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Z systems Eq

PostPosted: Sun Jun 26, 2005 12:52 pm
by jefferson
Hi all,

I am considering purchasing some high end EQ and am wondering if anyone has had any experience with the Z systems EQ that Bob Katz continually refers to in his Mastering Audio book?

Regards

Jefferson

PostPosted: Sun Jun 26, 2005 10:29 pm
by wez
i've got a zq1 and it sounds great. all the zsys stuff is fantastic i reckon.

PostPosted: Mon Jun 27, 2005 10:33 pm
by jefferson
Hi Wez,

Do you think the Zsystems are in the GML 8200 or Millennia Media NSEQ-2 field of top end EQ? I understand that there is some degree of subjectivity given I comparing analogue and digital, however Bob Katz doesn't seem to believe that there should be any discerning difference between top notch analogue and top notch digital.

Regards

Jefferson

PostPosted: Mon Jun 27, 2005 11:47 pm
by wez
bob loves his digital stuff for sure, and while he's technically right, you'd go for top shelf analogue any day wouldn't you?!? depends on where you're coming from i guess.

people will tell you - and they are right - that the ZQ stuff is very analogue sounding, or perhaps more correctly, is not digital sounding, which certainly surprised me... the zq1 is really smooth, even at extreme boost. you would think you were hearing an analogue unit if you didn't know. and i can only assume that a weiss EQ is even better again, having never used one. and much more ergonomic, like an analogue eq. if you're looking at a ZQ2, or a ZQ3 then you have to consider ergonomics, or lack thereof... ie first select a band, then you've got a gain knob, a freq knob, and q knob. so setting up 6 bands of EQ is a bit fiddly. if it's your go-to EQ then that will be an issue, if it's your #2 machine, it's not so bad. I don't use it that often and when i do it might be for a bit of HPF when i've run out of analogue bands, or if i need an extreme q setting (not that a q of 8 is 'extreme'... the zsys is not really a surgical machine, despite being digital - go for a GML or weiss there, if you can!)

i guess what i am saying in a convoluted way is that whilst the Zsys stuff sounds very good you'd go for something like the analogue EQs you mentioned every time. But if you wanted to stay digital, or needed recallability..... what will you be using ot for? and which model are you looking at?

i hope this helps in some way, rather than confuses!

PostPosted: Tue Jun 28, 2005 11:47 am
by Adam Dempsey
The Weiss EQs are brilliant - great interface, broad program EQ or as surgical as you like, and upgrades to MS, linear phase, with POW-r etc. As with the Z systems stuff, it's the broadband EQ, accuracy of the dsp (48 bit?) and correct dithering to 24 bit output that helps retain the musicality in their sound.

Although for a neutral sounding, recallable analogue EQ I'd love to try a GML 9500 (the detented version mastering of the 8200, bit like a 5 band Maselec).

Jefferson, for your needs you may even want to consider the Sony V-77 multi fx & EQ unit: for the money you get great (although fiddly) musical sounding 32 bit recallable program EQ and excellent reverbs.

PostPosted: Tue Jun 28, 2005 10:50 pm
by jefferson
Hi Wez,

thanks alot for taking the time in your reply. Yes I think that you have answered the niggling thing that prompted the question in the first place. I do use a couple of digital workstations with various analogue outboards and I am considering using a high end stereo EQ over the stereo bus to work in conjunction with a smart C1 compressor. Obviously will also be able to use it as a production tool whenever needed as well. So, it sounds like I would probably be wasting peoples time trying to organise to audition the zsystems range.

Kind Regards

Jefferson