A-DESIGNS EM-PEQ REVIEW
Want to hear the EM-PEQ on 8 sources? Visit our ZenPro product page and check out the sound of this great EQ.
Electricity. The EM-PEQ sounds like electricity. It really does, with this somewhat tingle-y and vibrant sound that just MOVES like current through your ears. Euphoric character with just the right points available to be effective on most any source, this Pultec based EQ for 500 series is simply a huge change in tone you can bring to your rig.
The ability to boost and attenuate the low end at the same time may seem strange to some, but it has this widening effect that is enormous but controlled. Boost a kick drum at 60hZ and work in some cut at the same time, youll know what I mean. Bass guitar = same thing, massive size. The midrange has Q (width) control from S to B (sharp to broad) and it is very effective. With selectable points between 3k and 16k and boost only, you can find the sheen you need and bring it in big amounts without harsh artifacts. This is one EQ that you could almost overdo it since it is so pleasing. Rounding out the EMPEQ we have top end attenuation, which allows you to create your own sort of curve from the mids to the top end. In other words, boost a center frequency of say 3k on a kick drum for snap, then attenuate from 5k or 10k to rein in cymbal bleed etc. If youre looking for bright but not real airy, start cutting 20k from the top down while boosting 12k or 16k and close things at the extreme top up nicely.
Conclusion: It seems like a very limited EQ, and in some regards it is with limited bands to choose from. TONE wins with the EM-PEQ, as well as the fact that most EQ isnt carving stuff up surgically but rather enhancing one or two bands. You can have all the parametric boring stuff in the world and still wish it imparted such useable flavor as this.
AEA RPQ REVIEW
Fans of ribbon mics know that generally while tracking there might be 2 adjustments to be made: low end CUT or top end BOOST. AEA recognized the need and coupled a fantastic pair of preamps with these features. However, the RPQ is a serious preamp for any microphone, and has phantom power available (in a separate input path, keeping the non-phantom mics away from capacitors!) for condenser mics as well. Designed by Fred Forsell, the master of the high gain / uber-detailed sound without being boring or overly hard, this is one serious pre that is not just a ribbon preamp.
With +80dB of available gain, this JFET design is ultra quiet and natural and fast with the transients, which gives a superb realistic image and no compromise sound reproduction. Its not one of those I only use on acoustic sources type of preamps either, it delivers a 3D image on everything you record. With its very high input impedence it doesnt load down the mic either, allowing any mic you use with the RPQ to shine. Its one of the few preamps you would want around for location recording to pick up every last detail say in a classical orchestra in a hallyet you would love to use it on rock guitars with any of your favorite ribbon (or non-ribbon!) mics too.
Conclusion: Fantastic piece of gear, a serious gotta have for those who want pleasing 3D sound in the studio, and do remote recording where detail, high gain and low noise matter. Dont forget the perfect curve shaping EQ on board.
AUDIENT BLACK EQ REVIEW
This mono equalizer fits into Audient's own "Black Series" rack / power supplies and is not 500 compatible. The Black EQ is a 4 band (although not traditional) style with a few features not found on other units. The low shelfs offers 50/100hZ, the "GLO" function is a low end compressor which affects only the low band. The "OVERTONE" offers a harmonic enhancement to this low end section as well. The high shelf offers 8k or "AIR" (freq not divulged in the manual). The first bell midrange offers 1.5k and 3k freq choices, and wide or small bandwidth. The lo-mid section offers 125hZ to 3kHz and also offers bell width. All 4 bands offer +/- 15dB of gain or cut. The TILT switch offers an EQ similar to what an old stereo offered on its "TONE" pot, the left position tilts heavier bass and darker top, the right position tilts brighter with less low end. The center position is off for tilt. There is no input or makeup gain control.
