Google "Fletcher-Munson Curve"

That's close .... Fletcher Munson refers to the ears tendency to be non linear, hearing mid-range better at lower volumes. This comes from our need to hear predators when humans were still hunter gatherers. It really has nothing to do with what frequencies we are most sensitive to but rather which ones we hear better at lower volumes. The problem is, as you approach 85 dB, the ears sensitivity "flattens out". This is why people like to listen to music loud and why stereo manufacturers put "loudness" buttons on receivers that are meant to boost lows and highs at low volume levels.

This is also why your friends theory is whack .... If you eq up the mids (which is what he's doing) .... what will it sound like at low levels? Most likely like ass .....

tone > loudness

EQing for loudness can only mess the tone up.

vividsonics wrote: I know an engineer who eq's his recording with peaks at the frequencies where the ear is the most sensitive.

Was it 3-4 kHz ? ...that can be fatigueing after a few minutes... aka ringing in the ears.

Agree with John Scrip... even at 85-90dB, 3-4 kHz, is still the most "present" on the FM curve... not "flat".

8)

An this is becuase of the resonant frequency of the ear canal.

JerryTubb wrote: Was it 3-4 kHz ? ...that can be fatigueing after a few minutes... aka ringing in the ears.

i got tinnitus in the 2-3k area because i use to do stuff like that, its not bad and i dont always notice it (i notice it right now). after being invited to a concert, my ears havent been the same, and its all because of badly EQd music and having it a little too loud and long exposure to it (about 90-100dB for hours a day).