Manley® Massive Passive EQ Plug-In

Stereo 4-Band Passive Tube EQ, Modeled After Highly Coveted Manley Labs Hardware

Universal Audio’s UAD Powered Plug-In versions of the Manley Massive Passive EQs represent UA’s most ambitious and detailed EQ model to date. The two-channel, four-band Manley Massive Passive tube EQ utilizes design strengths from choice console, parametric, graphic, and Pultec EQs — delivering a fundamentally different sounding EQ that is beyond compare. The incredibly natural, organic results of the Manley design method — evidenced on albums such as Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Amon Tobin’s Foley Room and Tori Amos’ A Piano: The Collection — demonstrate how the Massive Passive’s natural treatment of a signal lends itself to both radical tonal shaping as well as delicate vocal shading or subtle mastering enhancement.

• Highly coveted stereo 4-band passive tube EQ plug-in, both standard and mastering versions
• Painstakingly modeled over a six month period and rigorously scrutinized by Manley Labs for authenticity
• Filter curves, band interdependencies, distortion and hysteretic behavior all represented in UA’s most ambitious EQ model to date
• Requires a UAD-2 DSP Accelerator Card or Apollo Interface available from authorized dealers worldwide
• View All Features

Painstakingly modeled over a six-month period, and rigorously scrutinized for authenticity by Manley’s engineering team, Universal Audio’s standard and mastering versions of the Massive Passive EQ plug-in are included. Both capture the behavior of the original hardware; from the unusual filter curves, to the multiple band interdependencies, right down to the tube amplifier distortion, and all-important transformer/inductor hysteresis.

“Passive” refers specifically to the tone shaping elements of the equalizer, which use only resistors, inductors, and capacitors to create all frequency changes. The Massive Passive utilizes older parallel concepts rather than non-interactive series designs as defined by George Massenburg’s original parametric EQ. The Frequency controls intentionally interact with one another, as do the Gain and Bandwidth controls. While this may result in the appearance of some unorthodox knob positions, it is specifically these band interdependencies between all bell, shelf and cut filters that allow for the Massive Passive’s natural and organic sound.

Each of the four Massive Passive EQ bands is switchable from shelf to bell, and is switchable from boost to cut. The specially tuned fixed frequencies overlap and interleave between all adjoining EQ bands. The standard version offers +/- 20 dB of continuous Gain boost/cut, while the mastering version offers a gentler 11 dB of Gain range, with 16 discrete Gain steps. The standard version offers continuous Bandwidth adjustment, while the mastering version includes 16 steps of easily recallable Bandwidth selections. Stepped High and Low Pass filters are included on both the standard and mastering versions of the Massive Passive plug-ins, each with its own specialized frequencies and filter slopes. Output Gain is also available of both versions: 10 dB of continuous Gain on the standard version, 5dB of stepped gain on the mastering version. Both versions include individual Left/Right enable/disable. True to the hardware, disabled channels still retain low-level system filtering and coloration. Lastly, global bypass is available via the Power switch (disabling the entire circuit), plus the “digital only” Link switch, which conveniently gangs the left and right channel controls for easy stereo use.

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Manley® Massive Passive EQ Plug-In

Features:

• Highly coveted stereo 4-band passive tube EQ plug-in, both standard and mastering versions
• Painstakingly modeled over a six month period and rigorously scrutinized by Manley Labs for authenticity
• Filter curves, band interdependencies, distortion and hysteretic behavior all represented in UA’s most ambitious EQ model to date
• Every band switchable to shelf or bell, each band can be bypassed or set to boost or cut
• Specially tuned, overlapping and interleaved Frequency choices
• Disabling channel EQ via ‘In’ (bypass) retains desirable system filtering and coloration
• Convenient “digital only” Link feature allows for continuously matched L/R settings
• Requires a UAD-2 DSP Accelerator Card or Apollo Interface available from authorized dealers worldwide

• Fixed Low Frequencies (Bell/Shelf): 22, 33, 47, 68, 100, 150, 220, 330, 470, 680, 1K
• Fixed Low Mid Frequencies (Bell/Shelf): 82, 120, 180, 270, 390, 560, 820, 1K2, 1K8, 2K7, 3K9
• Fixed High Mid Frequencies (Bell/Shelf): 220, 330, 470, 680, 1K, 1K5, 2K2, 3K3, 4K7, 6K8, 10K
• Fixed High Frequencies (Bell/Shelf): 560, 820, 1K2, 1K8, 2K7, 3K9, 5K6, 8K2, 12K, 16K, 27K
• Boost/Cut/Out enable/disable selection for each EQ band
• Shelf/Bell selection for each EQ band
• Link “gangs” all Left/Right controls under stereo operation
• “In” enables/disables individual Left/Right channels-retains low level system filtering and distortion when disabled
• Power bypasses entire Massive Passive circuit

• High Pass Filters: 18 dB/Oct = 22, 39, 68, 120, 220, OFF
• Low Pass Filters: 6K, 7K5, 9K (18 dB/Oct), 12K, (30 dB/Oct), 18K (modified elliptical), OFF
• Continuous Output Gains: -6 to +4 dB
• Continuous EQ band Gains (LF, LMF, HMF, HF): 20 dB boost or cut
• Continuous Bandwidth (LF, LMF, HMF, HF): -1.0 to -3.0 Q for bell filters, modifies overshoot/undershoot for shelf filters

• High Pass Filters, 18 dB/Oct = 12, 16, 23, 30, 39Hz, OFF
• Low Pass Filters, 15K, 20K, 27K, 40K, (18 dB/Oct) 52KHz (30 dB/Oct), OFF
• Stepped Output Gains: -2.5 to +2.5 dB range, 0.5 dB steps
• Stepped EQ band Gains (LF, LMF, HMF, HF): 11 dB of boost or cut, 16 discrete steps
• Stepped Bandwidth (LF, LMF, HMF, HF): 1.0 to 3.0 Q for bell filters, modifies overshoot/undershoot for shelf filters, 16 discrete steps

UAD System Manual

UAD Plug-Ins Manual

UA 2012 Product Catalog.pdf