Overall it is a quirky EQ that must be learned to make any sense. Still, it is more hit and miss than most traditional designs. The "GLO" compression can be cool on things like kick drum when you just want to reign in the boom, the "Overtone" can be pretty subtle and hard to discern (for me at least). 50 and 100 are OK places to reach but quite limiting. The 1.5 or 3k midrange is STRANGE, not a bad place to dip various sources (voice, electric guitar) but aside from kick drum I'd never really reach for to ever boost (I typically add 3k for snap on kick drums). 8k is another sort of limiting place for top end EQ, the "air" EQ (very high but unspecified) is more useful overall and seems to translate well into audible frequencies in a smooth manner, where the 8k can get a bit harsh. Low mid control is quite useful, 125 to 3k is a large range but it is effective, switchable bandwidth is noticeable and good. The "tilt" function is again hit or miss, quite easy to tell what is going on, although overall working to achieve a sound and then selecting afterwards would seem a bit like too much work and might cause you to go back and re-adjust things for it to even make sense.
Conclusion: The fact that it requires its own proprietary power rack, and it does not perform in a traditional manner, put the Black EQ in a category all its own. It can hit many things nicely, and the GLO, OVERTONE and TILT functions bring new controls to the game of EQ. The limited controls for EQ itself make the unit a bit more "few tricks pony", as you get what you get and if a band / function doesn't fit it's not going to be easy to deal with. I like the things it can do on many sources, just bear in mind it is very specific in function.
CARTEC AUDIO FE-Q5 REVIEW
Compatible with any 500 series API style power supply (required), this UK built equalizer brings very simple control to any situation needing an elegant Pultec-ish style EQ coupled with the ability to filter the bottom end rumble as well as gut (or boost) a midrange bell band in all the right places. Featuring the same input transformer as their Pultec EQP1A as well as an output transformer, real inductors, nice feeling switches and build and a unique cut/boost select (offering finer tuning from one level switch, rather than pulling double duty), the ability to select between DEEP and AIR frequencies, a 12dB per octave hi-pass filter (passive) and that trademark dark green color, there simply isn't anything that acts or looks like the Fe-Q5. Switchable hi-pass frequencies from 20hZ to 240hZ, low EQ shelf of 100hZ (30hZ when DEEP switch enabled), mid-band bell with 400/800/1600/3200/4800/7200 switchable between standard and HIGH Q (width), high EQ shelf at 12kHz (20kHz when AIR switch enabled) all add up to very well chosen settings for most uses. It's all switches so a 100% repeatable EQ here.
There is a smooth character with the tone going on, not real heavy just transformer goodness in size and depth. The first few clicks of each band are in half dB increments, lending itself even to mastering or mix buss style gentle control, and working their way up to a full 12dB of cut or boost. I gotta mention the cut/boost switch is pure genius to allow more fine tuned travel either way! The low end is that wider and fatter sound, more round than sharp-punch bass. I liked pushing the DEEP on things pretty hard (maybe +6) while cutting 20hZ or 40hZ hi-pass to give a controlled but huge sound. The midrange choices are done via a guitar style sliding switch and makes good use of space. The wide or tight Q width settings open up many more possibilities, pulling 400hZ on a kick is stellar, and I liked pushing 7.2kHz on vocals just a couple dB while being able to push the AIR hi-band a couple dB, rather than reaching for one frequency pushed at a high rate (smoother result). That high frequency band really does have that somewhat tingly sound you expect from a Pultec also, a classic air that is easily recognized.
Conclusion: I'm not so sure you can find a combo Pultec style with the always desired hi-pass and midrange bell control in any other 500 EQ currently. The fact that the tone is there, as well as intuitive control in a compact space make it a real stand out for all use. One of the few 500 equalizers we would say could be effective in a mastering or mixdown scenario as well.
CARTEC AUDIO PRE-Q5 REVIEW
If you ever wished for a present and detailed preamp married to a Pultec style equalizer, and then pushed the boundaries of your wish for it to all fit and work well in the 500 API form...the Pre-Q5 would be that wish come true. You can either use as a line level input or microphone preamp with up to +72dB of gain. There is a 2 band boost only Pultec style EQ that can be bypassed or selected, either band. The high boost selection is 8k, 12k or 16k, the low boost selection is 30, 60 or 100hZ, each band can bring up to +10dB of variable gain. There is an output attenuator pad, switchable from -5 down to -30, to allow you to drive things hard in the amplifier section for some more character. Phantom power, phase reverse, pad (for line level) and EQ are all independently switched.
