Tone controls/equalizer

[Bruce Mangosteen]

Am I mistaken, or does the UP-H not come with either tone controls or a graphic EQ? If it does, where are they? If not, why not? Is it not a media player?

If there is no native tone control/equalizer, which app works best?

Cheers!

 

[pusb87]

Am I mistaken, or does the UP-H not come with either tone controls or a graphic EQ?

You are not mistaken

If there is no native tone control/equalizer, which app works best?

google search "android audio equalizer" for info on apps that may work

 

[ArcticWolf]

Am I mistaken, or does the UP-H not come with either tone controls or a graphic EQ? If it does, where are they? If not, why not? Is it not a media player?

If there is no native tone control/equalizer, which app works best?

Cheers!

Nope! No EQ or any other audio controls other than those found in the U9-H's settings. It doesn't have all the built in bells & whistles of my Samsung phones, or Samsung/Sony tablets for example .

The U9-H is intended more as a visual media player but that's not to say it can't do audio, (it actually does it very well ). I use it as such on occasion. Ultimately, that aspect is more on an app by app basis or dependant upon any external audio hardware you're using. Therein, highly subjective . There are some outright EQ apps available but most are simply 5 band, there is one free 10 band EQ app but the ads are annoying & there's no paid version to remove them.

Poweramp is one of the best Android apps I've purchased for music personally & would be my top recommendation if it's your main reason for needing an EQ. I've tried almost all of the top rated Android music apps but I've repeatedly returned to Poweramp & I've been using it for years. (There aren't many formats it doesn't support but my preference is .flac for music where possible, failing that high bit rate mp3's ). Despite its look becoming a little outdated, it's remained a top favourite amongst Android reviewers, etc. for years too. However, it's literally just had a major overhaul to bring it out of the Jellybean'ish era & given the Android N / O look & features, (v3 is the new version). The dev has also added full support for visualisations & includes about 200 to choose from with the app. More can easily be added by users too . A few other apps now offer basic equalisers & one or two more have improved in that regard, but Poweramp has also featured a 10 band EQ for years as well.

Am I singing its praises? Yes lol!! Highly configurable, it's had features for years other apps still don't have & it's a solid & stable performer. I have enjoyed other music apps too, but they either lacked something Poweramp didn't have or had annoying limitations or issues.

I don't bother with an EQ for movies these days, my AVR handles that aspect. The vast majority of my movies & TV shows are well encoded & need little to no adjustment anyway.

Otherwise, have a Google such as @pusb87 suggests. Depending on your requirements, hopefully something will appeal to you.

Happy hunting .

 

[Bruce Mangosteen]

google search "android audio equalizer" for info on apps that may work

I was kinda hopin' that somebody who had already gone through the process of weeding through the available options could cut the process down for me. That's partially what this forum is for after all, isn't it? Sharing information?

The U9-H is intended more as a visual media player but that's not to say it can't do audio

Well, in my experience, most movies these days have sound.

About Poweramp, it's very elaborate for the way I listen to music. I simply like to put an album on, like I did 175 years ago when I was 20. I use VLC player for listening in this way, it has an EQ built in. I've been re-cataloguing my MP3 collection and might eventually have all the artist and genre data straight; at that point I'd probably look at Poweramp or something like it.

I listen to iHeart Radio and other streaming apps, play YouTube videos sometimes, and things like that. They don't have EQ, or if they do you'd have to set it by the each.

Most of the problem with 3rd-party EQ apps is that they can't reliably put themselves between other apps and the sound capability of Android. Given that the Minix guys are in charge of their box, I'd think it would be a no-brainer for them to fix a known problem with Android devices, especially given that this is a streaming media device.

I understand that the guys who make this box likely envision that it will be a component in a system that includes a receiver or other device with tone controls on it. However, it works perfectly well hooked to an inexpensive TV and one of those powered subwoofer and satellite speaker systems they sell for computers. That's what I have it connected to. With a built in EQ, it would be perfect for a bedroom system like that.

