High-resolution measurement and matched Q are required for effective modal EQ.

Evidence

If this solution is chosen it is important to know what kind of equalizer to use. Figure 14.31 illustrates what happens when measurements on a subwoofer in a room lack the resolution to reveal the problem in sufficient detail, and when the equalizer lacks the resolution to address the resonance. It is evident that high-resolution (1/20-octave in this case) measurements were necessary to reveal the true nature of the resonance and that matching the Q of the resonance with the parametric equalizer had a significant beneficial effect on the reduction of time-domain ringing. Excessive smoothing of room curves disguises the true nature of the resonance and prevents a maximally effective equalization. For similar reasons, a graphic-type equalizer with fixed filters, is not effective. — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 1633

Categorization

• DEFINE: Explains why 1/20-octave resolution and Q-matching matter, and why graphic EQs fail — a precise practical mechanism.
• XREF: Directly actionable for the reader’s stated goal of understanding psychoacoustic modeling and applications — EQ resolution vs resonance Q is a core model-tuning issue.