We found the preamp to be bright, not annoying or harsh, but quite present compared to most any model on the market. This can of course help individual tracks stand out more in a mix, which is generally a good thing. The tone is punchy and full with a cleanish character that delivers top to bottom. On things like drums, guitars and vocals it's a very nice reach for presence. Having an onboard Pultec style EQ (that yes, delivers that vibe too) is an incredible feature that would always net you more just adding a small amount vs sitting around switching between different preamps all day. That bottom end has that big, round delivery that is extra wide, and the top end brings a smooth presence that even just a touch of can bring a lot to your game. We liked being able to turn down the output to prevent overloading the next piece in the chain, a huge plus in a preamp.
Conclusion: So you're telling me for this price I can have a UK built preamp / Pultec EQ in one little slot and it sounds great? Sign us all up please! Stellar sound and ease of use bring this dark green beast into a category of its own, once again Cartec delivers more in one rack space than most any we've seen.
CHAMELEON LABS 7602 MKII REVIEW
This 1073 clone mono channel strip offers your choice of mic, line or instrument level input, features phase reverse, selectable mic pre input impedence (300 or 1200), phantom power and limited LED input metering (better than nothing!). There is also an output volume control, which gives you more choices in gain staging (driving the input if desired). The mic pre offers an astounding +80dB of available gain so its one of the few that would never leave you high and dry wishing you could push a little more. There is a switchable hi-pass filter, as well as 3 band (2 shelving, one peaking mid) EQ on board which takes the unit over the top for usefulness.
The 7602 MKII is one of the better values on the market in mic pre and EQ. The discrete design is all hand soldered (read also can be easily repaired if needed) using discrete components. Every part on board is sourced in China where it is built, except for the gold ELMA switch used in the mic / line gain position. The switches all feel good and pots are pretty darn smooth in action too. The staging for the input gains takes a little bit of getting used to, discerning between line and then mic / DI stages, but is not difficult to grasp. Concerning the mic pre, it delivers an overall smooth sound (transformer i/o helps) and tames the extreme transients of things like snare drums nicely. It has a full range response with detailed midrange, and the stock unit is slightly soft up top. It has decent depth to it overall too. The DI on bass I really like, its not one of these big boomy sounding DIs (where you have to roll off all that low end in the mix anyhow) but rather it has a tight midrange sound to it which lets face it, is what brings definition to bass and keys in a mix.
The EQ section is simple and straight forward, offering classic frequency bands to choose from plus a few updated ones. For kick drum I regularly enjoy the pre by filtering the low end at 50hZ, boosting 60hZ, scooping 360hZ and adding a little slap at 3.4k. Very big and controlled sound can be had with these settings on just about any kick drum. For snare, filtering 80hZ and boosting 220hZ (sometimes 110hZ depending) and adding some 7k if needed, or some 12k shelf (if it doesnt bring up the hat bleed too much!). These pre / EQ units are first reaches for me on kick and snare, controlled and big sounding stuff (kick and snare are the pulse of your music, make it rock).
The top end shelf is one of those a little dab will do ya deals: rarely do I find myself using more than a small turn of the dial. It can be pretty brutal if you just start cranking it, but hey sometimes brutal is called for in rock and pop production! The low end can just get downright huge with this unit, a big round bottom and thickens up nicely. I do like that filter so I can tame the subsonic stuff easily (click, done!). The midrange is an obviously EQd sound but its a good obviously EQd sound, smooth enough for electric guitar EQing while tracking or mixing too.
ZenPro Mod: It brings a new depth and richness to the sound by starting with the Carnhill transformer upgrade on the mic in and line out. Bottom end gets deeper, mids are more detailed and rich. Next the tantalum capacitors bring a subtle upper midrange edge that gives definition to the source, without being annoying. The Motorola output transistor (new old stock) offers more clarity and brings a bit more transparency to the sound. Overall the mod brings a high-end sound, and its all based on original Neve values. We find it to be a fantastic upgrade, been doing this a long time too. The other upside of the mod is the extra step of testing and Quality Control each unit goes through.
