Dither…For Your Brain
Even though thEQblue is lauded by the top echelon of audio pros, we weren’t satisfied. The sound quality was as good as anything available, but benchmark analog still had an edge. So, we added a radical new tech to thEQblue. It’s called FiDef and it adds that indescribable beauty lent by the best of analog.
FiDef by FideliQuest (www.fidef.com) is a very low amplitude, psychoacoustic stimulus designed specifically for audio engineers. FiDef can be thought of as dither for your brain. It makes a receptive brain relax and pay closer attention to an incoming audio stimulus. In brain physiology laboratory tests using functional neuroimaging techniques, FiDef has proven to excite brain activity related to perception and attention, and to enhance the subjective processes of listening and engagement.
You have to simply try FiDef and see if you hear an improvement. You may, or maybe not. Better yet, give your customer two almost identical versions of a song, the only difference being FiDef or no FiDef, and let them decide.
BFF
The equalizer is perhaps the oldest and the most popular of sound processing tools. From its earliest days, the main function was correction or enhancement by boosting or cutting certain frequencies.
For a century, engineers have developed countless equalizers. A few became legend, our thEQorange is one. The most popular version in recording and post is the parametric equalizer or PEQ, first perfected by Massenburg in 1972. It offers maximum flexibility with only three controls. Properly used, the PEQ is a powerful tool and the best friend of every audio engineer in the quest for perfect sound. As Spidey (and Voltaire) always reminds us though, “With great power comes great responsibility.” When designed by a clueless or cost–constrained software engineer, it can be your greatest sonic enemy.
Choice Is Good
In order to give you a choice of features and price, thEQblue is available in two versions:
- thEQblue6, with 6 Architectures; №s 1 through 6
- thEQblue12, with 12 Architectures; all twelve
№ | | Type | Comments & Analog Kinfolk |
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01 | | Classic Sym | Series symmetrical, almost constant Q bell — common mix desk & outboard gear Architecture, try on “surgical” applications |
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02 | | Classic Asym | Series asymmetrical — Old Skool, boost like № 1 but with narrower cut |
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03 | | Proportional 1 | Series proportional — More musical than constant Q, especially for mixing and post. Bells are wider at <6dB and narrower at >6dB |
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04 | | Proportional 2 | Series proportional — Like № 3 but with bigger changes at large gain settings > ±6dB, try on vocals |
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05 | | Proportional 3 | Series proportional — Like № 3 but with extra wide bells at small gain settings, from 0 to 3dB |
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06 | | Const-Q Asym | Series asymmetrical, constant Q — Boost like № 1, cut like № 5 (extra wide), as found in some USA products & mixers |
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07 | | Const-Q Asy R | Series asymmetrical, constant Q — Like № 6 but with mirrored boost & cut |
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08 | | Const-Q Invers | Series symmetrical, constant Q — Similar to № 7 |
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09 | | Const-Q New | Series proportional, constant Q — Our proprietary Architectural style…try it, we know you’ll like it! |
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10 | | Const-Q Ideal | Series ideal & constant Q — Another special, similar to № 1, all three parameters (resonant ƒ, gain & Q) are independent, no analog relatives! |
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11 | | Parallel FF-FB | Parallel feed forward/feedback — Complementary amplitude and phase characteristics for boost & cut (symmetrical), found in high end graphic EQs, 1st choice for mastering [reference Massenburg] |
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12 | | Parallel LC | Parallel passive LC — Tonal advantages with band interaction & asymmetry disadvantages, found in old or newly recreated PEQs, another choice for mastering [reference Massive Passive, Sontec] |
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Constant Q is more for surgical applications, while proportional EQs are best when combining multiple overlapping Sections. As a point of reference, API, Pultec, Masselec and Avalon EQs are all of the proportional type.
☞ Note that all 12 Architectures are normalized to have exactly the same bell shape at 6.02dB of boost. This allows you to easily compare the sound of each Architecture.
Better By Design
thEQblue is built on the belief that exceptional fidelity, enhanced workflows and less visual fatigue are hallmarks of better quality toolsets. Our reliance on hard science and focused research balanced by in–depth listening and customer feedback, redefines audio tools for you and your fellow hardcore media professionals worldwide.