|
Post by Omicron9 on Sept 5, 2022 18:06:48 GMT -6
Greetings.
What's your go-to hardware and/or software EQ for things like making instruments either sound a certain way, or more realistic, or essentially making them how you want them to sound. I know, get it right in tracking, but because ours is not a perfect world we sometimes must resort to EQ as a solution.
What's your fave and why?
TIA, -09
|
|
|
Post by damoongo on Sept 5, 2022 19:59:32 GMT -6
For most instruments, the source, the mic, and placement are enough to get what I'm after (eq wise) for tracking. But for drums I often EQ pretty hard on the way in with Neve 33122's. Sometimes acoustics get some Summit EQF before the compressor so any tubby-ness doesn't set off the comp (no sidechain filter on that comp).
|
|
|
Post by smashlord on Sept 5, 2022 21:28:27 GMT -6
I like 550As for a general purpose HW EQ. Flexible enough to be useful on a lot of things, broad enough where its hard to make something sound unnatural. In terms of making something "more realistic", the air band on a Maag is really great for bringing out the detail that makes it the source feel like its more right there with you.
|
|
|
Post by jcoutu1 on Sept 6, 2022 6:40:23 GMT -6
+1 BT50 (API 550A or Iron Age EQ) and MAAG. Also dig my buzz audio pair.
|
|
|
Post by sean on Sept 6, 2022 6:47:35 GMT -6
I really like the API 5500 we have the studio. Whenever I need to EQ anything to tape I end up using that...being able to switch between .5dB, 1dB, and 2dB boost or cuts is incredibly useful. But they are definitely pricey. Also works great on a mix buss.
We also have an AD2044 which is beautiful but mix buss and vocals is where that one seems to live. It does the "air" thing I think better than the Maag. Maybe better is the wrong word...it's just different. Sort of like the 28K on the Avedis E27...when that works it's pretty unbeatable.
Someday I'll have an Iron Age V2...seems perfectly designed.
|
|
|
Post by drbill on Sept 6, 2022 9:58:57 GMT -6
550A's.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2022 10:26:44 GMT -6
Fuse VQA-154 is like a narrower 550. It’s based off the ADM-1540. I imagine the hardware is twice as cool as the plug.
PSP PreQursor2 is like a 550 with cleaner boosts.
Sonnox Oxford EQ type 4 is pretty much a parametric 550.
|
|
|
Post by tkaitkai on Sept 6, 2022 11:12:08 GMT -6
It's kind of weird, but for 99% of tracks, I default to the Tonelux Tilt EQ.
Soooooo many instances where something just needs to be brighter and I don't want to spend 10 minutes finding the exact frequency to push. If it needs to be even brighter, I'll often just duplicate the plugin. Pure laziness, I know.
|
|
|
Post by nudwig on Sept 6, 2022 12:23:32 GMT -6
Fav of all time is OG 1081's. EQ's that I actually own that are favs: AML EZ1081 (arguably more versatile than the originals if oh so slightly less fun and wild), 550A's (easy quick sauce that almost always helps), the tilt in Mr Focus (quick problem solver) and I enjoy tracking with Silver Bullet's eq on drums and piano. Special mention for the Iron Age LH95 I demoed for a bit, my p-bass loved it.
|
|
|
Post by drbill on Sept 6, 2022 13:48:38 GMT -6
It's kind of weird, but for 99% of tracks, I default to the Tonelux Tilt EQ. Soooooo many instances where something just needs to be brighter and I don't want to spend 10 minutes finding the exact frequency to push. If it needs to be even brighter, I'll often just duplicate the plugin. Pure laziness, I know. YES! Tilt EQ's are great. So often all it needs. When it's simple, I'll hit the Tilts's on my Mr Focus modules. If HP/LP filters get involved, the Chop Shops are great and can solve most (not all though) of my subtractive EQ needs.
|
|
|
Post by jmoose on Sept 6, 2022 14:50:18 GMT -6
My "go to" general duty EQ plug is the UAD 1081. Its like the hot sauce commercial I use that shit on everything.
4 bands with some carefully chosen fixed frequencies... hi & lo pass... output, polarity? Low processing hit? Occasionally 'ya need something else but generally if I can't get something happening with that? Its probably not happening at all.
Is it the "best" Neve style plug out there? Don't even care. It works for me, that's "my console". And like everyone else I have SSL channels but I don't really dig 'em that much and don't go in that direction too often. Those come out when I need to work fast or something's been sort of under-recorded and needs a whole lotta shaping. One stop shopping.