 

[ArcticWolf]

I was kinda hopin' that somebody who had already gone through the process of weeding through the available options could cut the process down for me. That's partially what this forum is for after all, isn't it? Sharing information?


Well, in my experience, most movies these days have sound.

About Poweramp, it's very elaborate for the way I listen to music. I simply like to put an album on, like I did 175 years ago when I was 20. I use VLC player for listening in this way, it has an EQ built in. I've been re-cataloguing my MP3 collection and might eventually have all the artist and genre data straight; at that point I'd probably look at Poweramp or something like it.

I listen to iHeart Radio and other streaming apps, play YouTube videos sometimes, and things like that. They don't have EQ, or if they do you'd have to set it by the each.

Most of the problem with 3rd-party EQ apps is that they can't reliably put themselves between other apps and the sound capability of Android. Given that the Minix guys are in charge of their box, I'd think it would be a no-brainer for them to fix a known problem with Android devices, especially given that this is a streaming media device.

I understand that the guys who make this box likely envision that it will be a component in a system that includes a receiver or other device with tone controls on it. However, it works perfectly well hooked to an inexpensive TV and one of those powered subwoofer and satellite speaker systems they sell for computers. That's what I have it connected to. With a built in EQ, it would be perfect for a bedroom system like that.

The U9-H will never have a built in EQ. You'll have to try some of the available apps out & see how you get on with them. Some have problems or may not work at all, so it's a case of trial & error.

It's not required to have the artist, genre, or any other meta data all straightened out etc. with Poweramp. It will just use the actual filenames if you wish, (it includes many advanced features but ultimately you can make it as simple as you want it to be) . If the files contain the relevant meta data they will be shown but it's not a necessity if using the filenames alone. You can also specifiy which library list options are shown, (such as artist, genre, album, all songs, folders & so on, & leave out those you don't wish to see). I use it exactly in that fashion for the same reason lol, I can't be bothered to sort/edit the tags on countless media files either. I mainly select music to play by playlists, albums or simply by the folder the files are in.

Otherwise, it's very simple to use once configured. Choose an album or folder & hit play, that's it . Even easier than the days of 7", 12" or LP's . You can try it out fully featured for 15 days free, if it's still not for you, try something else .

Prior to my use of AVR's, I used to be set up in exactly the same way as you are now. I used a Logitech Z906 PC speaker system with my various devices connected to it. However, I tended to use my phones or tablets with built in EQ's for radio/music at that time.

Try out "10 Band Equaliser" free as well. It may do exactly what you require. There's no paid option, however, & the ads can be annoying that's all .

Season's greetings .

 

[Bruce Mangosteen]

It's not required to have the artist, genre, or any other meta data all straightened out etc. with Poweramp. It will just use the actual filenames if you wish, (it includes many advanced features but ultimately you can make it as simple as you want it to be)...etc.

As I say, I use VLC for this sort of listening now, and it has an EQ in it. I like it because it plays everything you throw at it including all sorts of weird video formats.

The reason I want EQ is because apps like iHeart Radio (streaming FM radio) don't have any sort of tone controls. Yes, I can find my own by trial and error, but I thought that these boards exist partially for people to exchange information so we don't all have to reinvent every wheel.

Anyhow, thanks for your recommendation. I used to use Poweramp eons ago, before they put all the bells and whistles into it, and thought it was good at the time.

 

[ArcticWolf]

As I say, I use VLC for this sort of listening now, and it has an EQ in it. I like it because it plays everything you throw at it including all sorts of weird video formats.

The reason I want EQ is because apps like iHeart Radio (streaming FM radio) don't have any sort of tone controls. Yes, I can find own by trial and error, but I thought that these boards exist partially for people to exchange information so we don't all have to reinvent every wheel.

Anyhow, thanks for your recommendation. I used to use Poweramp eons ago, before they put all the bells and whistles into it, and thought it was good at the time.

