I want to buy 1 or 2 analogue EQs for tracking and I am unsure what to go for.
Any suggestions?
What I want is to record mostly vintage hardware synthesizers and drum machines, using a hardware EQ to get different tones/flavours. I´m not looking to surgically remove problem frequencies.
Lately I´ve been listening to electronic music from the 78-82 era and I´m fascinated by all the different character and flavour the individual sounds have. Could it be possible to get something similar with certain EQs? I´m on a somewhat limited budget but I´m prepared to spend a bit. I´m not aiming for Rolls Royce level EQs.
Perhaps preamps and compressors are equally important? Any suggestions/recommendations are welcome.
I know I can do a lot with plugins but I want to be able to alter a sound quite drastically before going into my DAW.

Thanks

 

Because of the amount of possibilities, it's advisable to use graphic eq's here. https://avedisaudio.com/e12g/ is very good and not as expensive as the bigger brands.
For 19" you can use this for example. https://www.rolls.com/product/RPQ160b
Way cheaper than the big brands and does nothing else than equalizing as well.

 

Not so sure about the graphic EQ here. As long as you don't use a (older) gyrator design. Which has a wider bandwidth at lower amounts and a narrower at higher amounts of the eq setting. Newer bandpass graphic EQs are not the best choice for studio work to create a sound. The "nipples" they have can create strange and wired phase responses. It is really hard to get a smooth curve with them. I would avoid graphic EQs with a constant Q (bandpass). They are great for live cutting and notching the room frequencies, but suck at boosting.

I use some hardware but only low/mid range and d.i.y. stuff. I have an
Warm Audio EQP-WA. Great EQ. It lives on my drum buss, definatly worth its money. I have an Gyraf Calrec PQ1549 d.i.y. EQ lives on my Vocal bus.
In my tracking chain I have an old Klark Teknik dn410 with installed input and output transformers. Really nice versatile EQ. If you live in europe you might be able to find one for a good reasonable price.
I had a Rolls RPQ160. Good useable neutral clean EQ. I do my EQing mostly in the box so I sold it. But its a good choice especially for the price.

 

Last edited: Sep 14, 2022

I wouldn't go for 500 series because it doesn't work on its own.

I'd rather go for this dual channel 19'' EQ https://vintageking.com/api-sr24-dual-channel-equalizer.

Better, even if more expensive, go for a preamp-EQ combo:
Single channel https://vintageking.com/warm-audio-wa73-eq-single-channel-mic-pre-eq, dual channel doesn't save anything https://vintageking.com/warm-audio-wa273-eq-dual-channel-mic-pre-eq.
Maybe this one https://vintageking.com/heritage-audio-ha73eq-elite which is 100 bucks cheaper in the dual channel version https://vintageking.com/heritage-audio-ha73eqx2-elite.
Or even more expensive but with more bands https://vintageking.com/heritage-audio-ha-81a.

 

For 1980 style recording an analog mixing board may be most authentic. Lots of cheap ones available. Check for channel outputs.

 

Yeah, I´ve been looking at a Soundcraft 800B in good shape. But it is a massive beast weighing 50-60 kg.

 

Many interesting units here, thank you. I´ve been thinking about getting a Drawmer 1974.

 

I have some experience with Warm Audio 1176 clone. It sounds pretty good. I will check out the EQP. I prefer something that doesn´t sound too "nice". I like it when it sounds a bit gritty, like La Düsseldorf, Boxbury Beat, Schaltkreis Wassermann, to mention a few. That vintage sound is of course the result of many things, not just the EQ

 

Too modern and versatile for 80's sound (it's from 2019).