Conclusion: Stock units are excellent, I mean they really excel in their price range. The fully modified unit is where its at though: there is a whole new life to be had by taking the standard mod into a deeper territory of sound enhancement and certainly brings it where you want it to be.
DAKING MIC PRE EQ REVIEW
Built in the USA by Geoff Daking and Company, this Trident A Range recreation gives you not only a great high end preamp but also a full range 4 band EQ section (as well as high and low filters!) that really delivers on most sources. 5 points available per band (20 total) and variable gain mean a lot of control.
The tone of these EQs is subtle, but it has a definite flavor to it that sort of creeps into your mixes (in a good way!). You can really twist stuff up no problem, as there seems to be so much headroom on them that they can take the extremes. There is a small amount of overlap between the bands, but they are in pretty good spots. The only wish list I would add to this EQ would be some kind of control between 250 and 500hZ for kick drums (Im a 350hZ to 400hZ guy like most). Certainly not a huge drawback for most.
Conclusion: Tons of control from top to bottom, with switchable points so repeatability is easier with these as well. No Ive never put them side by side with an A Range but they sound fantastic with a subtle character that makes them useful on almost any source.
DRAWMER MXPRO60 REVIEW
This unit has been around for quite some time, formerly as the “MX60” although the only change is in appearance and name. Drawmer is one of those tried and true audio companies that have been making great gear for decades and have earned a stellar rep for their gates, compressor / limiters, preamps and equalizers. It's even still made in England! The MXPRO60 is a solid state channel strip featuring an all discrete mic pre / DI with +60dB of gain (an additional +/-15dB of gain is available on the output fader pot), a one knob gate with fast and slow release, a De-Esser with male / female select, an auto mode VCA compressor, a 3 band equalizer (100hZ shelving low, 4.25kHZ shelving high, and a fully parametric midrange band ranging from freq 150hZ to 16kHZ, Q width of .3 to 3 full octaves, and +/- 18dB of gain per band) as well as a tube emulation / 3 band equalizer that brings low / mid / hi boosts as well as simulated tube harmonics, and a separate soft / hard limiter stage (always in line) to protect from overload. Wow...that was a long sentence, but it's only because it's got everything but the kitchen sink.
The preamp section is low noise with plenty of punch and smooth clarity, an all discrete design (not an IC based pre!) that delivers a healthy signal on all sources. Phase reverse, hi-pass (100hZ), a DI input with a bright mode (as well as +20dB mode) round off the input section. We simply liked everything we heard through it.
The dynamics section is very simple, the gate is quite smooth and it never chattered on us, a great thing to have to kill background noise for voice (it was not quite as fast as you'd want for most drum use, but was still useful to a degree there). The compressor is an AUTO style except you can choose the ratio (1:1 to infinity:1) and threshold and while it is somewhat hit and miss on its own, seems to couple nicely with the soft / hard limiter circuit which is always in line. At first the compressor seems a bit unruly until you find that balance. Pushing a compressed signal into the limiter using the makeup gain gives you two levels of control to maximize average volume and stop peaks. It worked well with voice and instruments, the compressor is definitely a bit slow for things like drums but the limiter is very fast and can be exploited easily if needed. The limiter is always in line before the output fader, it cannot be disabled or bypassed (not a bad thing when setting it to protect your digital converter input).
The equalizer section actually had us looking at one another a bit stunned, in a good way! That midrange control is simply one of the most versatile and smooth in combination with excellent SOUND one could hope for. Sure it has a fixed low and high band, but the critical midrange is handed to you on a silver platter here with huge control available. It works very fast also, and can do incredible amounts of gutting or cranking, as thin or super wide as you want. We get to hear a ton of gear around here, and we were expecting this EQ to be a bit of an afterthought by Drawmer. Very pleasantly surprised here, it's got what you want for most jobs from voice to instruments to drums.
