ThreeQ vs SixQ

E

EdJames

New member
I'm confused...what's the difference between the JoeMeek ThreeQ and the SixQ? What does the latter do that the former doesn't?
 
EdJames said:
What's Q?!
Click to expand...
I don't know, Q usually refers to Quality Factor, or 'Q'.
The Three Q has 3 knobs that effect Q factor. The Six Q does not.

Jut quickly glancing at the unit's pictures, you can see the Six Q has at very least these extra features:
Frequency choice for the LF filter.
48v Phantom power (or at least a front panel indicator)
Pad button
Iron button (switchable xfmr??)
Front panel instrument input
Rack mountable
Adjustable compression Ratio (called slope) and Gain make up on compressor section
HF switchable between 6k and 12k
Switchable meter for pre/post levels
Output gain is +10dB max (instead of +16dB max, though not as important since the compressor has a Gain makeup knob)
 
tarnationsauce2 said:
I don't know, Q usually refers to Quality Factor, or 'Q'.
The Three Q has 3 knobs that effect Q factor. The Six Q does not.

Jut quickly glancing at the unit's pictures, you can see the Six Q has at very least these extra features:
Frequency choice for the LF filter.
48v Phantom power (or at least a front panel indicator)
Pad button
Iron button (switchable xfmr??)
Front panel instrument input
Rack mountable
Adjustable compression Ratio (called slope) and Gain make up on compressor section
HF switchable between 6k and 12k
Switchable meter for pre/post levels
Output gain is +10dB max (instead of +16dB max, though not as important since the compressor has a Gain makeup knob)
Click to expand...

Right, THATS what I wanted. Thanks man.

I don't really understand all the jargon they throw at you when you look up the spec of stuff!
 
tarnationsauce2 said:
I don't know, Q usually refers to Quality Factor, or 'Q'.
The Three Q has 3 knobs that effect Q factor. The Six Q does not.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure if you are joking or not. If you are, that's pretty funny!

"Q" typically refers to the bandwidth of an eq. You might say "narrow Q", for example, to refer to an eq frequency set to a narrow bandwidth.

The term "Q" has nothing to do with quality. Meek no doubt has named these units like this because they think it sounds cool, or is a unique product name. I see no correlation between the names and any actual functions on the units.

It should be pointed out that neither unit is fully parametric, and as such neither have an actual "Q" control on them. Some units are built to automatically adjust "Q" depending on whether you are boosting or cutting. The Meek units might be like that, or they might not, you'd have to read the manual. But in any case, neither has a manual bandwidth (Q) control knob on the front panel.
 
SonicAlbert said:
I'm not sure if you are joking or not. If you are, that's pretty funny!

"Q" typically refers to the bandwidth of an eq. You might say "narrow Q", for example, to refer to an eq frequency set to a narrow bandwidth.

The term "Q" has nothing to do with quality. Meek no doubt has named these units like this because they think it sounds cool, or is a unique product name. I see no correlation between the names and any actual functions on the units.

It should be pointed out that neither unit is fully parametric, and as such neither have an actual "Q" control on them. Some units are built to automatically adjust "Q" depending on whether you are boosting or cutting. The Meek units might be like that, or they might not, you'd have to read the manual. But in any case, neither has a manual bandwidth (Q) control knob on the front panel.
Click to expand...
Lol, no I wasn't joking. But at the same time I was a bit confusing and wrong on the number of ways each MeekQ model can effect Quality factor.
Also Q does not equal bandwidth, they are very closely related... but not the same thing.
Q is a Factor! Yes I know it seems useless, but it does aide in defining bandwidth without having to know all the frequencies involved. It also helps cut confusion when adjusting BW by assigning a simple number instead of a frequency range.
Bandwidth (BW) is in Hz, Quality Factor (Q) is only a decimal number.

From RANE's Equalizer library:
The Quality Factor, or "Q", of a filter is a close relative to bandwidth. It is defined to be the center frequency divided by the bandwidth in Hertz. For example, a filter centered at 1000 Hz that is 1/3-octave wide has -3dB frequencies located at 891 Hz and 1123 Hz respectively, yielding a bandwidth of 232 Hz. Q, therefore, is 1000 Hz divided by 232 Hz, or 4.31.
Click to expand...

The ThreeQ actually only has 1 way of affecting the Quality Factor (Q).
1) The 'Mid Freq' knob

The SixQ actually only has 3 ways of affecting the Quality Factor (Q).
1) The 'LF Freq' knob
2) The 'Mid Freq' knob
3) The HF 6/12k button
 
The "Q" name came from when the enhancer was dropped and replaced by EQ..So "Q"...

The sixQ has a lot more features...Mainly there is a transformer that is switchable into the mic amp, more mic amp features, ratio control on the compressor, gain makeup, more bands of EQ, and digital outputs... So that is a lot of difference....
 
alanhyatt said:
The "Q" name came from when the enhancer was dropped and replaced by EQ..So "Q"...

The sixQ has a lot more features...Mainly there is a transformer that is switchable into the mic amp, more mic amp features, ratio control on the compressor, gain makeup, more bands of EQ, and digital outputs... So that is a lot of difference....
Click to expand...

Thanks, Alan.

Once again, you don't see the head of any other companies coming on here to answer questions about their gear. You're lucky if they acknowledge your emails.
 
notCardio said:
Thanks, Alan.

Once again, you don't see the head of any other companies coming on here to answer questions about their gear. You're lucky if they acknowledge your emails.
Click to expand...

No problem, glad to do it....I wish I had seen this earlier, but I have been on the road for quite while and not checking the boards as I usually do. I am in China right now at our factory overseeing a new production run.
 
So to continue this quest for knowledge...
As I understand it, the pres are the same for all Q:s (except from the Iron option) and also for the Toft units (EC-1), am I right?
Comparing the SixQ to the EC-1, SixQ gives me Iron and AD converter at a slightly lower price. What makes the Toft a better choice then - better quality, less noise, sound?
 
GreenGoblin said:
So to continue this quest for knowledge...
As I understand it, the pres are the same for all Q:s (except from the Iron option) and also for the Toft units (EC-1), am I right?
Comparing the SixQ to the EC-1, SixQ gives me Iron and AD converter at a slightly lower price. What makes the Toft a better choice then - better quality, less noise, sound?
Click to expand...
The Toft unit has a 4-band EQ with every band sweepable.
The Meek unit has a 3-band EQ with 2 of the sweepable.

The Toft Compressor is also quite a bit faster.

Both units have their merits, I'd probably get the SixQ just for the switchable iron.
 
I have experience with both a Toft ATC-2 and Joe Meek 3Q. When using the pres only (no eq or compressor) I found the ATC-2 to be more of an "in your face" sound with sharper transients.
 
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