Smoothest Analog EQ for Top Boost?

[Sean Broderick]

I'm looking for an analog EQ that sounds good lifting the treble end of the spectrum. I want smooooth. I have heard the API 550A, it sounded pretty good when I played with one. The source was me talking into a Coles 4038 through an API 312 mic pre. Some have called the 550A EQ "scratchy", so I guess everyone hears something different. Any opinions?

Thanks!

Sean B

[Mike Rivers[_2_]]

On 1/1/2016 5:02 PM, Sean Broderick wrote:
> I'm looking for an analog EQ that sounds good lifting the treble end
> of the spectrum. I want smooooth. I have heard the API 550A, it
> sounded pretty good when I played with one. The source was me
> talking into a Coles 4038 through an API 312 mic pre.

Have you looked into the Maag "air band" equalizers? Their purpose in
life is to provide a high frequency shelf over a pretty wide range. They
have a rack mount 6 band EQ, a couple of 500-series modules, and
software plug-ins.

A Coles 4038 doesn't have a whole lot of high end to boost, so a shelf
that can start as low as 2.5 kHz might be just the ticket.

http://www.maagaudio.com



--
For a good time, visit http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com

[geoff]

On 2/01/2016 11:02 AM, Sean Broderick wrote:
> I'm looking for an analog EQ that sounds good lifting the treble end
> of the spectrum. I want smooooth. I have heard the API 550A, it
> sounded pretty good when I played with one. The source was me
> talking into a Coles 4038 through an API 312 mic pre. Some have
> called the 550A EQ "scratchy", so I guess everyone hears something
> different. Any opinions?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Sean B
>


If looking for more or more extended high-end, why not consider a
different mic. Unless the Coles is a requirement (its low, mid, and
lower-high qualities, or nostalgia), or just what you have
and want to use ...

Sorry out of touch with analogue EQs, so no helpful suggestions there
from me ! ;-)


geoff

[Nate Najar]

I've always thought pultecs had a real nice high end lift. Manley massive passive has a wonderful top end but those units are a bit dear.....

[Adrian Tuddenham[_2_]]

Sean Broderick > wrote:

> I'm looking for an analog EQ that sounds good lifting the treble end of
> the spectrum. I want smooooth. I have heard the API 550A, it sounded
> pretty good when I played with one. The source was me talking into a
> Coles 4038 through an API 312 mic pre. Some have called the 550A EQ
> "scratchy", so I guess everyone hears something different. Any opinions?

You need to be clear in your own mind whether you are equalising a
deficiency or creating an artificial sound effect.

If you are equalising a deficiency, you will need some sort of
parametric equaliser which has adjustable frequencies and, if the
problem is a resonanance, adjustable 'Q' values. It might be a good
approach to use the manufacturer's specification to identify the problem
and then design a custom circuit which you could keep in circuit
whenever you use that mic.

If you are creating an artificial sound, fiddle about with various sorts
of graphic effects units until you like what you hear (but please don't
call that "equalisation", because it isn't).



--
~ Adrian Tuddenham ~
(Remove the ".invalid"s and add ".co.uk" to reply)
www.poppyrecords.co.uk

[Scott Dorsey]

In article >,
Sean Broderick > wrote:
>I'm looking for an analog EQ that sounds good lifting the treble end of the=
> spectrum. I want smooooth. I have heard the API 550A, it sounded pretty =
>good when I played with one. The source was me talking into a Coles 4038 t=
>hrough an API 312 mic pre. Some have called the 550A EQ "scratchy", so I g=
>uess everyone hears something different. Any opinions?

What do you mean by "top boost" here? The Coles 4038 really doesn't have
any top end to speak of, so if you're boosting say at 15kc, what you're
really getting is a little more signal down in the 6-8kc range and a lot
more noise in the 10-20 kc region.

There are a bunch of modern equalizers that are very low distortion and
do little other than just equalize. The Speck is probably the best bang
for the buck unit, but GML and Millennia also make super-clean parametrics.
That is the sort of thing I would try first if this is a salvage job. The
parametric also allows you to boost but also add in a notch to deal with a
harsh mike resonance that you didn't notice until you boosted.

The API 550 is not as neutral-sounding... but in the end it's still a matter
of what you get out depending a lot on what you put in. When you boost top
end, you're boosting whatever noise there is but you're also boosting whatever
response irregularities are up there (and God knows there are a lot on the
4038).

