I have decent multimedia speakers attached to my computer, which nonetheless have their shortcomings, and I would like to adjust the software equalizer on iTunes to produce the optimal audio output for my system. Everything on the net related to setting an equalizer I found said something like “adjust until your music sounds good to you,” which is not at all helpful. Is there an equivalent to those calibration DVDs you can get to set to optimally set the color and brightness settings on your TV? (Or, likewise, the Adobe color management program that you can use to calibrate your CRT monitor). Would I be looking to produce completely “flat” audio like in a studio? In short, how can I determine the best overall settings for my equalizer?
You can use a sound level meter and feed your system sine waves of various frequency and adjust the equalizer to make them all register the same.
You can do a Fourier Transform of white noise played through your speakers and measured with a flat-response microphone, and if your equalizer faceplate has calibrated graduations on it you can dial in the compliment of the periodogram.
You can get a CD with various frequency sine waves or with a swept frequency sine wave, and adjust your equalizer so that you don’t hear loud and quiet sections.