API? I'm on team 560. Nothing wrong with a 550 I like 'em but IMO the 560 has way more torque on hand if 'ya need it.
Couple years ago as I paired down outboard one set of boxes that had to stay were the OG Daking 52270. Very musical & muscular EQ's... basically an A range klone. Great on individual tracks but every time I've tried running the 2 mix through them..? Nah. Falls flat. Wish I could find another pair. Hell wish I had a dozen of 'em.
|
|
ji43
Junior Member
Posts: 60
|
Post by ji43 on Sept 6, 2022 18:41:05 GMT -6
Also a question I'm considering now. Current outboard EQs are Pultec EQM-1S3 (originally purchased for mixbus, but now living on vocal, and bass) and a Knif Soma on the way for Mixbus.
Now I'm looking for some outboard EQs, first for guitars; considering a pair of Miads or a Massive Passive. Thoughts on these, especially for acoustic and electric guitars?
Also considering going for a 500 series rack, so I can expand down the line with some more EQ options for various instruments.
As far as the APIs are concerned, what sources would a 550a, 550b, and 560 excel at? Also do you recommend the Capis over the modern APIs?
RND Neves look cool too and seem like they could be useful on various sources.
|
|
|
Post by drbill on Sept 6, 2022 19:38:04 GMT -6
considering a pair of Miads or a Massive Passive. The Miad's are wonderful. Really killer EQ's. Fantastic on anything I've ever used them on. PaulG loves em too, and turned me on to them. A bunch of the "inside" crew in LA are using them.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2022 21:29:00 GMT -6
Also a question I'm considering now. Current outboard EQs are Pultec EQM-1S3 (originally purchased for mixbus, but now living on vocal, and bass) and a Knif Soma on the way for Mixbus. Now I'm looking for some outboard EQs, first for guitars; considering a pair of Miads or a Massive Passive. Thoughts on these, especially for acoustic and electric guitars? Also considering going for a 500 series rack, so I can expand down the line with some more EQ options for various instruments. As far as the APIs are concerned, what sources would a 550a, 550b, and 560 excel at? Also do you recommend the Capis over the modern APIs? RND Neves look cool too and seem like they could be useful on various sources. API 550 style things work great at cutting weird nastiness in the low mids. They work great and the cuts at 400/500/600 will cut the 300hz ish and the 700-900hz something boxiness too while really dipping the often incredibly gross 500hz ish one. My parametric go to for that is the MDWEQ. It's less aggressive than the Oxford EQ.
|
|
|
Post by dougwendal on Sept 6, 2022 23:01:35 GMT -6
Great River EQ-2NV. Loosely based on a 1081. It was designed to integrate with the patch loop in a Great River Mic Pre. When connected via the patch loop, the four EQ sections are inserted between the input and output of the mic pre. It sounds huge. It's also nice and very flexible when not patched.
|
|
ji43
Junior Member
Posts: 60
|
Post by ji43 on Sept 7, 2022 10:31:36 GMT -6
considering a pair of Miads or a Massive Passive. The Miad's are wonderful. Really killer EQ's. Fantastic on anything I've ever used them on. PaulG loves em too, and turned me on to them. A bunch of the "inside" crew in LA are using them. Think I'm going to pick up a pair of Miads (primarily for guitars or drums), and then begin to build a 500 series rack with some other colors.
|
|
|
Post by jaba on Sept 7, 2022 10:43:19 GMT -6
Admittedly I don't have much experience with a ton of outboard EQ (other than newish 500 series Neves, old Pultec, not much on the high end) I do have a ton of experience with API and have always loved them.
550s are not all that subtle and can really work a signal well (or paint you into a corner if you set it too wrong). Love them. Great tight low end, mids, highs - just a great all-arounder. Classics for a reason. The 3-band A's I find have more mojo but the extra band in the 550b's is nice to have, especially in the lower mids.
The 560s are a great deal imo. Not as much $$ as many 500-series EQs, and they sound great. Have some tone to them for sure but not truckloads and they pair well with the signal. Can be used for subtle changes and great for tracking, but can be used aggressively as well.
|
|
|
Post by gosart on Sept 8, 2022 10:44:34 GMT -6
It's good to have gear that can quickly generate an enthusiastic reaction from clients when they're in the room listening. By that measure I really like my Great River 32s and Iron Age H9s. The H9s have very sweet preamps in them as well.
|
|
|
Post by drumsound on Sept 10, 2022 16:01:03 GMT -6
Until Pro Tools, I used my console EQ for almost everything. I have an Orban, that I thought I would use for things like BD as it's fully parametric, and there's no Q on the Neotek. I barely use it, and should clean the pots and list it.