Have you considered trying the Coles 4040 instead and dispensing with the EQ?
It has much of what people like about the 4038, with a little presence boost
and a lot higher top end extension.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[[email protected]]

geoff wrote: "Sorry out of touch with analogue EQs, so no helpful suggestions there.."

Happy New Year, 'Mr. Digital' geoff!

[JackA]

On Saturday, January 2, 2016 at 10:43:19 AM UTC-5, wrote:
> geoff wrote: "Sorry out of touch with analogue EQs, so no helpful suggestions there.."
>
> Happy New Year, 'Mr. Digital' geoff!

Analogue? Must be from the UK. I enjoy how they spell, "equalizer"!! Never on the same page! :-)

Jack

[Peter Larsen[_3_]]

Hi Sean,

On 01-01-2016 23:02, Sean Broderick wrote:

> I'm looking for an analog EQ that sounds good lifting the treble end of the spectrum.

Please don't take offense, but perhaps the ability to hand draw an eq
correction is to the point of solving this actual problem. That would be
digital and most likely in your daw software already.

> The source was me talking into a Coles 4038 through an API 312 mic pre.

There is no doubt a reason for you not using a different mic, out of
curiosity what was it?

> Sean B

Kind regards

Peter Larsen

[geoff]

On 3/01/2016 3:11 PM, JackA wrote:
> On Saturday, January 2, 2016 at 10:43:19 AM UTC-5, wrote:
>> geoff wrote: "Sorry out of touch with analogue EQs, so no helpful suggestions there.."
>>
>> Happy New Year, 'Mr. Digital' geoff!
>
> Analogue? Must be from the UK. I enjoy how they spell, "equalizer"!! Never on the same page! :-)
>
> Jack
>

Naa. It's most of the English-speaking world apart from USA. Not sure
about Canada - they do get a lot right.

geoff

[Trevor]

On 3/01/2016 5:36 PM, geoff wrote:
> On 3/01/2016 3:11 PM, JackA wrote:
>> On Saturday, January 2, 2016 at 10:43:19 AM UTC-5,
>> wrote:
>>> geoff wrote: "Sorry out of touch with analogue EQs, so no helpful
>>> suggestions there.."
>>>
>>> Happy New Year, 'Mr. Digital' geoff!
>>
>> Analogue? Must be from the UK. I enjoy how they spell, "equalizer"!!
>> Never on the same page! :-)
>>
>
> Naa. It's most of the English-speaking world apart from USA. Not sure
> about Canada - they do get a lot right.

What's truly amazing is that by simply changing the spelling of a few
words, some Americans don't think they speak English any more, and think
they somehow invented the language.
Even worse they stick with many of the outdated English system of units,
while the rest of the world has gone Metric decades ago. :-)
No trivial matter though when planes crash because of fueling errors etc.

Trevor.

[[email protected]]

On Friday, January 1, 2016 at 10:02:45 PM UTC, Sean Broderick wrote:
> I'm looking for an analog EQ that sounds good lifting the treble end of the spectrum. I want smooooth. I have heard the API 550A, it sounded pretty good when I played with one. The source was me talking into a Coles 4038 through an API 312 mic pre. Some have called the 550A EQ "scratchy", so I guess everyone hears something different. Any opinions?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Sean B

Hi, I know your looking for an EQ however you may want to consider Focusrite 430 MKII Channel Strip. Not only does it have a fantastic air button that gives a slight top end boost that works well for dark microphones, it also has an extremely smooth EQ unit. Maybe that's something worth looking at.

Cheers

[JackA]

On Friday, April 1, 2016 at 12:00:36 AM UTC-4, wrote:
> On Friday, January 1, 2016 at 10:02:45 PM UTC, Sean Broderick wrote:
> > I'm looking for an analog EQ that sounds good lifting the treble end of the spectrum. I want smooooth. I have heard the API 550A, it sounded pretty good when I played with one. The source was me talking into a Coles 4038 through an API 312 mic pre. Some have called the 550A EQ "scratchy", so I guess everyone hears something different. Any opinions?
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> > Sean B
>
> Hi, I know your looking for an EQ however you may want to consider Focusrite 430 MKII Channel Strip. Not only does it have a fantastic air button that gives a slight top end boost that works well for dark microphones, it also has an extremely smooth EQ unit. Maybe that's something worth looking at..

Hope it has a 3kHz band! :-)

Jack

>
> Cheers