properly?

Hi forum,

I would like to equalize my Headphones a bit and looked up for a FR graph that could help me with this.

FR Graph

Unfortunately there's not a number indication at every vertical line of the x-graph (which show what frequency is represented) but just at some ones, so I'm not sure what frequencies the undindicated lines represent. Can someone help me with this?
 

How do I read this frequency response graph properly?

Reply #1 –
Quote from: Gainless on
Hi forum,

I would like to equalize my Headphones a bit and looked up for a FR graph that could help me with this.

FR Graph

Unfortunately there's not a number indication at every vertical line of the x-graph (which show what frequency is represented) but just at some ones, so I'm not sure what frequencies the undindicated lines represent. Can someone help me with this?



The vertical lines represent the following frequencies, starting on the far left:

10 Hz  (as marked)
20 Hz
30 Hz
40 Hz
50 Hz
60 Hz
70 Hz
80 Hz
90 Hz
100 Hz  (as marked)

and so on.

How do I read this frequency response graph properly?

Reply #2 –
Hello,
the headroom website gives some indication about how to interpret their graph:
Quote
a "natural sounding" headphone should be slightly higher in the bass (about 3 or 4 dB) between 40Hz and 500Hz. This compensates for the fact that headphones don't give you the physical punch or 'impact' that the sound waves from a room speaker have; so a slight compensation for increased bass response is needed for natural sound.

Headphones also need to be rolled-off in the highs to compensate for the drivers being so close to the ear; a gently sloping flat line from 1kHz to about 8-10dB down at 20kHz is about right.


http://www.headphone.com/learning-center/a...easurements.php

Following their indications, and after comparing some top models, I'm suggesting this ideal curve:



Anyway, trying to invert the frequency response, so that it's flat would be a big mistake.
Also it's not very good to try to compensate every little peak, holes; equalizer doesn't behave well with abrupt changes.
Ideally the frequency response curve would be even more smoothed, if you want to compensate it.

And finally they are other consideration that  could impact the measurements indicated:
- the dummy head used.
- the placement of headphone in dummy head.
- the theoretical corrections applied to measurements.
- there might be variations between same model of the headphone.

Just explaining why my "suggested" ideal curve won't work with the measurement of the website en.goldenears.net.
(they are suggesting an other ideal curve, unlike the headroom website).
Also this could explain, why the frequency  response measured my not match exactly what you hear.

How do I read this frequency response graph properly?

Reply #3 –
Then, next time you put on headphones, in a slightly different position, or angle, relative to your years, the response curve will be different that the one to which you tried to adjust to begin with.

How do I read this frequency response graph properly?

Reply #4 –
Quote from: AndyH-ha on
Then, next time you put on headphones, in a slightly different position, or angle, relative to your years, the response curve will be different that the one to which you tried to adjust to begin with.


Right, although the difference is not that huge imo, plus you can ever change the position for the better. Thanks for the other responses, too, especially the one with the "optimal" frequency response is interesting.