Sound

U-shaped

Also called U-shape, gentle V

A U-shaped tuning lifts the bass and treble a little and leaves the midrange only slightly recessed, so it keeps the energy of a V-shape without pushing voices as far back. Many well-regarded consumer tunings are U-shaped.

−60+6dB20 Hz1001k10k20kU-shapedV-shapedneutral
A U-shaped tuning lifts the bass and treble a little and leaves the midrange only slightly recessed: a shallower, broader dip than a V-shape. Illustrative curves against a neutral line.

The difference from V-shaped is one of degree: the midrange dip is shallower and broader. Vocals stay present, and the result works across more genres.

Reviewers use the term loosely, and one person’s U is another’s mild V. The Frequency response graph settles it faster than the adjective.

Related terms