Rockville REQ42-S 2 x 21 Band Home Theater Equalizer w/Audio Spectrum Analyzer

Got this to adjust the sound of my stereo for some hearing issues. Using the audiologist's report as a starting point, with a little additional tweaking got the sound to a pleasing level of quality. I use the tape monitor output and tape input on the receiver, so as to be able to use the receiver's mag phono preamp.The good: Easy to set up and use. Multiple RCA inputs and 2 sets of output jacks on rear (also 1/8" stereo jack on front panel), inputs selectable on front panel. Lights on sliders, nice since the sliders are fairly small. Sound quality seems really good. Brackets for rack mounting included. It's nice looking.Things to consider: I wouldn't call this a pro-line unit, there are better ones if you need them and have the money. Cables aren't included, so you may want to get an extra RCA/phono cable or two if you don't have any available. The graphical display is colorful, but not the most informative. The manual is very brief with limited information.Overall: good choice if you need an economical stereo equalizer.

This beautiful and easy to use EQ is pretty basic and works just how it is expected to work.The graphics move when signal is present, and the slider sweeps work just fine. There is very little self noise (not noticeable at all when music is playing, and really takes a headphone amp with loud volume to hear it). Any hums people are experiencing are likely from other equipment, cable placement, or ground loops, and are usually the first things investigated by audio enthusiasts.Is it perfect? not at all. There are some subtle gripes, but for the price what can I really complain about? I paid 4 times this price in the 90s for Technics and Teac EQ's... in today's money, thats insane, but here it goes..- the frequency sliders aren't stepped or notched, smooth and linear but hard to make sure its evenly on both channels.- the sliders feel kind of cheap, the plastic isn't the world's greatest.- the slider LED's are very bright, wish they could be toned down a bit.- the graphics on the slider say +/- 12db, however the middle of the slider only goes from +/- 9db. yes thats a range of 18... but still a little misleading, but not a big deal, never in my life have I ever HAD to use 9db boost/cut.When I think back to my days of component audio set ups, and those bigger name brands, I believe this EQ is a great value that performs exactly as it promises. Great job Rockville, can't wait to see what you come up with as an "upgrade" !

Need simplified instructions plus only has one connection for each stereo unit instead of a in and out that makes it confusing to hookup.

I've had experience since the late 70's with component audio, and with the development of high quality turntables with blue tooth and integrated pre-amps, I decided to dive back into it with a modern twist. I currently have an Audio Technica AT-LP120BXT- USB turntable (excellent), paired with a set of Edifier R2000DB speakers. These are great speakers, but I found them flat in the mid range, and overcompensating with muddy bass. I felt an equalizer was definitely in order- but modern options are not that plentiful. Enter the Rockville REQ42. True, its not as heavy as my old school Sanyo 960 from back in the day, but- that has no bearing on whether I can tailor the sound to something that is balanced, bright, and dynamic. I am very pleased with the performance thus far, and like the number of inputs and front facing selectors. For under $70, this unit is an excellent value- and performs exactly as I needed.

First, the good. The unit is well made and looks nice... except of course for the bright blue LEDs that everyone has complained about. LOSE THEM! Use some nice red ones! I disagree with what others have said about the mechanical quality of the sliders: they seem just fine to me... except of course for the fact that they don't go all the way to the top and bottom of the legend, which makes them useless. There's not enough range for the sliders to strongly affect the sound.Now we come to the display. What many buyers have said is just plain false: the "frequency analyzer" displays an attract mode when no music is playing, but does reflect the sound when it is playing [EDIT: I see why people say that, since the "analyzer" doesn't appear if the music is soft]. Whether it's a true "frequency analyzer" I'll leave to the experts, but YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO TURN OFF THE ATTRACT MODE. It looks silly and cheap, like an arcade video game.Bottom line: I'm disappointed with this unit and cannot recommend buying it. For just a little more money, Rockville could have made a great product that everyone would have loved. But look at the reviews! No one wants to buy something cheap. Do you think they're making money on volume? I doubt it (again, based on the reviews). Make it a little better and charge a little more and you will get rich. In the meantime, I'm still looking for a good old-fashioned equalizer.

As an erstwhile DJ, I was use to working with very high end audio components in clubs… The EQ was always important in enhancing certain parts of the music depending on style. I recently got sick of listening to compressed MP3 music and longed for the days of “Hi-Fi.” So, I hooked up my Yamaha receiver, got a turn table… The weak point in the system were the speakers because the wife didn’t want obtrusive speakers in the family room. So, I bought a pair of inexpensive Polk Audio two-way bookshelf speakers that sounded pretty bad. I saw this EQ and figured what the…for the money I’ll throw it in the system. Let me say, it took the two-way speakers from a pencil sketch to full color painting. It improved the overall range immensely. The only knock I have on the EQ is there is a good bit of hiss if you’re listening to quiet music like piano jazz or classical. Otherwise, for the money, this is well worth it.