Tuning the Low End

The walk back from the laundromat had left a chill in my sleeves, but the house welcomed me with its familiar low frequency. Up on the audio desk, the rotary equalizer dial was turned halfway off-center, pointing toward a dead band. I braced my sneakers against the dark walnut veneer, wrapped both hands around the knurled aluminum knob, and put my weight into a quarter turn. The potentiometer resisted with smooth, viscous drag before clicking squarely into its center detent. Instantly, the muted sub-bass pulse coming through the wooden desk leveled out, deep and warm. I backed up against the receiver casing to soak up the heat.