Sontec MEP-250C Parametric Equalizer #418 (Vintage)

The Sontec MEP-250C stereo 5-band EQ is a descendant of the original parametric equalizer designed in the late 60s. This classic unit is still found in many mastering suites. It can dial in frequencies with precision, or use a very wide 'Q' for smooth transitions. Sweet and musical. Excellent across the mix buss, or for tracking or mastering. 

Stereo 5-band equalizer; with bypass, high and low shelf and a low, mid and hi parametric EQ for each channel. Sweep and bandwidth on each of the three parametric bands, and 12 dB of boost/cut on all five bands.

Frequencies

• Lo Shelf: 15 - 800 Hz
• Lo: 15 - 620 Hz
• Mid: 120 Hz - 8.2 kHz
• Hi: 400 Hz - 26 kHz
• Hi Shelf: 1.2kHz - 32 kHz
• Level: +/- 12db, with '0' position detent on each band

History

In the late 60s, Burgess Macneal (now of Sontec) in conjunction with George Massenburg (now of GML) wanted to create an equalizer that did not rely on inductors and switches. The eventual result was the ITI ME-230, the first parametric equalizer, (with the novel ability of bandwidth control), which first appeared at AES in 1971. Eventually ITI went out of business; Massenburg went on to form his own company, and Macneal bought the ITI equalizers and intellectual property and formed Sontec. He then went on to create a few new iterations of the parametric equalizer, the MEP-250A, MEP-250C, and MEP-250EX, which have been used on numerous hit records over the last few decades.