Rack EQs, what are the opptions?

Dr.Mavashi

Dr.Mavashi

neonderthalotonalogist
So, from what I understand a lot of people use dbx dual 15 band EQ, one in front of the amp, the other in the loop.

Can this dbx also push the amp a bit ? or just holds the level of signal like any pedal on bypass ? If yes, how is it vs famous Furman PEQ-3?

Speaking of PEQ-3 are there modern, less noisy clones ? or modern parametric EQ that are sort of a flavor of PEQ3 ?

Thank you!
 
If I'm understanding your question, you want to run a guitar into a line-level EQ? Then you need a buffer. The Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster was designed for that. I use an old SAE Parametric EQ. Works good, sounds good. YMMV.
 
Does it have to be rackmount? There are some great pedals for this. I've been using a Wampler EQuator for a few years and I love it. Not completely parametric - high and low shelving; two sweepable mids, one with a set narrow Q and the other wider; overall boost/cut. It's a fairly simple utility pedal with no fancy I/O or presets but it works great.

There's also the Tech 21 Q Strip (XLR and dry outs, hpf, lpf), Empress ParaEQ (fully parametric), and Source Audio Programmable EQ2 (loads of menu options, stereo), which all have parametric features. The Boss EQ 200 isn't parametric but it does do presets and seems really capable.

I also have a Line 6 HX Effects which has several great EQs. I use the parametric a lot and it's very clean and tweakable. Sounds fantastic.
 
I don't think there are any current rack mount EQs for guitar- but lots of pedals out there.
 
Another vote for a pedal. A 31 band rack unit is and always has been overkill for guitar. There are plenty of pedals designed to do the job. In regards to EQing the sound pre/post preamp, I am not sure how much benefit you will get with two EQ stages. I would say put the EQ in the front if you are looking to hit the tubes harder, in the loop if you are sculpting the overall sound. If this is for a live set up managing two EQs in different rooms could be a nightmare.
 
i can see the value in having an eq before the amp and one in the loop. as far as room tweaking, i would probably only adjust the loop eq. usually you dont need a ton of adjustment, just a little contouring to dial out the obnoxiousness
 
How about a “vintage” DOD R-835 how noisy is it? I suppose it was a poor man’s PEQ-3 back in the day?
 
Securb said:
Another vote for a pedal. A 31 band rack unit is and always has been overkill for guitar. There are plenty of pedals designed to do the job. In regards to EQing the sound pre/post preamp, I am not sure how much benefit you will get with two EQ stages. I would say put the EQ in the front if you are looking to hit the tubes harder, in the loop if you are sculpting the overall sound. If this is for a live set up managing two EQs in different rooms could be a nightmare.
Click to expand...
Yes, rack because I wanna dial in and forget, so yeah more of a sculpting of over all sound, I also have BBE maximizer, I know that conventional wisdom is to keep BBE last in chain in the loop, but I wanna try it after, so with all of the above rack version is kinda optimal logistics wise.
 
Dr.Mavashi said:
Yes, rack because I wanna dial in and forget, so yeah more of a sculpting of over all sound, I also have BBE maximizer, I know that conventional wisdom is to keep BBE last in chain in the loop, but I wanna try it after, so with all of the above rack version is kinda optimal logistics wise.
Click to expand...

Can I ask what the application is, I am very curious. Home recording, live playing or just your own enjoyment at home?
 
Securb said:
Can I ask what the application is, I am very curious. Home recording, live playing or just your own enjoyment at home?
Click to expand...
Number priority is to dial in the tone live, I am very happy with gain and gain on tap for what I do from the amp itself Laney GH50L but I don’t think I can dial what I want on amps and BBE’s knobs. I am ready for an EQ this tells me. It will be nice if can hit tubes for some color on occasion, but it’s not the main demanded feature - hence I am thinking EFX. Also my dream is to record live at some point so, there is that too. But I don’t want to tinker with it on my pedal board, I want to dial it in at sound check - and forget. Hence rack ….
 
Keep in mind that you can do that with a pedal, too...tinker with it during soundcheck, and then forget and use it at will. It is just that modern guitar EQs are all pedal-based these days, or part of a multieffects in a rack. Even touring guitar rigs that use racks aren't using separate rack eqs.
 
i adjust the eq at sound check and thats it. i use it for tonal color so use it both on and off throughout the gig most of the time, but theres no reason that you couldnt put it in the loop and leave it on all the time. when i run always on pedals like that, i put em on the amp, not on a board.
 
I also dial in the EQ at sound check but use the EQ on my amp. My EQ pedal is for sculpting different textures I use in the set. Most sound guys are not going to be patient waiting for you to dial in two 31 band EQs. Also, keep in mind that the EQ of an empty club during sound check is much different than the sound of the room when people are in it. The EQ and sound of a club change when it’s filled with people compared to an empty room due to differences in acoustics. In an empty room, sound bounces off hard surfaces, creating more reverberation and sharp high frequencies. Bass can feel boomy or undefined without objects to absorb the low end. When the room fills with people, their presence absorbs high frequencies and reduces reflections, making the sound warmer and tighter. Bass becomes more prominent, requiring adjustments to keep the mix balanced. Additionally, volume levels often need to be increased to account for the crowd’s absorption of sound. a simple 5, 7 or 10-band EQ makes it easier to make those adjustments.
 
If you want set and forget convenience, a pedal with presets is the way to go. Source Audio EQ2, Boss EQ 200, or Line 6 HX One using any of their EQ models could work for this. The Source Audio and Boss also have routing options so you can use 2 channels in stereo, have 2 parallel EQs with different settings, or use the 2 channels serially, so you can have an EQ in front of your amp and a different one in the loop with the same pedal.
 
with a 31 band eq, id assume youd get your base settings and just have to slightly tweak for different rooms.
 
Aceman said:
That is indeed awesome. And also a lot of work.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I can see that if you aren't good zeroing in on specific frequencies that are troublesome, a 3 band parametric with Q control will have you spinning knobs endlessly until you find something that is 'kind of right'. A programmable graphic would be better for those without that kind of experience with parametric EQs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Zerberus
Am I the only one still using a rack?
2
Replies
29
Views
526
zionstrat
Z
Hiwatts and Gibsons
Happy NPaD.
Replies
0
Views
58
Hiwatts and Gibsons
Hiwatts and Gibsons
B
P-Rails and Tonewoods
Replies
12
Views
122
Mincer
Mincer
Aceman
All I asked about was how many bands and level controls
2
Replies
24
Views
351
Demanic
Demanic
idsnowdog
Introducing The Tone Ranger Pedal
Replies
16
Views
570
Artie
Artie
Back
Top