RIAA Equalization Calculator

RIAA is actual an abbreviation of Record Industry Association of America, an organisation, as the name indicates, has its roots back in the childhood of the gramophone industry.

The necessary RIAA playback equaliser characteristic curve has three frequency references: 50, 500 and 2120 Hz. These frequencies correspond to the time constants 3180, 318 and 75 µs respectively, see the figure below. More about RIAA can be found here.

It is an endless list for realizing the RIAA playback characteristic and the necessary amplification. In the following you will find a calculator for determining the component values of the RIAA network for passive equalization. In the figure below, the equalization network consist of the components R0, C0, R1 and C1 between the two amplifier stages.

In reality the output impedance of the first amplifier section is not zero, and the input impedance of the second amplifier section is not infinite. Assuming we are using just resistive values of the output impedance, RS in the figure below, and the input impedance RL, it is quite easy to modify the value of R0. However, we must assume we know the values of RS and RL.


Here, the easiest way to find the RIAA network component values, is by choosing C1:

C1: uF
RS: ohm
RL: kohm

R1:  ohm
R0: ohm
C0:  uF

Often, the two amplifier sections are AC-copled; then it is added a capacitor C2 as shown in the figure below.

It is advisable to place the low frequency corner much lower than 50 Hz to avoid interference with the component values found above. A frequency lower than 2 Hz is a good advice. Please observe that the capacitor value found, is not as accurate as the other values found.

LF: Hz

C2:  uF

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Knut Harald Nygaard