Mercury EQ-H2

The Mercury EQ-H2 is twoindependent (dual mono) channels of the Mercury EQ-H1 in a 2U package.The Mercury EQH2, like the EQ-H1, features a passive EQ circuit with asingle ended gain make up amplifier topology, based on the vintage‘Pultec EQH’ circuit. The Mercury EQ-H2 circuit provides a musicallysatisfying result unobtainable with active and parametric EQs, since theEQ-H2 does not rely upon negative feed back (and all it's associatedphase and dynamic distortions) to achieve equalization. The EQH2, likeall Mercury products, has transformer balanced (XLR) input and outputs.The only additions or changes to the original are a much more powerfuland stable power supply and running DC on the heaters, rather than AC,and two additional frequency to expand the range and make it moreflexible.

The EQ-H2, like the mono version EQ-H1, is more punchy and robust andhas a slight push in the low end and lower midrange. The EQ-P2, like themono version EQ-P1, is more open and silky, and equally adds warm tohighs, mids and lows of your source. Although both sound amazing on anyapplication and are both multi-purpose tools (equalizers) in the studio,if you had both you could then choose between applications. The MercuryEQ-H2 is warm and fluid but a bit "thicker" than the EQ-P2, thus shineson thickening (and pushing forward in the mix) your Vocals, Bass, Kick,Snare, and Acoustic Guitar etc... The Mercury EQ-P2 is great forShaping and adding ‘air’ to your vocals, Acoustic instruments, Guitar,Piano etc... and is magical strapped across your two buss to addmusicality to you mix.

Frequencies

• Low Frequency Select (CPS; Cycles per second): 20, 30, 60, 100, 200 Hz
• Low Frequency Boost Control: Shelf Boost, 0dB to +13dB
• Low Frequency Attenuate Control: Shelf Atten. 0dB to -17dB
• High Frequency Select (KCS; kilocycles per second ): 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 12, 16 kHz
• High Frequency Boost Control: Shelf Boost, 0dB to +16dB
• High Frequency Attenuate Control: 10k Shelf Attenuate, 0dB to -16db

Additional information

• Tubes: 1x 12AX7 and 7 1x 12AU7, per channel
• Rack Size: 2U
  

The Mercury EQ-H1, EQ-P1, EQ-H2 and EQ-P2 are based on the originalPultec equalizers which were tools developed to deal with thelimitations of recorded music. Limitations that most often manifestthemselves in the highest and lowest frequencies of the programmaterial. The Mercury Studio Program Equalizers, like the family oforiginal Pultec EQs, are originally designed to bring back the life andmusicality lost in a recording. Whether by accident or genius, nothinghas been able to do this better in music production than a passiveequalizer with tube gain make up amplifier (‘Pultec style’) equalizer.The interaction of the passive boosting and attenuating shelving EQs(not relying on negative feed back), as well as the transformers, tubesand other amplification circuitry all add to the incredibly musicalcharacter of the product. Working engineers try other types ofequalizers, but always end up coming back to the Pultec style as theequalizer of choice for those final touches while tracking or mixing andeven mastering at times.

Now in this modern age of digital recording, where the source you putinto the DAW is exactly what you have on the track, with no roundededges, no slight compression and none of the “pixie dust” that came withanalog tape, the Mercury family of equalizers are needed more than everto help add the musicality, warmth and tone to your tracks that we haveall treasured.

EQ-H2 vs EQ-P2
Simply, the key to the tone of these two circuits is it’s amplifier, andMercury EQ-H2 and EQ-P2 have different amplifiers to make up the gainlost by the passive equalizer circuit, thus it has a different tone.Meaning the EQ-H2 and EQ-P2 sound different on the same application, andhave a different reaction to the same instrumentation or voice.

The EQ-H2, like the mono version EQ-H1, is more punchy and robust andhas a slight push in the low end and lower midrange. The EQ-P2, like themono version EQ-P1, is more open and silky, and equally adds warmth tohighs, mids and lows of your source. Although both sound amazing on anyapplication and are both multi-purpose tools (equalizers) in the studio,if you had both you could then choose between applications.