The “Tube Sound” circuit is an emulation of tube harmonics, as well as 3 boosting eq circuits for low, mid and high. I would definitely consider this something worth using sparsely to make a change, but not push too hard. It's kind of a fuzzy EQ in most ways, used a little at a time and it can bring a little hair to sources. The output gain section seems clean and quiet, allowing another nice boost of volume.
Conclusion: It's been around a long time, pleasing users for many years for voice recording (including you voice artists) with its many features tailored for it. However, the MXPRO60 sports so many incredible features that it makes it useful as a channel strip in general to track pretty much anything. Easy to use, sounds great, and protects your digital recordings from clipping? Winner.
FINK AUDIO CS2-FA REVIEW
Dennis Fink, owner of Fink Audio, has been designing gear all the way from the old Urei days to Universal Audio and beyond. Eventually it seems he got the idea to wrap up some very cool designs into one do-all box and start his own company...which he did. This USA built stereo all tube preamp / DI / line level / equalizer / compressor is a stunning achievement in sound (and quality) based on the time I've spent with this unit. You've got an original Bill Putnam based tube preamp / input section, a tube 1176 style compressor limiter, and a Pultec style EQ (with all the same controls) so what more could you ask for? Well, all three of those things are holy grail status items so I think the only fair answer is "not much more" in one box anyhow.
Overall I find the preamp / input section to be a quintessential tube sound but not of the dirty type found in some lower cost units. It's a high quality open sound that is very dimensional and full, with that very slightly compressed sort of sound you expect from a good tube amp section. It still delivers nice detail and space, along with subtle character. The 1176 based FET comp / limiter rocks as you would expect! Dennis even tossed a SOFT ratio in there for gentle use on sources such as 2 buss, so yes this box can carry you start to finish from tracking to final mixdown. It has that great grab and energy of an 1176, capable of medium fast to VERY fast action of course, but that energetic hold it puts on things is unmistakable. The Pultec style EQ is perfect for simple "garnish" but can also do broad and deep strokes very nicely, and deliver a FAT sound that brings drive, that slight electric sounding "splatter", and a bottom end that you can really widen up a lot by pushing the boost and cut at the same time. Of course it doesn't really "sculpt" as no Pultec really does, but man can it add some balls to anything you got.
Conclusion: From kick drums to vocals to 2 buss, the Fink Audio CS2-FA is a great single reach when vibe and depth and old school are what it's all about. It's nice to have designs based on classics designed and built by a guy who was actually around designing with those folks too! The price might seem high but go price out 2 channels of tube preamp, Pultec style EQ and 1176 compression and you'll be begging to drop the cash on this USA tone monster.
PHOENIX AUDIO DRSQ4 REVIEW
This review is for the Phoenix Audio DRSQ4 (stereo) and DRSQ4M (mono)
The DRSQ4 (available in stereo or the mono DRSQ4M) is one of those pieces of gear that can fulfill many needs of the studio owner all in one spot. Its an excellent DRS series preamp featuring the transformer-less input Class A circuit they are famous for, it has a very high input impedence DI input (10M ohm) and also accepts line level sources with ease (by padding the mic pre input, trust me its not a negative!). Now, add in a hi-pass filter + a full 4 band 11 point gyrator EQ (dont ask me what that means! ok its a simulated inductor type of EQ) with possibly the most well thought out and chosen points you could ever need. OK if thats not enough, route it all to the famous DSOP-2 transformer balanced output section (aka the sweetener) and youve got yourself one heck of a high end front end for tracking, submixing of groups, and 2 buss sweetening + EQ.
You can see my DRS preamp mini-review here: Phoenix Audio DRS-2
Now, onto this EQ!
