Applied Research and Technology (ART) Dual Tube EQ Owner's Manual
DUAL TUBE EQ
PROFESSIONAL TWO CHANNEL TUBE PARAMETRIC EQUALIZER
UUSSEERR’’SS GGUUIIDDEE
Table of Contents
Introduction 2
Features 2
Registration 2
Overview 3
EQ Tips 3-5
Unpacking 5
AC Power Hookup 6
Audio Connections 6
Installation 6
Safety Precautions 6
Powering Up 6
Front Panel Controls and Indicators 7
Gain Control 7
Clip Indicator 7
Low Frequency Control 8
Low Shift Switch 8
Lo-Mid Frequency Control 8
Low-Mid Shift x10 Switch 8
Hi-Mid Frequency Control 9
Hi-Mid Shift x10 Switch 9
High Frequency Control 9
High Shift Switch 9
Output Level Control 10
Bypass Switch 10
Mono (cascade) switch 10
Power Switch 11
Rear Panel Connections 11
Input 11
Output 11
Mono connections 12
Tube Replacement 12
Instruments and the Audio Spectrum 12
Applications 13
Specifications 14
On-line Information 14
Warranty Information 15
Service Information 16
258-5004-101
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Introduction
Thank you for purchasing Applied Research and Technology’s
Dual Tube EQ. The Dual Tube EQ may be used anywhere you
need equalization or frequency adjustments. Offering a superb
level of sound quality, the Dual Tube EQ will enhance the sonic
textures of your studio or audio system for years to come.
Features
The Dual Tube EQ is a unique product. While every EQ gives
you the ability to alter the frequency characteristics of a signal,
very few sound
really
good when doing so. Developed in partnership with studio and live sound engineers, the Dual Tube EQ
possesses flexibility and “sound” that is not available from any
other product on the market - at any price! The Dual Tube EQ
was designed and constructed with the best components,
assuring a lifetime of quiet, reliable performance. The Dual
Tube EQ offers:
- The award-winning A R T “SOUND”!
- Tube-based four-band (or eight-band!) equalization
- Selectable Low shelving filters - 40Hz or 120Hz
- Selectable High shelving filters - 6KHz or 18KHz
- Sweepable Lo and Hi mid-frequency bands
- Mid-frequency bands overlap from 200Hz to 2KHz
- Mid-frequency bands sweepable from 20Hz to 20KHz
- Hand-selected 12AX7a tubes
- XLR balanced inputs and outputs
- 1/4” TS unbalanced inputs and outputs
- Custom extruded aluminum chassis
- Independent input and output level controls
- Detented rotary controls
- >90dB dynamic range
- Internal power supply
- Three year warranty
- Designed and manufactured in the USA
Registration
If you haven’t done so already, please take the time to fill out
the User Registration Card for your purchase. Having you in our
database allows us to keep you informed of updates, application notes, and new product introductions. It only takes a
moment, and it will ensure that you are constantly up to date
with your purchase.
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Fill in the following for your future reference:
Date of purchase: ___________________
Purchased From: ____________________
Serial Number: 258-________
Overview
Great recordings and great mixes are made from great sounds.
With the exception of some classical and environmental recordings, equalization plays a large role in creating, tweaking and
capturing great sounds in contemporary music. Agood equalizer will make good sounds sound better, and (more importantly)
bad sounds sound better.
Since we don’t live in a perfect world where all instruments and
sounds are “record-ready”, A R T created the Dual Tube EQ to
make our recordings a little easier and (hopefully) a little better.
The Tube EQ was designed to help “fix” the instruments that
give us the most headaches when we’re recording: kick, snare,
bass, toms, guitar amps, voice, etc. The two sweepable parametric bands and selectable shelving bands on each channel
have been optimized for musical instruments. The two sweepable bands overlap themselves - and the high and low shelving
bands - providing you with the ultimate in flexibility. The Dual
Tube EQ gives you all the control you need to effectively alter
and dial in great sounds from even the poorest of sources.
EQ Tips
Why use an external EQ?
The goal of any recording is to get the sounds right before you
commit them to tape. The Dual Tube EQ exists to help you get
it right so you don’t have to “fix it in the mix”.