Yup, I've used VLC for many years too on different platforms & agreed, it's an excellent free app that can handle just about everything . However, I really only use VLC for movies/TV shows myself (when I'm not using Kodi) & I prefer a separate app with EQ for music. Again, completely subjective .

We're still kind of in the process of rebuilding the proverbial wheel & this new Minix forum after the original went offline. There may have been additional information or solutions on the original forum specific to your requirements that's now unfortunately gone.

In time there may hopefully be more suggestions that better suit you . Keep checking in .

 

[Bruce Mangosteen]

In time there may hopefully be more suggestions that better suit you . Keep checking in .

I very much appreciate this forum and the help that can be found here, and I hope that isn't lost in my replies. In fact, I was touting this forum as a feature of Minix products to a co-worker just the other day.

Yes, it's a shame that the old forum and all its content were lost. Too bad the old content couldn't be reinstated. But today is a new day, and the way is forward. Good luck, and I'll try to contribute as and how I can.

Cheers!

Other posters: Any ideas concerning equalizer apps?

 

[pusb87]

Other posters: Any ideas concerning equalizer apps?

i cant recall from the old minix forum this topic of EQ's being discussed and it looks like in the present forum a very limited number of members (1) have ever felt the need for it....so dont hold your breathe

 

[Bruce Mangosteen]

I'll share my experience with the first app I installed, a free app called "Equalizer Pro". Hopefully somebody will find this information useful.

You can find the app here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.soundappsfree.equalizer

First, this is a free app supported by ads, so don't be fooled by the name.

It features a 10-band graphic EQ and about a dozen preset profiles. You can also name and store your own profiles.

I'm presently using it in association with the iHeart Radio app, so it appears it works with streaming apps. I haven't tried it with any other apps yet though, and will update this string if it fails to work with any other app.

With the caveat that I can't speak for the frequencies and decibel levels it displays, the app appears to do what it claims to do. Moving the sliders changes the sound appropriately to the slider being moved. I do notice that it prefers you to click on the slider track rather than dragging the slider, a minor detail. The presets also work as advertised, although I won't vouch for the accuracy of the names associated with the profiles (e.g. if the "jazz" profile is any good for listening to jazz).

Being a software app rather than an actual graphic EQ, you can definitely hear artifacts of the equalizer going about its business. These mainly include slight volume enveloping during music playback, and a change in the overall volume level depending on the EQ setting. The latter can be pretty dramatic, and it's slightly odd to move a slider and hear the volume change along with the tone. Of course, an EQ is a set-and-forget app/device, so the latter issue should cause limited inconvenience.

I'll also note that it's possible that some of the artifacts I'm hearing are the fault of the iHeart Radio app. Again, as I experiment with other sound sources, I'll make notes in this thread.

One bug I've already discovered is that if you switch from the EQ app to another one, then switch back to the EQ app, it crashes. I've reported that.

Note though that these problems are small compared to the problem the EQ solves, namely the dreadful sound quality of the speakers connected to the Minix box. I won't explain that except to say that I neither selected nor paid for the speaker system, and will be upgrading in time. I will however, express my surprise at it, given that the system is branded Altec Lansing, which I thought to be a pretty good brand. Clearly they didn't make their reputation by selling these computer sub-and-satellite speaker systems.

In conclusion, I'd say that an EQ app, at least the one I selected, is no substitute for running the Minix audio output through a proper stereo system with tone controls. I still think the Minix box should have tone controls built into it for the same reason it has a volume control, but until I evolve my setup, this will be the situation, and I will learn to ignore the slight problems created by solving the major one.

 

[ArcticWolf]

I'll share my experience with the first app I installed, a free app called "Equalizer Pro". Hopefully somebody will find this information useful.

You can find the app here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.soundappsfree.equalizer

First, this is a free app supported by ads, so don't be fooled by the name.

It features a 10-band graphic EQ and about a dozen preset profiles. You can also name and store your own profiles.

