Sennheiser cx300 + sansa fuze+ Sound settings

[sockbox]

Sennheiser cx300 + sansa fuze+ Sound settings

I thought I'd share my sound settings. Make sure you save your cfg before applying mine.

Code: [Select]

# .cfg file created by rockbox 5ef1e2d-130911 - http://www.rockbox.org

volume: -11
balance: 0
bass: -5
treble: 4
channels: stereo
stereo_width: 100
3-d enhancement: 0
replaygain type: track
replaygain noclip: off
replaygain preamp: 40
crossfeed: meier
crossfeed direct gain: -15
crossfeed cross gain: -60
crossfeed hf attenuation: -160
crossfeed hf cutoff: 700
eq enabled: on
eq precut: 130
eq low shelf filter: 20, 9, 99
eq peak filter 1: 50, 7, 123
eq peak filter 2: 1470, 16, 110
eq peak filter 3: 5200, 16, 53
eq peak filter 4: 12900, 10, 70
eq peak filter 5: 2900, 10, 10
eq peak filter 6: 4020, 10, 20
eq peak filter 7: 4220, 10, 16
eq peak filter 8: 4200, 10, -18
eq high shelf filter: 15600, 7, 60
dithering enabled: off
compressor threshold: 0
compressor makeup gain: auto
compressor ratio: 4:1
compressor knee: soft knee
compressor release time: 500

[gevaerts]

You almost certainly don't need all those EQ bands, which means you're rather likely just wasting battery

[[Saint]]

You almost certainly don't need all those EQ bands, which means you're rather likely just wasting battery

There's that, and there's also the question of the bands themselves.

The frequencies used, their spacing, and the layout, are all very odd.

I defy anyone to discern a difference in blind testing between the values applied to bands 6, 7, and 8. That is quite simply wasted CPU cycles. The low shelf filter is a little insane as well, 20Hz is right on the edge of human hearing.

Additionally, you're lowering bass (bass: -5) with the bass/treble setting, and then boosting it in the EQ?

I would advise wiping out these settings and starting again, after having read about how a parametric EQ functions and the Q value works.


[Saint]

[Julian67]

It's also worth noting that there is the possibility of real ambiguity in the original post because the old/original CX 300 and the current CX 300-II don't use the same driver, don't measure the same and don't sound the same.

I did own an original genuine Sennheiser CX 300 and currently have a a Razer ProTone clone of the old CX 300 (just like the JVC and Creative clones - only difference being the logo) and also a Sennheiser CX 95.  CX 95 was the top of the range Sennheiser IEM back in those strange days when consumer IEMs didn't have banker bonus prices.  It uses the same driver as the current CX 300-II and measures identically, which means it has some exaggerated bass, is a bit recessed in the upper mids and the top end is good for an IEM.   It sounds good but can benefit from some adjustment.  This is what I do:

Code: [Select]

eq enabled: on
eq precut: 0
eq low shelf filter: 300, 7, -10
eq peak filter 7: 3000, 7, 10

I know this looks unambitious and terribly unexciting but it does make a welcome difference:  it moderates the bass so it can be accepted as natural (I'm not saying it is natural, only that it doesn't now announce itself as "HEY I AM A BOOMING BASSY IEM!) but stills masks lots of noise when you are out in the street, and it lifts the upper mids just enough to bring back some presence and timbre to vocals.  I listen to a lot of orchestral, instrumental, vocal and choral music (natural sounds, usually unamplified) as well as contemporary music and it seems to me that you can't make large changes to the character of a headphone without it sounding really odd and unnatural in one way or another, and this can be a bit easier to notice with natural sounds than with electronic or highly manipulated and amplified sounds.  I don't know how it is with extremely expensive gear but my experiece of budget and midrange headphones and IEMs is that they don't have much room for eq boosts before you run into audible distortion.  By not making huge adjustments that require a large precut the headphones retain their high sensitivity and don't require high level which impacts on battery life.

I think if you feel the need to make multiple radical eq adjustments it means you probably ought to try a different headphone instead.  The old CX 300 (and clones) was OK but not special.  The newer 300-II version is a bit more expensive but also a real improvement ...unless you buy a bad sounding fake....

edit: I am also using Fuze+.