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Product Description
The Pultec MEQ-5 tube program equalizer is the classic midrange program EQ - a perfect complement to the venerable EQP-1A or the EQP-1A3. Its three peaking bands are wired in series, and are fantastic on vocals and guitars, or just about anything in the meaty region of the spectrum.
CONTROL OF THE POWER REGION
The MEQ-5 provides exacting control of the “power region” in program material, that frequency range from about 300 Hz to 5000 Hz in which most of the sound energy is concentrated. The ear is especially sensitive to sounds in this region. In this region, even small resonances in studio acoustics and microphone and speaker responses are very evident in their effect on the listenability of the sound. Three independent sets of controls make it possible to boost on a peak curve at 200 – 1000 Hz while simultaneously boosting on a peak curve at 1.5 – 5 kHz, while simultaneously dipping at 200 – 7000 Hz. Guitars, vocals, horns, strings, keyboards, snares, toms, anything with significant midrange that requires complex contouring is a candidate for the MEQ-5.
Frequency settings:
- Low Mids: 200, 300, 500, 700, 1000 Hz
- Low Mid Peak: 0 to 10 dB boost
- Mids: 200, 300, 500, 700, 1000 Hz, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 kHz
- Mid Dip: 0 to 10 dB cut
- High Mids: 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5 kHz
- High Mid Peak: 0 to 6 dB boost
PULTEC HISTORY
The name Pultec is an abbreviation of Pulse Techniques Inc., a company that consisted of two men: Gene Shenk and Ollie Summerland. These electronic wizards made every piece of their gear by hand at their factory in Teaneck, New Jersey, not far from Les Paul’s house. In fact they even collaborated with Les on some projects. Although they made a number of other products, (such as the MB1 Microphone Booster and PC-10 phono preamp), Pultec is most famous for their passive equalizers. Their EQ's were based on a design created by Gene Shenk (contrary to popular belief, only the negative feedback circuitry of the amplifier was licensed from Western Electric).
The original product, released in 1955, was the EQP-1, a passive equalizer with no gain make up stage. It was not until 1961 that the updated version was released, the EQP-1A. This model included some extra frequencies, and a tube gain stage to make up for the signal loss of the passive EQ circuit.
In 1971, Pultec introduced the EQP-1A3, which was identical in all respects to its predecessor the EQP-1A, except that it fit into a smaller, 2U rack unit, and bore a new brushed aluminum faceplate. These units were still tube based. It was not until many years later, near the end of their production years, that Pultec switched from tube designs to solid state. Thus all solid-state versions had a silver faceplate, but so did many of the later tube units.
The various EQ models produced by Pultec include the EQP-1, EQP-1A, EQP-1A3, EQP-1A3SS, EQP-1R, EQP-1RS, EQP-1S, EQP-1S3, HLF-3C, EQH-2, and the MEQ-5. With top-notch, hand-made craftsmanship and a unique sound, Pultecs remain one of the most sought after of the vintage passive equalizers.