I'm presently using it in association with the iHeart Radio app, so it appears it works with streaming apps. I haven't tried it with any other apps yet though, and will update this string if it fails to work with any other app.

With the caveat that I can't speak for the frequencies and decibel levels it displays, the app appears to do what it claims to do. Moving the sliders changes the sound appropriately to the slider being moved. I do notice that it prefers you to click on the slider track rather than dragging the slider, a minor detail. The presets also work as advertised, although I won't vouch for the accuracy of the names associated with the profiles (e.g. if the "jazz" profile is any good for listening to jazz).

Being a software app rather than an actual graphic EQ, you can definitely hear artifacts of the equalizer going about its business. These mainly include slight volume enveloping during music playback, and a change in the overall volume level depending on the EQ setting. The latter can be pretty dramatic, and it's slightly odd to move a slider and hear the volume change along with the tone. Of course, an EQ is a set-and-forget app/device, so the latter issue should cause limited inconvenience.

I'll also note that it's possible that some of the artifacts I'm hearing is the fault of the iHeart Radio app. Again, as I experiment with other sound sources, I'll make notes in this thread.

One bug I've already discovered is that if you switch from the EQ app to another one, then switch back to the EQ app, it crashes. I've reported that.

Note though that these problems are small compared to the problem the EQ solves, namely the dreadful sound quality of the speakers connected to the Minix box. I won't explain that except to say that I neither selected nor paid for the speaker system, and will be upgrading in time. I will however, express my surprise at it, given that the system is branded Altec Lansing, which I thought to be a pretty good brand. Clearly they didn't make their reputation by selling these computer sub-and-satellite speaker systems.

In conclusion, I'd say that an EQ app, at least the one I selected, is no substitute for running the Minix audio output through a proper stereo system with tone controls. I still think the Minix box should have tone controls built into it for the same reason it has a volume control, but until I evolve my setup, this will be the situation, and I will learn to ignore the slight problems created by solving the major one.

Good info, hopefully others in a similar situation may find it useful .

 

[Bruce Mangosteen]

Today found that it worked with several streaming TV apps including NBC Sports, Fox Sports Go, and ESPN. Still pleased with it overall, despite the occasional wonkiness.

 

[Bruce Mangosteen]

If I listen to music for an extended period, I notice that occasionally, usually not more than once or twice a day, the eq will drop out for about a second, then cut back in again. This announces itself not only in the muddy, boomy sound returning for that time, but the volume gets much louder during that time. I am attributing this to something in Android rather than the app itself or the box.

 

[ArcticWolf]

If I listen to music for an extended period, I notice that occasionally, usually not more than once or twice a day, the eq will drop out for about a second, then cut back in again. This announces itself not only in the muddy, boomy sound returning for that time, but the volume gets much louder during that time. I am attributing this to something in Android rather than the app itself or the box.

Notification triggering?

 

[Rockets]

Note though that these problems are small compared to the problem the EQ solves, namely the dreadful sound quality of the speakers connected to the Minix box. I won't explain that except to say that I neither selected nor paid for the speaker system, and will be upgrading in time. I will however, express my surprise at it, given that the system is branded Altec Lansing, which I thought to be a pretty good brand. Clearly they didn't make their reputation by selling these computer sub-and-satellite speaker systems.

Our age is showing, they used to be real contenders in the Home Stereo market. They have not been a player since the late 80's and have been bought out over and over. Much like my old fav Boston Acoustic or Nakamichi they were bought long ago to ride the old reputation by branding sub par products. The only thing the remains of these once great companies is the name sadly. Boston is dead, Altec and Nakamichi now make most of their money selling cheap Blu Tooth speakers and headphones.

 

[Bruce Mangosteen]

Notification triggering?

Possibly. I'm not stressed about it really.

Our age is showing, they used to be real contenders in the Home Stereo market...etc.

I've been away from all that for quite some time, went through a period in my life where I was spending virtually no time at home. Things are settling down a bit now and will be doing some scouting for home entertainment gear probably during the upcoming spring or summer.