What do bass and treble controls do?

Adam N.

Trying to keep it simple.
When I turn bass or treble up or down, what does it actually do?

Does it raise or lower a range of tones, like say everything from 100 hz down to 25 hz or does it change the slope of gain at various frequencies?

Does it act like a high or low cut, so that say nothing above 25khz plays then as I decrease treble nothing above 20khz then 15 khz?

Generally speaking what do those controls do?
 
I don't know. Some guy said they are graphics of the boost and cut tone controls can do.:D
 
When I turn bass or treble up or down, what does it actually do?

Does it raise or lower a range of tones, like say everything from 100 hz down to 25 hz or does it change the slope of gain at various frequencies?

Does it act like a high or low cut, so that say nothing above 25khz plays then as I decrease treble nothing above 20khz then 15 khz?

Generally speaking what do those controls do?
Yes, they raise or lower an entire range of frequencies. Technically speaking, they're "shelf equalizers".
 
Wow, that pretty dramatic. They really do something. None of my amps have them anymore but I do have virtual ones in chromecast. Was just kind of curious.

A picture really is worth 1,000 words. Thanks for your help.
 
Its funny how things went from no tone controls to a single tone control to bass, treble and beyond. Then right back to nothing again. That's a very general statement, but more and more equipment seems to be ditching them these days.
I've heard tales of yore about such controls and the evil that came forth from their misuse. Some receivers of gigantic size had these along with a third, mid. :eek:
Actually when it comes to tone controls I tend to like having a midrange control. My main system has no tone controls, but several SS integrated amps I have do. I've had EQ's in the past from 5 to 30 controls. I didn't care for them too much. But having that extra midrange control in equipment with tone controls has been pretty handy. Most the time I set them flat, but find I do use the midrange control way more than the bass or treble controls.
 
Frequency specific volume control.

As Joe's graph indicates, each has a "hinge" point below or above which the gain or attenuation effects the signal in a progressive manner.
 
To speak to the OP's question specifically, I borrowed the picture above.

Note that for this particular example, the tone controls, bass and treble, each will each vary the amplitude of the frequencies that they affect. Also it can be seen that the slope does vary.

Other tone controls may have somewhat different frequency ranges, slopes and starting points.

upload_2018-9-24_18-53-39.png
 
When I turn bass or treble up or down, what does it actually do?

Does it raise or lower a range of tones, like say everything from 100 hz down to 25 hz or does it change the slope of gain at various frequencies?

Does it act like a high or low cut, so that say nothing above 25khz plays then as I decrease treble nothing above 20khz then 15 khz?

Generally speaking what do those controls do?
They send signals to space and aliens come down :beatnik: they then Tune your receiver......

It’s a old fashioned equalizer I have no receivers like this so congrats!
Some people have an additional equalizer that is separate to amp . I’m not sure if they add power or not my uncles got one.
 
Its funny how things went from no tone controls to a single tone control to bass, treble and beyond. Then right back to nothing again. That's a very general statement, but more and more equipment seems to be ditching them these days.

Actually when it comes to tone controls I tend to like having a midrange control. My main system has no tone controls, but several SS integrated amps I have do. I've had EQ's in the past from 5 to 30 controls. I didn't care for them too much. But having that extra midrange control in equipment with tone controls has been pretty handy. Most the time I set them flat, but find I do use the midrange control way more than the bass or treble controls.

As one ages and hearing changes, your need a change. I use EQs but I run them flat except for a tiny tweak here and there. I just got a set of KG2s and they needed a small boost in the midrange that my other two ways did not need.

Eq on the top is for the Fisher driving KLH 17s. They need just a bit of boost to my ears higher up and a touch at the bottom.

The one on the bottom is for the Pioneer driving the Klipschs. Just a touch of the mids really richened their sound to my liking.

20180924_193317.jpg 20180924_193351.jpg
 
As one ages and hearing changes, your need a change. I use EQs but I run them flat except for a tiny tweak here and there. I just got a set of KG2s and they needed a small boost in the midrange that my other two ways did not need.

Eq on the top is for the Fisher driving KLH 17s. They need just a bit of boost to my ears higher up and a touch at the bottom.

The one on the bottom is for the Pioneer driving the Klipschs. Just a touch of the mids really richened their sound to my liking.

View attachment 1289510 View attachment 1289511
Very cool are are equalizer only used with stereo receivers? I’d imagine new surround amps have them built in.
Epic set up tho !
 
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