equalizer tuning

i'm looking for assistance in tuning my equalizer without using an RTA. First my stereo layout.

Head Unit--Eclipse 5425

Equalizer-Eclipse 21010

Front Speakers--PG Octane-ZR 5 /14" Component

Rear Speakers--PG Tantrum X 6x9" Component Coaxial

Subwoofers--2 JL Audio 10W6V2

Subwoofer Box--SubZone V-Series .75/chamber Vented

Sub Amp--PG Xenon X1200.1

Mid Amp--Clarion APA450

Farad Cap--Phoenix Gold TIMX10K Digital 1farad

Wiring--2 Phoenix Gold TSX4 for monoblock

RCAS--PG ARX 750 4 ch RCA

Sound Deadening--Dynamat Extreme (trunk floor/backseat/walls)

So now that you know what my system is like, do you have any tips to setrting the EQ on the deck, the crossovers on the 4ch amp, and settings on the offboard EQ.

If you need more info about stuff. lemme know.

The "proper" way to tune it, is with an RTA......thats if your gonna compete, and you need the machine doing the listening to smile. I would make yourself smile....tune it based on the type of music YOU listen to the most....make YOUR ears happy. You are after all, the one that will be driving the car!!

It really is not that important

First, read:

http://www.bcae1.com/   front to back and then again if you're going to mess around with EQs. 

Second, you'll need to buy at least a tone cd and a rat shack spl meter.

While I agree with KarTuneMan to some extent, idiots EQing systems to hard clipping is a fine way to destroy speakers.  Learn how to EQ correctly or don't eq at all, in my opinion.  Then experiment -within- those bounds.

Good advice for a beginner is:   cut peaks, never boost. 

If you boost you absolutely must reset the gain on your amplifiers. 

Also, an EQ is never a good band-aid for a stupid install.  Bring your speakers on axis and the tweeters within inches of your midrange drivers before even bothering with EQ. 

Did I mention read http://www.bcae1.com/  front to back again...?   You have a great start to a system and some nice equipment.  Follow it up with a smart install and smart setting of your crossover and eq. 

With a quick look on a google search I see that the EQ is 5 bands graphic, 1 band parametric.  I would leave it out of the setup.  I would replace those rear 6 X 9s with 6.5s.  I would replace the fronts with 6.5s of a higher PG grade.  The box is specifically designed for those JL 10s, I presume?  And lastly, the amp is overpowering those subs by 500 watts.  Keep them at 350 watts each in a ported enclosure.  I would say that you want to use the EQ because you bought it, but you could improve your system without it.

Your Clarion amp:  set the high pass filters at 80 Hz using test tones.  Set the sub bass amp at 80 Hz low pass.  If you keep the 5.25s in the front, they will probably need to be set to 100 Hz or higher.  That's a weak point in your system, I think.  Not a good transition of sub bass to the front soundstage.  But if you keep them, set the sub low pass to 100 Hz as well.

Once you have the crossovers on the amps set, leaving everything to flat on the deck, then you can use the deck for fine tuning.  The outboard EQ won't do anything positive for the system.

Just my opinion, and you know what they say about opinions...