From inSync reader Dale J:

"I have a Mackie CR-1604vlz, Mackie FR M-1400 power amp, and JBL EON 15" (non-powered) speakers for a PA system in our church. I am having difficulty controlling the high end EQ on the horns of the JBL EON's; they can be excruciatingly painful if I am not careful. I want to find the best way to obtain a clean, pleasant, full, and (quite often during revival meetings) loud sound. My thinking had been to purchase a 1/3 graphic EQ for the board, but I have seen a couple of magazine articles, and the Mackie amplifier manual, itself, seem to shed light that the graphic EQ was not a good way to go."

Thanks for the questions, Dale!

First: In our experience, the horns of JBL's Eon series of speakers have been pretty smooth; we've not encountered undue harshness in them. Is it possible that the high-end problem is elsewhere in your system? Possibilities include your source material, your microphones, is the high EQ on the mixer boosted, etc?

You might also look at raising the speakers up so that they are above the ears of the listeners (if you haven't already done so...).

If there is no can find no other way to correct for the problem, then an EQ should certainly do the job for you.

Opinions vary on when to use a graphic and when to use a parametric. In all honesty, each type can be effective for most situations. But, here are some thoughts and generalities:

Our view of graphic EQs is that they are great for generally shaping the tonal response of a PA or monitor system. In this application, graphics are fast to set up, plus you can get an idea of what you are doing to the signal by visually looking at the EQ curve. Graphics can be less effective if extreme accuracy is required. Parametrics are great for correcting for specific problems. For example, to notch out a specific problem frequency, a parametric offers great flexibility and precision. In our opinion, they are often not quite as effective for broader corrections or enhancements. So, for your situation, we'd agree with your initial intention to get into a graphic EQ, the idea being to shape the overall response of your speaker system. As far as how to go about EQ'ing your system: Run audio through the system that exhibits the symptoms you describe. Then, you're probably best off taking a "trial and error" approach; grab a few EQ sliders and shove them around. Your ears will tell you when you corrected for the high end problems. From that point, you can experiment with filling out the sound, etc. Finally, we'll warn you that it is quite easy to "over-EQ" signals, causing more problems than you solve. Be conservative with your boost and cut settings!

Good Luck!