Really take a look at the available points, all 11 of them, and youll realize that these are HOT reaches on most anything. Shaun and David have really done their homework here it seems. There is no overlap of course, except when dealing with engaging the hi-pass as well as the lower frequencies. So you have the hi-pass filter and a high and low shelf EQ, as well as hi-mid and lo-mid peaks. The available points are:
Hi-Pass: 120hZ @ 12dB per slope
Low EQ: 40hZ, 80hZ, 130hZ
Low-Mid EQ: 200hZ, 400hZ, 800hZ
Hi-Mid EQ: 1.6kHz, 3kHz, 6kHz
High EQ: 10kHz, 15kHz
Overall the tone of these EQs is pretty smooth and natural, with a slightly excited sound though. There is a vibe and a character to them, but in typical Phoenix style its not over the top but just right on most sources. Boosting to the extremes brings no noticeable noise, they are very quiet. Even though the manual references all 4 EQ bands frequency points as centers, Robin (USA rep) is telling me the top and bottom bands are shelf types (shelving EQs dont have centers, the figure represents where the shelf begins to rise or fall). They dont seem to act as shelf-y to me as other EQs, more like a wider peaking curve. The bottom end doesnt bloat into the sub-bass region as quickly, and the top end doesnt open up super high airy like most shelves Ive used anyhow. They have a more controlled type of sound that really must be pushed to reach the extremes.
The 2 mid peaking bands are fairly wide at first, but seem to tighten the closer you get to max cut or boost. For gentle sculpting this makes them very useful to make subtle balance changes without obvious peak-y stuff happening. However, you can push them pretty hard on drums and guitars to get a more pointed and cutting sound. Voice benefits from gentle sculpting, you dont have to hit the top end real hard for it to open up very nicely without getting harsh or too air-y. Boosting 10k on the snare drum doesnt necessarily grab all the hat and cymbals to the extreme, and what it does grab certainly is pleasant.
The bottom end is unique in that it seems to stay very controlled, but there is a cool trick I like to use with the Phoenix EQ: engaging the hi-pass and boosting the low shelf at the same time. Doing this sort of creates your own curve, with a moderate 12db per octave slope starting at 120hZ with the hi-pass. Now you are pushing up at say 80hZ on kick drum, and you end up with this nice WIDE low end response that doesnt allow the sub-bass rumble to take over! Also, I think it goes without saying that the center frequency at this point isnt 80hZ but more of a moving target: push it around and try other low end frequencies too. This makes the Phoenix very handy on bass and kick drum by allowing you to dial in the right boom without having to deal with subsonic stuff.
A lot of people ask for favorite starting points on EQ, so Id like to break this down into the four food groups of pop music production:
Drums / Bass / Guitar / Vocals
Drums:
Kick Drum: HI-PASS, Boost 80hZ, Cut 400hZ, Boost 6kHz, Cut 10kHz
Snare Drum: HI-PASS, Cut 80hZ, Boost 200hZ, Cut 1kHz, Boost 10kHz
Rack Tom: HI-PASS, Boost 130hZ, Cut 400hZ, Boost 6kHz, Cut 10kHz
Floor Tom: Boost 80hZ, Cut 800hZ, Boost 6kHz, Cut 10kHz
Bass: HI-PASS, Boost 80hZ, Boost 800hZ, Boost 3kHz, Cut 15kHz
Electric Guitar: HI-PASS, Cut 130hZ, Boost 200hZ, Boost 6kHz, Cut 10kHz
Vocals: HI-PASS, Cut 130hZ, Boost 400hZ, Cut 3kHz, Boost 15kHz
Those are just some favorite reaches of mine, and typically great places to start for me. Some of this stuff ends up being pretty gentle as far as suggesting a boost or cut, all of this stuff varies anyhow.
Conclusion: A very versatile channel strip, youd love to have just one for processing voice or bass and guitar. Having a pair though opens you up to having a very useful 2 buss EQ for final mixdown, as well as being able to process drum submixes and other groups along the way. The DSOP-2 output section is enough reason to own at least 2 channels of something from Phoenix, if anything just to run the mix through.
RUPERT NEVE 5033 REVIEW
When its clean you want, coupled with total control, the 5033 delivers. This is a serious does not sound EQd sort of EQ in that it has a very natural sound to it and all the parameters of adjustment you could want in a high end equalizer. A full 5 band design with high and low shelves and 3 fully parametric midrange bands, each band is switchable in and out of the circuit as well to achieve a highly coherent sound at all times. It reaches from 30hZ to 25kHz and utilizes Ruperts custom wound transformers which deliver very low distortion and noise.
