Phono-Pre:Different EQ curves?
 

So I am very happy with my italian Gold Note Mediterraneo turntable and attached electronics from the same company. The phono preamp PH-10 offers six different EQ curves: RIAA, Decca London and America/Columbia, each curve also in a so called "enhanced" version. The company told me in a private communication that they can still detect different EQ curves in today's pressings in their labs and that it is not possible to establish simple rules for selecting the proper curve. There are other manufacturers which support different curves as well. Others say instead that since the middle of 1950s only RIAA is used.

For me as an audiophile consumer I want to come close to what the original recording wants to tell me. So I don't like to switch around with different EQ curves, looking for what sounds best for me.

What are your opinions? All bogus? Only RIAA? Excellent approach?

If you listen to stereo records they were all cut with the RIAA equalization curve. Period. Nobody used a custom curve in the stereo era. Old mono recordings used different ‘house curves’ so if you are into those, you’ll be able to use different payback eq on your preamp.

As far as this company being able to detect different EQ curves used today - that’s total baloney. Tendentious bum-fodder. Nonsense. A specious claim without merit.

Essentially your preamp came with tone controls in the form of different eq curves. Use them if you like, some curves may sound better to you - that’s ok.

The standard RIAA curve has used to master records from the beginning of the stereo era.

W9TR

I don’t think the manufacturer is saying the phono preamp can auto detect the curves used merely that they (the designer) still notices this.

So I have found this article which sheds some light on the history of EQ curves https://audiocirc.com/2016/06/30/equalization-curves/. Unless I have a very old recording or someone tells me definitely that a certain recording is done with a different curve than RIAA, I keep RIAA.

From what I haveread of this,agree it is the Mono recordings that are the main ones that may have dofferent EQ curves. Perhaps a few early stereo may? but that is not affirmed.
As for truth in recording?I want to hear the best I can get from a record. I have no fear of ignoring some producers whims. LOL

Yes - that’s what I read into it. I think because of all the eq and compression that is used in mastering the only way you could ‘detect’ the use of an improper mastering curve would be to witness it during the actual mastering process itself.

Feeding the raw cartridge signal into a frequency spectrum analyzer should give at least a hint which EQ was used during mastering. I wonder if I can see that here at home too if I analyze the raw signal via ADC on my computer using e.g. audacity. Perhaps if I have time ...

It will be interesting to see your results.

At any rate the setting that sounds the best to you in your home is the correct one.

Happy listening!