The lowest bass sounds you don't generally want to mess with too much but based on the curve idea I mentioned, you will likely want to move it depending on the settings next to it.ДЇrom about 50-200hz is the area you probably want to focus on for hip-hop/rap/pop if you're trying to get some heavier, punchy bass. Imagine the settings as a point on a curve where adjusting the point also affects the shape and position of the curve. Every setting you change will affect every setting around it. Set everything to the middle to start out. Based on that, EQ settings are very personal. We all hear certain frequencies better or worse than other people do. To illustrate this point, have you ever noticed the difference in the sound of a room that has no furniture or anything on the walls compared to when it's fully furnished? Also, settings are different for everyone. Your choice in speakers (since different speakers have different properties that play certain frequencies better or more clear than others) and where you're speakers are set up (in a large room, outside, earbuds, headphones, etc.) will affect how you set your EQ settings. There is no perfect setting for hip-hop or any other genre, but there are settings that are generally okay for each genre.

Some people think you shouldn't boost because it causes phase shifting which results in a comb filtering effect (flanging), this is not true. This isn't so much a problem with today's gear though. But by having a boost/neutral/cut you can maximise the distance between boost cut and keep the bandwidth narrow. Another reason eq's have a boost as well as a cut is because (especially in the old analog days) the further you boost or cut a frequency the wider the bandwidth effect, ergo more boost will effect a wider frequency range centered around the chosen frequency.

Having a neutral centre allows the engineer to leave certain frequencies unaltered, This gives him a datum/reference to control the overall sound. Engineers tend to boost an eq to control the tone/sound and cut when they want to correct a problem (E.G bass distortion will result in a cut so will feedback in treble). It's not so much about gain, we have a master gain control for that. But if I get a better (subjective) result by putting them on my elbow, for example, then yeah, why not?

For example, the correct way to wear a headphone is put it on your ears. That said, it's the correct way, but not the only way. In other words, when the volume is at max, but still wanna add more loudness on particular frequencies.ДЄdding is prone to clippings, as opposed to subtracting. Not absolutely sure, but I think the reason they can be raised is if there is no more headroom left on the gain/volume.

Best bass boost settings