Analogue standalone graphic EQ's ?

[Futureman]

Out of interest, does anybody here still use these?

I'd imagine the only application left would be live sound.. And even then a dying breed considering digital consoles etc.

[Chris H]

The smaller inductor graphic eq's still have a place in my studio rack.

[ChrisW]

I have a very nice pair of Quad 8's.
I also use APSI in my 500 Series rack. Great for fine detail on drums (kick and snare).

[Futureman]

Ahh. Inductor based graphic would sound lovely I'd imagine.

I guess I was referring to the big arsed 2RU graphic EQ's etc..

I've inherited a bunch and wondering do people even buy them anymore?

[gigpiglet]

i use them all the time
and i LOVE them
probably not standard.. but I'm used to them and how they work (from 15 years of live mixing)

i ALWAYS have one on FOH when mixing live (even on a digital console, i always have analogue compression as well - a "mix buss" if you will)
i ALWAYS have them on all mixes at monitors (even on digital consoles) i need to get to those frequencies fast - and digital eq doesnt seem to do the same thing anyway

i also use them as an insert on a lead vocal, both live and studio, to both tone shape, and live get gain before feedback.
i think of graphics as surgery (for fixing things, rooms, mics, PAs, etc) and parametrics for shaping things. i know that depending on the parametric you can tighten it right up and "fix" something - but if you can just reach for one slider and be done why waste the time?

i still use on the mix buss in the studio too... simply cause im used to that kid of approach (either broad ones like on the avalon 747 that lives on my mix - or traditional 31 bands like the klark 360 or BSS960)

acoustic guitar too - grab those little annoying bits that wont sit in your mix.

kick - just giving a 63hz boost and not messing around with anything else

or in sidechains of compressors or gates to get exactly the results you want

plenty of uses!

what have you inherited future man?

[Futureman]

Hey Gareth.. Klark Technics among others..

Glad to hear they are still getting a use out in the field.

I completely get what you are saying about immediacy. Great to be able to grab a frequency at a pinch.

Cheers,

[norm]

No studio should be without a pair of Blonder-Tongue Audio Baton's. No Batons, No cool and that's the rule.

[blackfoot]

White graphics are my choice . A local company, Sound Developments, made a very nice graphic in the 80's.

[Chris H]

No studio should be without a pair of Blonder-Tongue Audio Baton's. No Batons, No cool and that's the rule.

....straight out of the left field! Somehow I think there are not enough to go around.

[DarkSky]

I have several of the Ashly broadcast graphics in the racks here. I wouldn't say they're a high use item, but I'm in no rush to retire them.

Don't have any Blonder Tongues, so just not that cool I guess... In fact I've only ever *seen* them 'in person' thrice, and only one of those occasions was in AU. I have the impression that they're not exactly a staple in these parts, cool factor or not.

[Drumstruck]

would love a high quality pair of analogue graphics, so I suppose this thread is a good place to ask the question - what are the good 1/3 octave graphics?

atm I have a pair of Wharfdales that are doing a pretty good job sidechained with a 266XL, but it's a grungy sound

[ChrisW]

Don't want to harp on, but the API 560 is fantastic and extremely reasonably priced.

[Wiz]

Don't want to harp on, but the API 560 is fantastic and extremely reasonably priced.

its on my to buy list 8)

[Paul Maybury]

I have a pair of Optro 203's 10 band. That 30hz inductor is huge! Definitely not surgical these..
High quality graphics like K.T's and BSS are very useful to have around.
Cheers,
Paul

[The Tasmanian]

Hey Paul - I got a pair of those Optro's as well (ex ABC) - strange beasts - inductors nearly sound like synths when driven.

Ive got plenty of EQ's, so they sit there wanting a purpose , of which I'm unfamiliar where to apply them.

What do you use your for?

[Paul Maybury]

Hi Chris, mine don't really saturate much, but they do sound nice.
I have used them for mix bus, (didn't love it but it worked for that project) and they are good for shrinking/bracketing eq.
They can be great on drums and guitars used more as traditional tone shapers.
The most use they get is actually just as line amps. Mine have discrete amps encased in green and gold epoxy.
There is about 15db gain available and they can really make things muscular. Very low noise too.
Having said all that, I don't use them that much but I'm glad I have them when I do use them.
Cheers,
Paul

[The Tasmanian]

So Paul - do you use them for synths? - keys etc? in a mix - or as a post mic pre line driver on certain chains?
I never put enough time into them.
But what I did find was using radical side by side cut and boost , plus loading the input up, I could get the inductors to sound like they were ringing - synth like.
Weird room mic processing, and turning normal synth sounds into commanding monsters.

[Paul Maybury]

Hi Chris, thanks I'll have to try that! They are great for electronic sounds, but I haven't tried what you are suggesting.
I guess I think of them as signal conditioners with filters. They are very tolerant of loading and balancing miss matches and the extra gain is handy.
Of course, the bottom end is monstrous with all that Thirkel iron.
Cheers,
Paul