By Dave Crane
You might have already noticed, but all the great EQ plug-ins for the UAD platform are on sale this month, 20% off to be exact, courtesy of the November Equalizer Extravaganza promotion. UAD owners also get a $25 coupon to spend on any plug-ins on the online store. This comes right on the heels of the October Dynamics Discount promotion, and you can’t help but get the feeling that UA really loves it’s customers!
With seven different EQ plug-ins to choose from, how can you make an informed decision?
But with seven different EQ plug-ins to choose from, how can you make an informed decision? Well, the best way is to try them yourself via the 14-day demos. But what if your demos have expired? In that case, you’ll have to rely on the many demo videos we have posted on our website and in this webzine. This article will provide many links to help you--a UAD EQ buyer’s guide, if you will.
Neve 1073 EQ
Probably our most popular EQ is the Neve 1073. Everyone loves the high frequency shelf on this EQ. Even though it is fixed at 12 kHz, it dips down pretty low into the high mid frequencies, and can really add some air to a track. Although it is not the most comprehensive EQ as far as features, the low and midrange controls are still very useful. This EQ was made in the day when a lot more care was given to miking a source, because you really had to get it right the first time. Usually EQ just helped give each element it’s sonic space, and you didn’t need to rely on more than a couple of EQ bands. But if you need to add air or high end gloss to a track, go for the Neve 1073.
To hear and see for yourself, check out the demos in the May 2006, January 2007, May 2007, August 2007, and September 2007 issues of the UA webzine.
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| The Neve 1073 and 1073SE EQs |
Neve 1081 EQ
The Neve 1081 picks up where the 1073 leaves off. It adds an extra midrange band, and it does sound different than the 1073. It also adds a low pass filter, and the low shelf can be switched into a bell, or fixed parametric band. It’s high shelf also is adjustable from a low of 3.3 kHz to a high of 15 kHz, compared to the 1073’s 12kHz fixed shelf. Personally I like it on electric guitar as the two parametric midrange bands help me shape the guitar’s predominant frequencies. I also like this plug-in on drum overheads. You can watch a video comparing the Neve 1073 and the 1081 EQ in the December 2006 issue of the webzine.
The Neve 1081 is featured in the January 2007, May 2007, August 2007, and September 2007 issues of the UA webzine.
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| The Neve 1081 and 1081SE EQs |
The Pultec Pro
The Pultec Pro is based on the Pultec EQP-1A, and the Pultec MEQ-5. In fact, the Pultec EQP-1A was UA’s first EQ emulation plug-in, and it is available free with all UAD hardware. The EQP-1A was originally designed to be more of a mastering EQ. It is totally passive by design, and the filters interact with each other quite a bit, unlike active EQs. It was not very accurate, but it sure sounds good. That’s why 30-year-old ones go for $7,000. Modeling this EQ was a challenge, but we rose to the occasion. Then we modeled the MEQ-5, which is the midrange cousin to the EQP-1A, and we decided to combine them into one plug-in. This way you can get the unique Pultec sound without having to use two plug-in insert slots. The Pultecs are known for their low end and midrange, and the ability to crank up any parameter on any source and it just sounds good. I personally like the Pultecs' high frequencies on female voice but they are commonly used on electric guitar. One trick I like is to combine the low pass filter ("Atten" and "Atten Select") and hi frequency boost on the EQP-1A when dialing in a guitar solo tone. They interact with each other, and a big hi frequency boost at 4k tamed by the low pass filter at 5k can make a guitar solo really pop through. When you need something unorthodox, nothing does it like the Pultec Pro.
You can read and hear more about the Pultec Pro in the June 2003, April 2004, and January 2006 issues of the UA webzine.
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| The Pultec Pro EQ |
Neve 88RS Channel Strip
The next EQ in the Neve EQ family is Neve 88RS channel strip. This is probably the most full featured of all our Neve EQs, and the most accurate. The highest and lowest bands can be either shelf, bell, or hi-Q bell EQs. (Remember, a bell is a fixed-bandwidth parametric, but with the 88RS you get the ability to sharpen the bandwidth, or Q, via a "HI-Q" button.) There are also two other parametric bands with adjustable Qs. I like this EQ when I need a compressor and EQ on a track, as you can get 13 mono instances per card when fully loaded. Because I rarely run the plug-in fully loaded, I can get more like 16 or 17 instances per UAD card. Get the Neve 88RS for the best combination of utility, efficiency and sound quality.
You can watch videos featuring the Neve 88RS in the July, August and September 2007 issues of the UA webzine.
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| The Neve 88RS Channel Strip |
Helios Type 69 EQ
The Helios Type 69 EQ is quite a different beast. It is laid out much like the Neve 1073 with a hi shelf, a parametric mid range band, and a low shelf and a hi pass. In the case of the Helios, the low shelf can be switched to become a hi pass, but you can’t use both at the same time. And the hi pass is fixed at 50 Hz. The mid range band has a fixed bandwidth, and has a special feature, the peak/trough switch. This switch lets you instantly switch between a boost and cut. The value of the boost or cut is determined by the gain knob above the switch. We describe the Helios as more of a tone box than an EQ. “Surgical” would not be a word to describe the it. People love to use it on kick and snare drums, it’s known for it’s low end. Reach for the Helios when you want to shape a sound to create something bigger, or more aggressive than the original.
