Equalization

Although a device may be excellent for a particular application such as an individual instrument, there are very few can be used across the entire stereo bus. In many cases those that can't be used in this way damage the music in an unacceptable way.

Here are the EQs we use:

The Esoteric Audio Research 822 and 823 These analog EQ's are built by Tim deParavacini. They are updates of the Pultec EQP1A program EQ and the MEQ5 midrange EQ, which were the standard for mastering for many years. The EARs are similar but we think they are slightly more transparent and have a little more immediacy and transient response. In addition we are now also using the EAR 825 EQ, which also has the ability to enhance the program in a very musical way.

The Z-Systems Q6 is a six channel EQ and therefore can be used for either surround or stereo mastering. It has four bell-shaped filters and two shelving filters per channel, and it sounds fantastic.

The Weiss EQ1 mk2. Like the old EQ1-DS, the EQ1-MK2 supports 44.1, 48, 88.2 and 96kHz sampling frequencies, always using either 88.2 or 96kHz for internal processing combined with the flexibility of seven independent bands per channel. This is responsible for the well-renowned sound of these high resolution units.

The TC Electronics 6000 is also surround capable and although we most often use its compression, limiting, and reverberation functions, nonetheless the EQ can be useful in certain applications.