manley massive passive

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morning lights

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any endorsements? this looks like it could step up a small studio's tones a lot.
any other units that compete?
 
If you're willing to spend that kind of money, there are several choices out there. If you don't have a pro audio shop nearby, go to vintageking or mercenary audio and look at the high end eq's they offer. If you want a passive eq, many brands have options out there. BTW, I'm not implying the Massive Passive isn't a good unit, but just that it's not the only game in town.
 
It's a great unit -- Colorful, subtle, musical, etc.

But perhaps not the greatest keystone unit out there. You might look at the (Crane Song) Ibis, Millennia NSEQ2...

You "add" Manley gear (if that makes some sort of warped sense).
 
For some reason, I have never liked Passive EQ's. It's like th EQ section on an old Ampeg G4 guitar amp - it adds some color, but the tonal changes aren't drastic enough for me.



Tim
 
For some reason, I have never liked Passive EQ's. It's like th EQ section on an old Ampeg G4 guitar amp - it adds some color, but the tonal changes aren't drastic enough for me.



Tim

Huh? Ever used a Pultec?
 
Huh? Ever used a Pultec?


No, but I have used the Manley though.
One of my friends bought one not too long ago, and he was like,"I got a Massive Passive!" and I was scratching my head think,"Why?!?!" His studio is computer based, and my thinking is - if I were going to get outboard equipment for that - I'd b investing in some extremely high quality mic Pre's before I plopped down over $2,000 for something like that - but that's just me.





Tim
 
No, but I have used the Manley though.
One of my friends bought one not too long ago, and he was like,"I got a Massive Passive!" and I was scratching my head think,"Why?!?!" His studio is computer based, and my thinking is - if I were going to get outboard equipment for that - I'd b investing in some extremely high quality mic Pre's before I plopped down over $2,000 for something like that - but that's just me.





Tim

And if you know where I can get one anywhere near 2K PM me please. :)
 
,"I got a Massive Passive!" and I was scratching my head think,"Why?!?!" His studio is computer based, and my thinking is - if I were going to get outboard equipment for that - I'd b investing in some extremely high quality mic Pre's before I plopped down over $2,000 for something like that - but that's just me.
Tim

Maybe your friend wants a great EQ? A lot of people are using hardware compression and EQ and recording to computer. The way you wrote that you were crapping on the idea of having the EQ before you'd heard it. There isn't a plugin EQ out there that's going to impart the character of the hardware pieces, although some get close.

I guess what you're getting at is that an active EQ might be able to do more extreme things with the sound than a passive model?
 
And if you know where I can get one anywhere near 2K PM me please. :)

[smartass mode]
I said over, not near!
[/smartass mode]
:p
Technically, he paid over $4,000 for it.... he bought it new at Sweetwater.:D

What I'm saying is, if my only recording gear was 3 mic's(A rode Tube, a lower end Neumann, and some kind of AKG condenser) a PC with Sonar7, and a MOTU firewire interface - I'd be investing in a few quality Mic Pre's before buying something like the Massive Passive, and I sure wouldn't have bought that new.
I'm just saying, his money could have been spent a little more wisely from my perspective. He doesn't even have decent monitors! (He's using a pair of little Yamaha bookshelf monitors that he got for $90 for the pair about 10 years ago. They work okay, but they are nowhere near flat.)
$4,000 could set you up with a couple of quality Mic Pre's and decent monitors. (like an API, a Hardy, etc as far as pre-amps go.)



Tim
 
Maybe your friend wants a great EQ? A lot of people are using hardware compression and EQ and recording to computer. The way you wrote that you were crapping on the idea of having the EQ before you'd heard it. There isn't a plugin EQ out there that's going to impart the character of the hardware pieces, although some get close.

I guess what you're getting at is that an active EQ might be able to do more extreme things with the sound than a passive model?


I've used the Massive Passive before. Yes, I prefer an Active Parametric EQ over a Passive EQ.

You need the basics before you start throwing money on extra's. My friend who bought it has no real mic pre's, and crappy monitors. That was why I couldn't understand why he bought it - I still think the money should have gone on a set of monitors and some mic pre's.

He's trying to use the EQ to add warmth to his recordings, rather than buying an actual mic pre-amp which will do the job a lot cheaper.


Tim
 
There isn't a plugin EQ out there that's going to impart the character of the hardware pieces, although some get close.

QUOTE]


Would love to hear you expound on this statement. I'm debating on what outboard gear is essential, and it seems like a tube eq unit could warm and shape tones in a way that couldn't be emulated, whereas things like compressors and limiters are going to be easier to emulate in plug-in format.

I do want the most versatility, but the manley seems like it offers a real warming and harmonic tone. I'll have to check in to those other units as well.
thanks
 
I've got the UAD EQ's. Then I have Pultec type EQ's and have the opportunity to use Neve EQ's. The boost/cut behavior of the UAD stuff is pretty much spot on, but I wouldn't run a mix through the UAD plug left flat in order to enhance the signal. The sound of transformers is especially hard to emulate, apparently.
 
Can please someone explain me how can you get you get +20dB boost from a PASSIVE EQ?
That´s some new massive passive physical theory isn't it?

I understand that it has tube buffers on input and output, but buffers usually don´t give 20dB gain, and passive circuits even less often (actually a few dB peak is possible, but 20 no way).
 
Enough with the "warm" talk. It makes me want to puke.

To some people "warm" means subdued HF response. To other people it means distortion.

In either case, saying you want to "warm" something up makes me think that what you really want is a microwave oven, not an EQ.
 
the manley seems like it offers a real warming and harmonic tone.


Is there a unit out there that doesn't have "harmonic tone"?

Do ones that lack it suck the "harmonics" right out of the "tone"?

Does anybody else's brain hurt from this marketing jargon?
 
screw you dude, i am looking for real replies i don't market jack except morninglights.org myspace.com/morninglights
 
screw you dude, i am looking for real replies i don't market jack except morninglights.org myspace.com/morninglights


LOL. I'm not accusing you of anything except using using heavily subjective and widely overused descriptors. I might be an asshole, but I'm not picking on you.

I am a little tiny bit incredulous that while you are looking at pulling the trigger on a $4,300.00 eq that you are logging on to HR and asking us about it. If you're spending that kind of coin you should really know exactly what it is you're doing.



/rant off/
 
Hell, if you want "warm" get some tube gear - it will warm your whole house. ;)
 
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