You can check out the Helios in action in the March, April (both video and technical discussions) and May 2007 issues of the webzine.
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| Helios Type 69 EQ |
Precision EQ
The Precision EQ is just what the name implies: It was created to be precise and accurate with a minimum of coloration, primarily for use as a mastering EQ. The Precision EQ was not modeled after any particular EQ. Rather, we were inspired by the great mastering EQs of past and present, most notably the Sontec EQ and the Prism Maselec. This EQ functions very much like a hardware mastering EQ, with stepped control on every parameter. The high frequency shelf extends up to 27 kHz, higher than any of our other EQ plug-ins (and most EQ plug-ins on the market). What lets us do this is upsampling. Like the Neve 1073, 1081, and Pultec EQs, the audio is upsampled to 192k.
The Precision EQ’s gain works unlike any other UA plug-ins. The increments are very fine in the lower values, and more and more coarse as you get up the maximum of 8 dB of gain (or cut). “What?” you say. “Only 8 dB?” This is a mastering EQ, and you don’t really need any more than 3 or 4 dB of boost or cut. If you do, it’s remix time! But 8 dB is still enough to do some decent tone shaping. It doesn’t impart any of the sonic character that a 1073 or Helios does, but the Precision EQ is great on vocals, drums, or any source, really. If mastering is your gig, or you just want total sonic accuracy, the Precision EQ fits the bill.
But don’t just take my word for it, check out the articles in the March 2005 and January 2006 UA webzine.
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| The Precision EQ |
Cambridge EQ
The Cambridge EQ was our second custom EQ plug-in, (the EX-1 was the first), and it is the most flexible out all our EQ plug-ins. When we designed it, we wanted to make the ultimate EQ that sounded analog but still give the user plenty of instances. It is also the only EQ with a graphical display of the EQ curve. It offers five fully parametric bands that can be switched to shelves, as well as 17 different filter slopes for the hi and low pass filters. This EQ can be called “surgical!” The display can also be zoomed in so its resolution is +/- 5 dB, perfect for mastering jobs. This is a great EQ for people who are new to EQ'ing, because it has the graphic display. Once your ears get used to EQ'ing and effect of adjusting the Q and other parameters, you can pretty much ignore the graphic display and move up to the hardware emulations like the Neves, Pultecs and Helios EQs.
If you’re looking for bang for the buck, you can’t go wrong with the Cambridge EQ.
You can read more about the Cambridge EQ in the May and July 2003 issues of the UA webzine.
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| The Cambridge EQ |
So if the information above was not useful enough, we provided a helpful chart to help you pick the right EQ
| UAD EQ | Artist Quote | Hardware | HW Price | Key Features | Demo links | Plug-in UI | Price |
| Neve 1073 |
"This is what has been missing from my arsenal. The tones you can achieve with the UA 1073 are ALWAYS exactly what you need." - Fred Maher- Producer (Lou Reed, The Breeders, 10,000 Maniacs, Nada Surf) |
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$4,295 |
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Plug-In demo Page | |
$249 |
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| Neve 1081 |
"UA have taken revered hardware and modelled it to perfection to produce a killer bundle." - Future Music UK magazine |
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$4,595 |
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Plug-In Demo Page | |
$249 |
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| Neve 88RS |
"I just tweaked a very average drumsample with it, and now it sits PERFECTLY in the mix.it's DSP-friendly so can run enough instances even for my one card. this will be the plug most of us will work with for the next months/years IMO. GREAT JOB, UA!" - dannyhellbach, internet forum |
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Neve 8801 |
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Plug-In Demo Page | |
$249 |
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| Helios Type 69 |
"The new helios is one of the most interesting eq's we have come across. It is unlike any other we have heard. It sounds fantastic on guitars, bass and drums and is a must for people looking for something totally different." - Darren and Tunde of Future Cut Productions - Lily Allen, Natasha Bedingfield |
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$1,650 |
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Plug-In Demo Page | |
$149 |
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| Precision EQ | "Compared to PSP Audioware's decent-sounding MasterQ and the high-end EQ offerings from Logic Pro 7, SX3 and Waves, Universal Audio's flagship EQ outclasses them all." - Future Music UK magazine |
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Prism Maselec MAE-2 $9,400 Sontec Mastering EQ - $12,500 |
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Plug-In Demo Page | |
$199 |
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| Cambridge EQ | "The plug-in that saved -John Baccigalupi, Tape Op magazine |
N/A |
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Plug-In Demo Page | |
$149 | |
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| Pultec Pro | "UAD's Pultec Eqs were quite useful as well, we have quite the arsenal of Pultecs at Pilot [Recording Studios] and the plug-in stood up fairly well in accomplishing the same task on several tracks." - Matt Shane on mixing Rosanne Cash and Shawn Colvin |
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MEQ-5 $2,500
EQP-1A |
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Plug-In Demo Page | |
$79 |