Looking for a pair of hardware EQ's

[jesse g]

Hey all,

I am searching for a pair of Hardware EQ's and wanted to know what folks have in their studios.   I am trying to get away with using plugins for tracking and want to try hardware.

Any reasonable Suggestions. Since I am looking for two  single or a dual channel unit, my price is about $1,100 max for the dual unit,  and $600.00 max for the single unit.  but I rather no look at the higher end stuff first.

I am looking at following so far in pairs.

• Golden Age Project EQ-81 MKIII
• Golden Age Project EQ-73 MKI
• Golden Age Project EQ-73 Premier
• Warm Audio EQP-WA Tube Program Equalizer

With all of these, I am first looking for sales and B-stock from the manufacturer to get the lowest price. (You do know it's a home studio, don't you)?

Edited September 11, 2022 by jesse g

[Alan Tubbs]

The warm pultec is pretty good.  It is not precise but you have digital eq for that.  The warm tracks pretty close to the real thing.  In an Austin studio with a pair of originals the Grammy engineer could point out different eq slopes he could hear and then I could.  He works with the pultec sound everyday.  Pretty good for a tenth of the price. Does add some mojo, too,a d thickens the sound with a transformer goodness.  And the dueling slopes are different than most eqs.

I think Heritage has some 1073 neve style eqs.  I’d buy audioscape eqs in a sec but don’t think they have standalone eqs.  Api had some 1000$ eqs, but I heard they were kinda weak.  Not so many clones for eq. As comps and pres.

[jesse g]

Alan,

Thanks, Yes there are a lot of Compressor and Preamp clones on the market today but not that many EQ, at least for the 19 inch rack space.  The 500 series rack has a lot of EQ's on the market and I was thinking about just getting a 2 slot chassis that fits in a 19 in rack space and putting a pair of 500 EQ' in the slot. 

 

[Alan Tubbs]

I was going mention the 500 series but I haven’t kept up with those releases.  I do know that Rupert Neve has a 500 series of his 1073 but you are talking 2 grand.

 

good hunting.

[jesse g]

Alan,

I don't need the 1073 as I have two Warm audio WA73-EQ's in my rack.  

I was thinking about turning off the pre-amps and just using the EQ section only when I want to dial in just EQ ?

[Jim Roseberry]

If you have two WA73 channel-strips, you already have what you seek.   ?

IMO, The WA73 EQ is superior to those you're contemplating.

 

[jesse g]

3 hours ago, Jim Roseberry said:

If you have two WA73 channel-strips, you already have what you seek.   ?

IMO, The WA73 EQ is superior to those you're contemplating.

 

Jim,

Even the Warm Audio EQP-WA Tube Program Equalizers,  say it isn't so Jim ?

 

[Jim Roseberry]

1 hour ago, jesse g said:

Even the Warm Audio EQP-WA Tube Program Equalizers,  say it isn't so Jim ?

 

Pultec type EQ is a bit different.

It's a really sweet sounding EQ (especially the top-end)... but it's more for subtle enhancement.

I think the WA73 EQ (1073 clone) is pretty nice... and more "utilitarian" than Pultec type EQ.

 

I'm taking it you don't care for the WA73's EQ?

[jesse g]

4 hours ago, Jim Roseberry said:

I'm taking it you don't care for the WA73's EQ?

Jim,

No sir,  I love the EQ's on my  WA73-EQ's they sound good.  I just love the way the Warm Audio EQP-WA looks and sounds. I would love to have them in  my studio dialing in the EQ.   I love the Pultec type EQ's.

[Jim Roseberry]

10 hours ago, jesse g said:

I love the Pultec type EQ's

Sounds like you know exactly what you're looking for...  

Klark Teknik makes the EQP-KT.  I had a pair... and they sound pretty decent.  I think the Warm EQP-WA sounds better.

 

Side note: Klark Teknik 76-KT (1176 clone) sounds great.  Makes everything sound huge/aggressive.

[msmcleod]

If you've got the space, don't discount a mixing desk with direct outs.

I'm using an Allen & Heath MixWizard WZ3 for 16 inputs, which has a HPF @ 80Hz, hi/low shelving and two semi-parametric mids on each channel.  The WZ4 is the updated version which retails around $1800 new, but you should be able to pick up a used WZ3 for around $500.  The pre's / EQ are incredibly clean on this board, don't go for this if you want a "character" eq. 

For another 8 inputs, I've got an old Alice 828 with Hi/Low shelving and a parametric mid, although I mainly use this for the saturation given by the Belclere transformers.  The new Mk3 will set you back around $2500 (the Mk3 has Carnhill transformers as they own Belclere now, and only 3 mono channels with EQ - the rest are stereo), but if you can find an old Mk1 or Mk2 with the full 8 channels, they go for around $1000 used.

Another 6 inputs use the TFPro P3 (basically a rebadged JoeMeek MQ3), which give me an optical compressor, and 3 band EQ on each channel.  These go used for around $150 - $200.
 

[jesse g]

Folks,

I decided to go with a pair of Golden Age Project EQ-81 MK 3.  I ordered the pair the other day and I am waiting for them to arrive so I can add them to my studio rack and plug them into my patch bay.  I also ordered the Golden Age unite 19 inch rack kit to house the two EQ's.   The difference now  than the previous version of the GAP devices is that this version supports stand alone use, or can now be used with another hardware processors, not just GAP processors only.

Edited October 7, 2022 by jesse g