recommendations for decent eq

[nag hammadi]

i finally have some DECENT preamps to work with (an older demeter, a dbx 586, etc...).

i have some decent compressors too (a couple la-5's that i've turned into la-4's, a couple pretty kitchy furmans, etc...).

the eq's i have are pretty gooberish - altos, peaveys, lower end dbx's, etc.

i am looking to get an eq or two that aren't insanely expensive, but would be approximately on par with the level of pres and comps i have.

i guess in the $300-500 range.

not sure if i should go for parametrics or graphics.

any recommendations?

[markjazzbassist]

ashly sc-66 is a pretty nice parametric usually in that range.

[sessionsatstudiom]

Audioarts 4200 is nice. Has a great character and would work with the Pre amps etc..

Can be had cheaper.

Mike

[Sean Sullivan]

The Ashly SC-66 and Urei 546 don't suck.

There's a guy here in Nashville selling a pair of Groove Tube EQ-1, they are passive tube equalizers, that intrigue me but I can't find anything out about them.

[llmonty]

I would look for a pair of racked up neotek series 1e, II, III - great sounding pres AND a good 4 band eq for ~$600 a pair

[djimbe]

Audioarts 4200 is nice. Has a great character and would work with the Pre amps etc..

Mike

Yeah, these aren't bad at all. I have a single channel unit (the 2100, I think it is) that I'd sell for $125 tomorrow.

also some of the Orban units (like the paragraphic ones) are cool if they are in good shape and not too noisey.

[blungo2]

I haven't used them, but i've heard good things about the square solid state eqs.
I think there was an interview with the designer in tape op recently.

[top_ape]

You should look around for some of the older EQs produced by White Instruments. I believe what they're making now is all digital, but you can find completely passive, inductor-based EQs using only the highest-grade components (if you look at the prices they sold for originally that will give you some idea of the quality) often for well under $100 per channel. They are made to be transparent, and they actually do that unbelievably well, but you can always follow them with more of a "color" device to restore some gain (as they are passive, they are cut-only) and add some character.

[chris harris]

I haven't used them, but i've heard good things about the square solid state eqs.
I think there was an interview with the designer in tape op recently.

I've used these and they're really great!

[blungo2]

I haven't used them, but i've heard good things about the square solid state eqs.
I think there was an interview with the designer in tape op recently.

I've used these and they're really great!

I'm looking forward to trying a pair.

[cgarges]

You should look around for some of the older EQs produced by White Instruments.

Be aware that many of the older White equalizers were designed for speaker equalization with feedback and room mode elimination in mind. As such, there are LOTS of "cut-only" versions of the White EQs around.

I can vouch for the coolness of the Ashly, Audio Arts, and Orban equalizers. None of them are particularly "hi-Fi"-sounding, but they all have a cool character. The Ashly is probably my favorite of all of those because it will get the craziest when pushed hard. The "ring" those things are capable of is pretty terrific and there are some smart design elements, like the ability to bypass each band of equalization individually.

The Urei 546 is also a cool EQ. It's similar to the Ashly, but thicker-sounding and it doesn't ring the same way.

I also like the equalizer in the mid-period Joemeek VC6Q. It's not very versatile and the frequency ranges are limited, but it sounds good on stuff like electric guitars.

The Speck 500-type equalizers are pretty cool, too. They're probably the most "hi-fi" sounding relatively inexpensive equalizers I've heard.

I've been curious about those Square EQs, but haven't checked them out yet.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[getreel]

+1 for Speck EQs. I had a really old ASC EQ that was great and I think I paid like $75 for it back about 10 years ago. The newer stuff is also great. There's one at the studio I tech for here and their engineer and I both think it's a great EQ.

[rhythm ranch]

Re: The Square State EQ... http://messageboard.tapeop.com/viewtopic.php?t=72476 I was really impressed with that box - very smooth, hi-fi and useful.
Foe color I also have - and like - the Ashly and the Audio Arts eqs. Sometimes older graphics can be fun too - UREIs and MXRs can do some nice alterations.

[top_ape]

Be aware that many of the older White equalizers were designed for speaker equalization with feedback and room mode elimination in mind. As such, there are LOTS of "cut-only" versions of the White EQs around.

As far as I know (and I don't know all that much) that was their only intended use, and of the 2 pairs I've owned, one was full octaves and the other was 1/3 octaves but they were otherwise the same, and both were cut-only (i.e. passive with no makeup gain). That doesn't make them any less useful as channel EQ though...er, well I guess it does make them LESS useful, but it doesn't make them UN-useful by any means.

I liked the wider band one quite a bit more.

Of course if you're looking for something with more of a sound of its own these are not going to be your thing. They really add nothing (quite literally) to the source. For actual frequency manipulation though, and for as cheap as I've gotten them (~$100 per pair) I've had a lot of fun with them.

[joel hamilton]

The WHITE eq's can be incredible with something acting as make up gain. Leave everything at "5" and then crank up whatever you are using to follow the eq. Especially if you are using them on the way in. Just set your levels with the insertion loss already present, then use the thing like it is boost/cut.

The square state EQ is incredible for the money. nothing even comes close as far as sounding expensive. The ASHLY sounds cool, and works well, but it wont ever sound "expensive" like the sqare state does. Those EQ's really, really, really sound like the cost 1800 dollars. Easily. I have a few pultecs and a mercury EQP1 tube EQ and melcors and a curve bender and a massive passive a bunch of other outboard EQ, not even counting the eq in my neve console... and the square state ully hangs in there with any of those choices. The same things I would use the pultecs for, I could easily go to the square state and get a really, really good thing happening.