Since it is being driven by a variable signal it will likely not light up the display most of the time - as you point out. That's a cosmetic result - and has no effect on the quality of sound.

(I'm presuming that when you are in "analyse" mode, the EQ has a level control on the test signal output such that your display will be fully useable at that time. My Numark does. HOWEVER my Numark also puts out a maximum signal whenever the test tone is engaged (it was originally designed to be in the tape loop - thus under control of the pre-amp's volume control) which then feeds this max signal to the amps which then blows the speaker's fuse - as I learned the hard way. The solution was to buy a RS level control and insert it in between the EQ and amp when calibrating.)

One other issue related to inserting an EQ into the tape loop in multi-channel situations, is whether the loop comes before processing or not. In other words are you affecting all of the channels rather than just the two that you are hoping to correct. The beauty with connecting last in the chain before the amp is that once you've made the adjustments and gotten the speaker set up properly for the room, you never have to change the settings as they are good for all sources. My goal is to flatten out the speaker response - not to correct or adjust for source defficiencies.

I've not had any experience using parametric EQs but my guess is that, armed with the appropriate analysis / display capability it would do a much better job of smoothing things out than a fixed band / fixed "Q" graphic EQ. Problem areas can be very narrow dips or spikes, or be broad chunks of frequency spectrum, and can be centered at any frequency. The parametric EQ stands a much better chance of getting it right.

Jeff Mackwood

ps. wouldn't it be nice if some of those companies who are building automated EQ capabilities into their everyday receivers would come out with a stand-alone version that anyone could use? Surely you could package the whole works into a single box (with separate mic) that would sell for $300 or less. You'd probably have to do it up with analogue inputs and outputs - a la ICBM - to make it universally useable. Anyone at Outlaw taking notes?