Reverse‑engineering a codec feels like trying to map every minute signal pathway, and that’s a marathon of trial and error that can leave me frustrated at every misstep. Fine‑tuning EQ curves, on the other hand, lets me press the exact points that bring out the subtlety of a track without chasing a theoretical “perfect” bitstream. I lean toward the EQ route; it’s precise, tangible, and gives me control over the sound I actually hear.