I cant think of anything this EQ cant do except sound bad or obvious. It really is squeaky clean, no reason why you could not use to track drums and then turn around and use as a 2 buss EQ (grab a pair, its mono) while also delivering enough control for mastering use (not a dedicated mastering EQ by any stretch and is completely variable so recall isnt easy, but sonically the 5033 could fit many a mastering situation for project studio owners). You can flat out carve stuff up and get fairly surgical, or widen those mid bands for gentle sculpting that never sounds phase-y or obvious. Affects the frequency curve way more than the tone, which remains clean and low distortion / noise.
Conclusion: When you want a do all clean EQ that is completely variable up and down and can handle any chore you have, the 5033 is a solid reach. The half rack mono format means grabbing a pair is a lot of power to be had in a single rack space. Its tweaky due to the large range of control, but not as hard to dial in as other EQs.
SPECK ASC EQ REVIEW
The ASC-V version offers switchable bell / shelf on the hi-freq band and runs on API 500 series power supplies.
The Speck ASC and ASC-T (T = Jensen output transformer equipped, giving you the choice between active balanced and transformer balanced outputs) 4 band equalizers have been around for a long time for a reason: they do the job very well and are built to last a lifetime by a guy who has been building gear since the early 70s, Vince Poulos. If youve ever met Vince at a trade show and talked with him at all then you know, hes likely one of the nicest guys in boutique pro audio and knows what hes doing and stands behind his work. His utility approach gives us very specific devices for very specific jobs without too many bells and whistles.
The ASC is super versatile in many ways. First of all, its not really a character EQ in that it tends to stay quite clean and isnt in the business of drastically altering the tone. There is a switchable low / low-mid band that is incredibly useful, say when you want to use the dedicated low band as more of a hi-pass but still need to bring it up in the right registers. Just hit the low switch from mid and now youre working with 40hZ to 800hZ, rather than 400hZ to 8kHz. Now that is control, and control of the toughest region to get right. Or think about sculpting a kick drum, you even have overlapping bands at 400hZ (the gut range for me most times) if you really need to carve up the low and low mids. The dedicated low band is switchable between bell and shelving style also. Both the low-mid and hi-mid bands have fully parametric control (adjustable bell width). Now how about a top end shelf that extends to control of up to 25kHz? Serious air can be delivered, again in a clean manner that doesnt get harsh but remains open and smooth.
The ASC-T model gives you two outputs to choose from, active balanced and a high quality Jensen output transformer that adds a subtle sheen to things and offers a bit of a character choice (as well as what transformers do well which is rejection of noise by design).
Conclusion: All purpose, excellent sounding and a cant go wrong EQ that wont overly affect your tone, the ASC and ASC-T models deliver high quality sound and are made in the USA and built to last.
SQUARE STATE MODEL ONE B EQ
When Joe Turse approached me saying that he and partner Byron Jacquot were about to crank up production on a USA made inductor based EQ that would nail a sweet spot of performance and price, well you know me thats what I love! I was excited by the prospect, but the best part is being more excited once I actually got to use a final production model on all kinds of sources and hear the great character it imparts while still remaining detailed, coherent and musical. Passive inductor EQ sound meets active low noise operation that retains detail while imparting that electric vibe.
On the rear the Model One B features TRS in and out on and a wall wart AC adapter jack. The unit is transformerless in and out and utilizes a very high quality op-amp for clean gain staging and full balanced operation. There are 3 bands of equalization available and if you look at the available points you realize how friggin easy of a reach the EQ1B is. There is roughly +/- 20dB of cut or boost available per band (a lot).
I get very excited by EQs that are functional in a not too tweaky way. Having the right points to reach for on a majority of sources absolutely rules in my book. I work fast when recording and like to dial things in quickly. I also realize that tracking a record is like building a puzzle and that EQ really is the most essential reach for pop and rock recordings and that it should be committed to during the tracking process as often as possible. Why? Everything needs its own space and equalization is the way to balance and fit things, period. Mic selection is key, but EQ will mean more than any preamp selection etc beyond that. In a dense mix EQ is absolutely essential to keep things from crowding in the wrong way. Also, any fan of pushing the faders up and hearing a coherent mix instantly knows that EQ along the way got you there.