The best way to get a signal to any recorder is through the
shortest signal path. In most cases, the shortest path is: mic to
preamp to compressor to EQ to tape deck. The signal doesn’t
even go through the mixer! This isn’t a new concept, but it has
become more relevant with the availability of affordable mixing
consoles. As their name implies, most affordable mixers excel in
signal routing and mixing capabilities. However, they are not
necessarily your best option for recording tracks. While their
onboard EQ is nearly always adequate for tweaking a recorded
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track during mixing, the Dual Tube EQ is a better sounding and
more flexible equalizer. It all comes down to economics: Mixer
manufacturers need to make trade-offs to keep prices down
while keeping performance up.
The use of external processing (equalizers, preamps and compressors) has sonic and practical benefits when you consider
that most recording is done one or two channels at a time. For
those of us on a budget, it just doesn’t make sense to spend a
ton of money on a “cadillac” console when a budget mixer and
a few pieces of external gear is more cost effective. Even those
engineers who regularly work on “big” consoles use external
EQs, compressors and preamps!
Why should I use a parametric EQ?
Parametric EQs can give you more control over a signal -- they
can provide subtle or drastic results because they can be tuned
to specific frequencies. Parametric EQs allow you to boost or
cut narrow frequency bands to make individual instruments “sit”
better with other instruments when combined in a mix. This is
usually accomplished with one or two bands.
What is the best way to use EQ?
There are two schools of thought on EQ: 1) Use as much as
you need to make things sound good. 2) Don’t use any EQ.
Most people follow the suggestion of “if it sounds good, it is
good.” You need to use your ears and judge for yourself as their
are no steadfast rules for EQ’ing. Here are a few pointers to
guide you.
Always tweak the instrument you are EQ’ing while listening to it
in the mix. EQ’ing an instrument when it is soloed doesn’t give
you a good representation of how it will sound when mixed with
other instruments. You’d be surprised at how
bad
a “killer” guitar
track can sound when it is isolated from the rest of the mix.
Remember, what makes it killer is how it sounds in relation to
the other instruments! Keep the big picture in mind.
Most people think of EQ as boosting only (“we’ll just add a little
EQ...”). Many times a “bad” sounding instrument can be fixed
by simply isolating the bad frequency and pulling it out. After
you determine approximately where the “problem area” is in the
instrument (highs, lows, mids), isolate the track and boost one
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of the mid bands. Slowly sweep through the frequency range.
When the really nasty sound jumps out at you (you’ll know it
when it happens) turn the boost back to “0” (12 o’clock). Now
put the track back into the mix and
cut
the frequency. You’ll
have to adjust the level of the instrument depending on how
much you cut, but you may find that with the “problem area”
pulled out, the instrument works better in the mix.
When recording EQ’d instruments you want to make sure you
have good representation of frequencies on tape. Always monitor “off” tape when recording. This ensures that what you’re
hearing is what is on tape. When recording things like kick
drums, make sure you have enough low end “thud” and high
end “click” (if applicable) before you record.
Recording guideline: You can always boost or cut frequencies
after
they’ve been recorded, but you can’t
add
frequencies that
weren’t’ recorded! Always be prepared for the drummer who
says he
loves
the John Bonham kick drum sound (lots of low
end power and ambience) you got when recording but now, during the mix, he decides he wants to sound like Metallica (more
click than punch).
If you get the sounds right when you’re recording you shouldn’t
be spending a lot of time re-EQ’ing during the mix. During mixing you should be concentrating on the blending of tracks and
the dynamics of the song. If you find yourself EQ’ing everything,
take a break and come back to it later. Start mixing with a group
of instruments (the whole drum kit or guitars and bass) instead
of listening to individual tracks. Mixing is the time for tweaking not applying a sonic re-design.
Once again, “if it sounds good, print it!” Trust your ears - nevermind where the knobs are pointing.
Unpacking
Your Dual Tube EQ was packed with care at the factory. The
shipping carton was designed to protect it during initial shipment. Please retain this carton for use in transporting the Dual
Tube EQ, or in the unlikely event that you need to return your
Dual Tube EQ for servicing.
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