Mixing in PT, I do still use the stock EQ quite a bit. It can do a lot and is very simple, plus it has filters. There's even the one band version that I use for a simple hi or low pass a lot.
I really like a couple different API plugins, the Waves bundle and the UA Vision channel. Also Helios from both makers for a really specific woody type tones. The Sonimus StoneEQ (BD SD esp) and SonEQ are both great. The Son is free, and there's a pay version as well. It's kind of Pultec lows with API mids. The UA Pultec with the the MEQ being right there is pretty fun. I used the T-track UQP-1A a lot before I got the UA hardware from @greglee. The SSL4k has kind of rocked my world on BD recently.
|
|
|
Post by yewtreemagic on Sept 10, 2022 17:14:53 GMT -6
I've used the Sonimus SonEQFree quite a lot, as I like its Pultec low end, sweet highs (similar to the Maag curves), and in particular its Drive option, which does the 50Hz low-end hump with plenty of 2nd/3rd harmonic warmth peaking at the same frequency. I have tried the full-on SonEQPro, but found the free version perfectly sufficient for my needs.
|
|
|
Post by smashlord on Sept 10, 2022 18:13:38 GMT -6
Also a question I'm considering now. Current outboard EQs are Pultec EQM-1S3 (originally purchased for mixbus, but now living on vocal, and bass) and a Knif Soma on the way for Mixbus. Now I'm looking for some outboard EQs, first for guitars; considering a pair of Miads or a Massive Passive. Thoughts on these, especially for acoustic and electric guitars? Also considering going for a 500 series rack, so I can expand down the line with some more EQ options for various instruments. As far as the APIs are concerned, what sources would a 550a, 550b, and 560 excel at? Also do you recommend the Capis over the modern APIs? RND Neves look cool too and seem like they could be useful on various sources. Massive Passive is real nice on guitars, though for me personally, I don't think I like them enough to spend that kind of dough on one. Low end is a bit mushy.... 550A- My personal favorite of the bunch. It makes things thicker... more obvious slight compression which is really nice on a snare drum. They are also great for smoothing out pointy frequencies on things, especially bright acoustics. They sound great on the mix buss just running signal through them. I use them on just about any source. 550B- I have used them but am honestly more familiar with the 5500, which I own. I find the curves seem a hair tighter than those of the 550A, which is nice for bringing out pick attack on crunchy rock guitars. Its a bit less thick and smeared than the 550A, maybe more transparent? In general, it's another all purpose EQ, IMO. 560- More flexible, but less "mojo" than the others, IMO. I find the phase shift is alot more noticeable as well when used more aggressively. It doesn't seem to make things feel thicker like the other two do. I really like them on snares and distorted guitars the most. I have uses CAPI BT50s and they are excellent. I wouldn't say they were any better or worse than modern APIs. All of them are great tools.
|
|
|
Post by ab101 on Sept 10, 2022 21:34:17 GMT -6
Iron Age V2. Amazing and easy to use - which is always a good thing!
|
|
|
Post by robschnapf on Sept 10, 2022 22:57:29 GMT -6
Old API 550s CAPI BT50s Phoenix Gyrator ANT 695
|
|
|
Post by robo on Sept 11, 2022 11:06:28 GMT -6
Iron Age V2 and CAPI BT50 are both good-great on everything.
RND 551 is less versatile but great for vocals and bass.
|
|
|
Post by bchurch on Sept 11, 2022 17:28:33 GMT -6
The TC 2240, with Jim Williams’ op amp upgrade suggestion, is a mighty and powerful parametric EQ on anything you throw at it.
Love my Link SLQ 4k EQ clones on guitar bus.
The Drawmer 1961 tube eq is great for adding a little filth and hair on icy cold recordings, really brings back some depth and (cough) “mojo*.
Over in digital land, Voxengo Curve is insanely good, lets you get very surgical in ways an analog circuit just can’t.
I do so much of my EQ work with the Cubase Pro channel strip, to be honest. I would say that I’m happy to use that 90% of the time. most of my days working on large format consoles was an SSL 4K-E/G, an older Trident 80 series, and I am just as happy working digitally with the onboard capability Cubase provides.
|
|