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In the decades since, Pultec has become synonymous with passive EQ excellence. Its EQP-1A is beloved for its single-channel, two-band design, which can add air, weight, and vibes to anything it touches. While vintage units are becoming rarer, the brand was revived in the 2010s and now produces a range of 19” rackmount options and 500 Series modules.
Experience the Pultec magic in our new video, as we head into the Scramble Shack to mix performances from Madelyn Grant (Vocals), Mike Leslie (Vocals), and Bryan Reilly (Drums, Electric and Acoustic guitar, Bass). We'll start with the raw audio, then process each track with the current EQP-1A, an EQP-500A (now available as the EQP-500X with revised frequencies), and the Universal Audio Pultec EQP-1A plug-in.
Want to listen deeper? Check out all of the tracks from our Pultec EQP-1A shootout below.
When Electrical Engineer and Materials Scientist Steve Jackson purchased the Pultec name back in 2000, he went straight to the source to ensure his reproductions were faithful. Steve worked with Eugene Shenk for 10 years before bringing the revived Pultecs to market, and his dedication shines through in the current EQP-1A reproduction.
This 3U beauty in the classic Pultec blue features everything that we love about the original model, including vacuum tubes, output transformers, and frequency settings. The low shelving offers four selectable frequencies for boosting or attenuating bass content, while the high frequency section features three cut points and seven boost points. There's also a bandwidth knob that shapes the Q of the equalization curve.
EQP-1A Frequency Settings
In our shootout above, we feature a used Pultec EQP-500A, as the brand does not offer a tube-based 500 Series EQ. Although this module is discontinued, it has been replaced by the EQP-500X, which features slightly altered frequency points and is based on the EQP-1A3-SS and EQP-153-SS. The brand also makes the MEQ-500 Jack Douglas Edition, which takes its lead from the MEQ-5 (minus the tube topography per Jack's instruction).
Let's take a quick look at the EQ points, so you can understand the differences between the Pultec 500 modules:
EQP-500A Frequency Settings (Two-Band EQ Based on EQP-1A3-SS)
EQP-500X Frequency Settings (Two-Band EQ Based on EQP-1A3-SS and EQP-153-SS)
MEQ-500JD Frequency Settings (Three-Band EQ Based on MEQ-5)
Universal Audio's Pultec Passive EQ Collection is a fantastic option if you're looking for an equalizer in the digital realm. In our shootout, we used the EQP-1A plug-in, which faithfully reproduces the selectable frequencies of the original unit. The collection actually features two additional plug-ins: a version of the aforementioned MEQ-5 and the HLF-3C. This plug-in replicates another classic Pultec design, featuring a simple two-knob setup with Low Cut-Off and High Cut-Off.
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