shelf EQ

  • Thread starter Thread starter dobro
  • Start date Start date
dobro

dobro

Well-known member
I'm confused about the rationale for shelf EQ. Okay, I can understand the value of low shelf - very often I want to cut everything below a particular frequency - but I don't see the point of high shelf. Wouldn't it make more sense to boost or cut particular frequencies with variable Q? And yet some very respectable gear has high and low shelf EQ...

Can anyone shed some light on this one?
 
But isn't it just a convenient way to boost or cut "all the highs" ?
For example, to increase or reduce cymbals on a drum set, or increase or reduce brightness of an instrument ?

PS: ZZOUNDS has the Ashly PQX572 dual mono 7-band parametric (with high and low shelf) for $449 !! I just got one.


Peace,
Rick
 
Follow up on the Ashly PQX 572 Parametric EQ:
After trying it out for three days, with various preamps and settings; and making some test recordings, I have decided to ship it back. It causes too much loss of detail on subtle acoustic guitar recordings. I am comparing it to the digital parametric EQ on the Roland VS1680 recorder, so I don't think i am being too picky.
This unit is probably OK for PA use, but obscures detail and sounds tubby and phasey (even with the EQs "out" of the circuit). It simply isn't up to recording standards.

Dang !


Peace,
Rick
 
If you're willing to spend the same money for a mono channel, check out the Speck ASC. I doubt you'll regret it if you really want a fine parametric. Mercenary has a love-it-or-leave-it policy, so if you don't like it, send it back. Only place I know of that has it.
 
thanks, Tubedude,
I already considered the Speck. It seems like a good PEQ, but for my most common usages, I need very narrow bandwidth settings, like 1/12 octave or less. The minimum setting on the Speck is 1/3 octave.

It makes some sense that a good PEQ would have to be much more expensive than an equivalent quality preamp, because there is so much more circuitry in a PEQ, and every component has to be held at at least the preamp quality noise and frequency response secs. In fact, they should probably be held to higher standards, since noise is always additive.

For now I guess the digital EQ of my vS1680 will have to continue to suffice. I am having the electrical engineers at my work take a look at a possible home-brew PEQ based entirely on absolute cutting edge components. Maybe i will build one up.


Peace,
rick
 
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