Manley Mid-Frequency EQ Device

[Ron Resnick]

Has anybody ever experimented with this tube EQ device?

Manley Mid Frequency EQ — Manley Laboratories, Inc.

Manley's single channel Mid Frequency EQ is the secret weapon for vocal, guitar, snare and all the other midrange instruments that are the meat of the mix.

www.manley.com

Why would this equalizer need to use negative feedback? To reduce whatever distortion is created by the built-in tube amplifier which offsets line level signal loss through the passive EQ?

 

[Ron Resnick]

I wonder if this would be more sonically transparent and less sonically deleterious to spacial information and dynamics (per TMallin's report) than the Schitt Loki Max?

 

[Solypsa]

I have tried neither, so cannot comment. I have used studio eq's a fair bit in past endeavors.

Both eq's use inductors in the filter section so a reasonable analogy to more common audiophile gear would be phono pre's using LCR topology for that eq function.

In the end it's down to who builds a better preamp, just like with a phono stage.

 

[sparkie]

Has anybody ever experimented with this tube EQ device?

Manley Mid Frequency EQ — Manley Laboratories, Inc.

Manley's single channel Mid Frequency EQ is the secret weapon for vocal, guitar, snare and all the other midrange instruments that are the meat of the mix.

www.manley.com

Why would this equalizer need to use negative feedback? To reduce whatever distortion is created by the built-in tube amplifier which offsets line level signal loss through the passive EQ?

Its her take of the Pulse Pultec MEQ. Theses clones are designed with the differential negative feedback circuit. where the feedback winding sets up a constant current to keep the input stage in differential mode. This of course, was engineered long ago before semiconductor ccs circuits in 1953.

A lot of engineers use this one and the EPQ-1a clones in bypass just to add air to mixes with vintage tubes. Some bring them into me to change a few parts out to add more mid presence to the air effect the way they use it.

 

[Solypsa]

A lot of engineers use this one and the EPQ-1a clones in bypass just to add air to mixes with vintage tubes.

Brings up a good question. In mastering studios there are eq's used to gently shape sound, mostly by virtue of how the device sounds when inserted in the chain with minimal eq inputs. Then there are the eqs they use to fix problems, implementing larger and more focused frequency shaping. Which task do you have in mind Ron?

I wonder if this would be more sonically transparent and less sonically deleterious to spacial information and dynamics (per TMallin's report) than the Schitt Loki Max?