Customer Reviews

ART 341 Dual 15 Band Graphic Equalizer

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The equaliser, once a basic component of an analogue stereo chain, and still in wide use by audio pros, is all but gone from the consumer market. (A question of fashion, not utility.) As a result, the consumer has very little choice; few products are available, and -- judging from reviews on Amazon -- the quality is rather poor.

An alternative is pro audio equipment, which is usually built to better quality standards. Below are my comments on EQ341, after using it for several weeks in a home stereo chain.

Pros

(1) Price. Same price range as consumer equalisers, such as those from AudioSource.

(2) Unbalanced ins/outs. Most pro audio equalisers are provided with balanced in/outs, while home equipment is standardised on unbalanced RCA ins/outs. (This is not a mere question of different plugs and jacks!) EQ341 is equipped with both balanced (XLR and 1/4 TRS) and unbalanced (RCA) connections, and hence it is easy to integrate in a home system.

(3) Range. Commonly, home eqs offer 7 or 10 bands per channel, with a range of +/-10 dB. At 15 bands/channel and max range of +/-12 dB, the EQ341 is noticeably better.

(4) Build. I have not compared it directly with currently available consumer equalisers, but, judging by Amazon reviews, EQ341 is more sturdily built; it is certainly more solid and rugged than my old Nikko equaliser.

(5) Sound quality. Sound quality is close to what I expected, and matches the published specs.

Cons

(1) Rack mounting. EQ341 is designed for a standard 19in equipment rack. Some manufacturers of rack-mounted equipment provide rubber feet and detachable face-plates for desktop applications; such is not the case with ART -- you will need to buy some self-adhesive rubber feet or spacers to use it in your home system. Additionally, it is less deep than most home equipment, so don't count on easily stacking other component(s) on top of it. Also, don't count on it blending in aesthetically with your non-rack-mountable equipment.

(2) Poor RCA connectors. RCA connectors are of poor quality (they are very slightly smaller than standard, so most RCA plugs will be too loose) and they are coded according in ART's idiosyncratic scheme (white for in and red for out, instead of the usual white for L and red for R).

(3) No tape in/outs. Consumer equalisers usually have additional in/outs, for connecting a tape recorder or other recording device. EQ341 lacks this feature.

(4) Bypass issue. Like all equalisers, EQ341 is provided with a bypass mode; when activated, the unit should be in hard-wire bypass, the input signal being routed directly to the output. However, I measured a 0.4V drop in peak-to-peak voltage with the unit powered on and in bypass mode relative to the unit powered off. This should not happen.

(5) Captive power cord. The power cord is permanently attached; an IEC C14 connector (commonly used in other pro equipment, as well as in computers) would have been more convenient.

(6) Quality concerns. In addition to poor RCA connectors, there are other quality issues. For instance, the face plate is slightly misaligned with the rest of the body. In itself, it's not a big deal, but it does indicate problems with the quality assurance at ART's Chinese plant.

Overall, if I didn't have some concerns about its manufacturing quality, I'd recommend the EQ341 with few, if any, reservations. However, the poor quality of the RCA connectors is a significant shortcoming. ART definitely needs to improve its quality assurance process.

I was looking for an inexpensive eq to make some adjustments for live music & recordings and to make some room corrections. This works great. I am using XLR connections so I can't confirm the other feedback about the rca jacks being undersized but I can agree the quality control is not very good. The level knobs have a stop which I assume was to be in the center (50%) position but one is just short of center and the other is around 40%. Not an issue for me as my room forces one speaker to be closer to my normal listening position so I have them adjusted accordingly. I would return but it works perfectly and has a simple clean look. Bypass is clean. I would rate 4 if the knobs were aligned properly.

I have three of these units. Two are in my pro systems and the other my home stereo. The units sound very good, unbelievable for the price. They feature very very low noise and high reliability. Where most consumer stuff is high priced and in flimsy cases, these eq's are in thick gauge rack mount cases. I have never had a problem with an ART product in all the years I have owned them. For those people who don't like the rack ears I suggest you buy a Raxess or Mid Atlantic wood finished rack case. And for the final perfection be sure and add a BBE Sonic maximizer (also a rack mount item) and run them in series between your preamp outs and power amp ins of you Harman Kardon receiver. It will blow you away. Also recommend heavy-duty speakers.

Good unit. Quiet and solidly built. No complaints, it should last a long time. Only gripe, I wish it had a detachable power cord. Has everything else, plus a plethora of connections. I use it on a home system.