Default vs flat targets

[fiftyDegrees772]

I just installed and configured Arc 4 today. On the whole, I really like it. But one thing I found confusing was the target drop down, with "default" and "flat" EQ options. I was initially under the assumption that a flat curve would be the desired default setting. But the documentation recommends the "default" curve, which is not flat. My ears kind of preferred the "default" curve, but I really want to ensure I'm taking maximum advantage of the system. Which setting is the recommended curve for mixing and mastering? Thanks for your guidance.

[wilcopshot]

Just installed it my self, and yes, much prefer the default option.

My best guess would be what consumer gear is tuned towards, and accommodating for that in the default curve. We all like to think we are striving towards a flat response, but if 90% of consumers are listening on gear that gives a response more like the default curve, that's really what we should use to mix on. In Arc 3 I actually put my own high shelf on there, as I found my mixes were translating to other systems and still sounding dark.

Having listened to a lot of my favorite tracks now through the default curve, it still sounds a little bright to me, so I'll be knocking off another 0.5dB to 1dB from that high end, maybe even taking the shelf down from 2.5kHz to 2kHz as i know I'm very sensitive to things around 2.7Khz.

We all tend to fatigue our ears when working on things anyway, and we fatigue high end quicker than low end, so certainly working with a curve can give better results when we do long days.