EQ Verses Gain..

Bill -VA3WTB

Some of us who are critical about our TX audio have come across something interesting.
We found that setting all the EQ sliders at or below the 0 or flat position gives the smoothest and best audio. The sliders as they rise increases the gain in the mic chain. But this is not being shown in the mic level meter. Lets say your mic scale is set at -6 witch looks to be fine. But when we set our EQ sliders above the 0 mark say, +2 and up the audio is likely to distort because the slider positions are adding gain to the mic chain and is not seen on the mic gain meter.

I would ask Flex to visit this by maybe adding a multi meter so the mic gain meter can be switched to an EQ meter like we can in PSDR to see how the EQ sliders are are effecting gain.
Or have the mic level meter combine both mic boost and EQ boost together to reflect the total gain on the level meter. so as a person raises the EQ sliders they can then reduce the mic gain to compensate.

Many times I hear a Flex radio hitting the top a little to hard, when I ask them where the meter is reading they will say -5. Then they tell me that the EQ sliders are set from +2 to + 6. It is the EQ gain sending them over the top.
Below the 0 mark one can find a sweet spot that sounds the best.

JohnSweeney

This is super helpful advice - thank you! Instead of boosting the highs for one of my mics, I will reduce the lows to keep the max output at zero and the net resulting audio will be the same.

Lawrence Gray

Less is more when setting equalization levels.  This is true in virtually all audio applications, assuming a microphone that is reasonably flat in the frequencies of interest.

Larry, W1IZZ

Cosmos (Alan KB5CUS)

Bill..  What Mic are you using ?  are you using any mic pre or EQ ahead of the flex & what Series Flex is it ...?   As you know Audio is VERY Selective to people... Do you wear Hearing Aids ...?   LOL....