Using the Equalizer

The Equalizer controls are located in the Equalizer/Mixer area (the red controls) on the base QCD skin. If you don't see this area extended, just click the Equalizer/Mixer button (#43 in the base skin). The Equalizer controls are indicated with #41.

Background: An "equalizer" lets you shape the tone of playback for specific types of music (e.g., classical vs. reggae) or listening conditions (e.g., headphones vs. speakers or small bright room vs. large acoustically dead room).  (It is also sometimes used to reduce an annoying hum or hiss at a specific frequency, but this is rarely an issue with CDs or digital music files.)  Each of the 10 sliders controls the gain (volume) for a specific frequency range. The lowest band is centered at 60 Hz (the lowest bass tones), and the highest band is centered at 16 KHz (the highest audible frequencies).    When laid out as sliders side-by-side, as in the base skin, this is sometimes called a "graphic equalizer" because the positions of the sliders suggest a graphic "shape" for the tone.  However, other skins might implement the Equalizer controls as knobs or other controls that you would technically not call a "graphic" equalizer.

Per-file EQ Settings: QCD has the ability to save EQ settings on a per-file basis. This means that QCD can remember and set the appropriate EQ settings for every file in your music collection. To use this feature do the following:

  1. Click the Presets button in the Equalizer controls. (#42 in the base skin)

  2. Choose Auto load per-file EQ settings and/or Auto save per-file EQ settings.

Here are some guidelines as you use the Equalizer:

To:

Do This:

Turn the effect of the equalizer on or off

  • Click the On/Off button in the Equalizer controls area.

Change the equalizer levels

  • Click and drag each of the ten sliders in the equalizer to a desired position.

Raising the slider above the middle line amplifies tones in that frequency range.  Lowering the slider below the middle line attenuates (makes quieter) the tones in that frequency range.

Use "preset" equalizer settings

  • Click the Presets button in the Equalizer controls and choose Edit EQ Presets to choose a preset by name. To do this, select the preset you want, and click Load (or just double-click the preset).

Or

  • In the Equalizer controls, click the left and right arrows labeled Prev and Next to go to the previous or next preset.

Note: QCD comes with a number of built-in equalizer presets.

Save equalizer settings as a "preset"

  1. Click the Presets button in the Equalizer controls and choose Edit EQ Presets.

  2. Type a name for the "preset" in the name field.

  3. Click Save.

Delete a "preset"

  1. Click the Presets button in the Equalizer controls and choose Edit EQ Presets.

  2. Select the "preset" you want to delete.

  3. Click Del.

Note: You cannot delete the built-in "presets" included with QCD.

Export an equalizer "preset" as a file

  1. Click the Presets button in the Equalizer controls and choose Export to EQF.

  2. Choose the location and type the filename of the file.

  3. Click Save.

Note: An equalizer "preset" is saved as an EQF file (with the extension .eqf). This is a standard EQ file format that lets you exchange Equalizer settings with other applications, other QCD users, or with a copy of QCD running on another computer.

Import an equalizer "preset" file

  1. Click the Presets button in the Equalizer controls and choose Import from EQF.

  2. Find the EQF file to import.

  3. Click Open.

Equalizer Presets dialog

To display the Equalizer Presets dialog:

  1. Click the Presets button in the Equalizer controls. (#42 in the base skin)

  2. Select Edit EQ Presets.

Description of items in this dialog:

Item:

Description:

Presets tab

 

Load button

Load the selected EQ preset into the current QCD EQ.

Update button

Saves the current EQ settings to the selected Preset.

Delete button

Removes the selected EQ present.

Cancel button

Close this dialog without saving changes.

Save current EQ setting as

Type in a name for the current EQ settings and click the Save button to save a new EQ preset.

Auto load EQ settings saved for each file

QCD adjusts the EQ for each file saved with an EQ setting.

Auto save EQ settings for each file

QCD saves the EQ settings used for each file during playback.

 

 

Per-File Settings tab

 

Load button

Load the EQ settings for the selected file into the current QCD EQ.

Update button

Associates the current EQ settings with the selected file.

Delete button

Removes the file's EQ setting.

Cancel button

Close this dialog without saving changes.