The tone of the Model One B lives in a unique place that is familiar. Unique in that it is extremely low noise and high detail thanks to the simple but top notch op-amps used for gain, but is giving you that classic passive inductor EQ sound that is so harmonically sweet and tingly (ala Electrodyne / MCI style designs) and delivers punch and authority.There is a life to the sound that I absolutely dig, vibrant might be a good word here.
Being able to roll off heavy at 75hZ or 150hZ on the bottom is nice on things like electric guitars and other things that collide with bass. An anemic kick drum or bass guitar will benefit also by boosting here and bringing up lower frequencies along with it. However, the four bell points available on the low end are well chosen for tweaking and if you need to boost say 50hZ on a kick drum you wont bring up as much crazy sub stuff down below. The mid band has lots of great problem solvers, from being able to cut 220hZ from vocals, gut a kick drum or tom-tom at 350hZ, boost 700hZ to bring back the bap of a bass guitar, taking the pointy sting off a snare drum at 1.5kHz, pulling a bit of sibilant vocal back at 3kHz or bringing back some presence at 6kHz, well you get the point. They are a great collection of frequencies to reach for! The top end brings that more tingle-y electric vibe common to inductor designs, 7kHz to bring snap to drums or presence to vocals, 12kHz for cymbal and acoustic instrument brightness, and 17kHz for air (I find a subtle amount to be excellent to hear room detail). You need to remember that with +/- 20dB of gain per band this means that 1/3 up or down on the pot can be more than enough (many EQ offer about 12dB of control). Its nice to be able to get extreme though if you need, like bringing the top end back on using a dark ribbon mic on drum room.
Conclusion: I think when you marry the most desirable EQ sounds with modern high detail low noise for digital recordings, you end up with a great EQ. The fact that these points just work on virtually every pop and rock recording source instantly and subtly enhance the tone without killing detail just makes them clear winners. This is not a clone but rather a unique use of classic technology and new. Kudos for not bringing another "clone" but something we all can relate to.
XQP 535 BAXANDALL REVIEW
The guys at xqp are some of the few who are noticeably offering nice products at a very low price for the 500 format. The 535 Baxandall EQ is no exception, and takes simplicity and mashes it right up with great tone. This API lunchbox compatible unit is a 2 band offering gentle shelving curves selectable between 10k & 15k (high) and 50hZ and 100hZ (low), as well as a hard wired bypass. There is a subsonic filter with a steep slope set at 20hZ to keep low end reasonable even when boosted in large amounts. There is about 10 to 14dB of cut or boost available, frequency dependent.
So picture both bands starting around 1kHz and slowly working their way up or down to your chosen cut or boost frequency...and there you have the idea behind this EQ. It pretty much peaks off the map of standard human hearing, and tends to offer a gentle and smooth type of control. In use it enables you to quickly and effortlessly adjust the 2 major things we all need, brighter or darker...fatter or smaller! The smooth sound it offers definitely falls into the "hard to make it sound bad" category, and keep in mind the smooth and continuous rise of the shelves make having to choose from only 4 frequencies a little less of a limitation than you might think. For the most part in our tests, we mostly found ourselves boosting 50hZ and 15kHz, and when cutting made sense we mostly preferred 10kHz and 100hZ. On things like vocals, it's subtle air and presence that can bring so much to the table even when used sparsely. You take it out and it's boring and flat by comparison. On the mix it just had that easy presence and punch, while the subsonic filter kept things from getting all crazy boomy to the extreme.
Conclusion: One of the most affordable and easy to use equalizers on the market for 500 series, the 535 is a very strong performer when you need that gentle and smooth control in cut or boost fashion. The build quality is there, and uses a simple design with high quality signal path to deliver bigger and more air-y versions of whatever you track and mix.