Empirical Labs EL-Q User Manual
Lil FrEQ
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S
Equalization Empirical Labs Style
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EQ
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INDEX
1 Features & Specs
2 What is the Lil FrEQ?
2 Using for the First Time
3-6 Example Settings of the EQ
7-8 Recall Sheet
9 Example Settings (Continued)
10 FrEQy Pet Tricks & Troubleshooting
11 Block Diagram & Section Details
12 DS Section
12 Wiring & Cables
13 Stereo Operation, Fuse Replacement, and
AC Voltage Select
13 About Empirical Labs
14 Customer Comments
15 Warranty (Rear Cover)
MANUAL
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Features
Possibly the most powerful Analog EQ ever produced. Eight sections of processing!
Two shelving Equalizers, Special 3rd order HP (Low Cut) section with 8 selectable
Frequencies, 4 Fully Parametric bands, and one Dynamic Equalizer section.
Dynamic Section that can be used for De-essing and high frequency softening.
Movable Dynamic Section. For instance, De-essing can be before or after EQ.
Highest audio performance of any Parametric EQ ever available. The total harmonic
distortion is typically below .0006% with all EQ bands Engaged! (See spes below).
Empirical Labs had to buy a new analyzer to even measure the distortion.
Performance exceeds any digital EQ in terms of Distortion and Noise. There is no
Analog to Digital Converter that can currently produce such low distortion and noise.
Built in Instrument Preamp/Direct box – Just plug a guitar or bass etc into the front panel and
engage the instrument Switch, and you have the highest performance direct box currently
available. Distortion is below .0007% on the Instrument Preamp, 114dB dynamic range.
Three Outputs, including a Class A transformer output to give you an isolated output
with the wonderful soft saturation and beefy low end that you get from your favorite
vintage gear.
Traditional and digitally controlled analog combined in new topology.
Huge "DISTRESSOR" knobs with high resolution numbering - For easy readability and
repeatable settings. They also go to 10 1/2 .
A “BAD!” Hard Clip Indicator lights – A “Bad” Clip LED that lets user know he is within 1dB of
hard clipping. It monitors every section of the EQ for internal clipping.
Locked, calibrated, output level - Allows speed in setting tape and live mix levels.
Foolproof operation - it's almost impossible to clip or get a bad sound.
Single height and light weight – More processing than any other single height analog EQ.
Discrete and integrated combination -The best of speed/linearity with repeatability. Hand
tested & selected components. All metal film and Roederstein resistors in the audio path - top
quality components, most being high temperature military spec parts.
Switchable 115/230 volt operation - Extra fuse provided inside unit.
True EQ bypass - Know what it's really doing.
XLR and 1/4" phone ins and outs - XLR fully balanced design, pin 2 hot. Changeable by user
to pin 3 hot!
No internal connectors, high reliability parts and military grade switches and relays. All
contacts doubled up for maximum reliability.
Three year unlimited warranty.
Interface and features found nowhere else.
Hand wired, calibrated in USA. Shipping weight 14 Lbs.
Specs
♦ Freq. Response is 3 Hz to 180 kHz on transformerless Inputs and outputs (-3dB points).
Transformer output is 6Hz – 100kHz. Measurements with EQ “In” but 8 sections “Out”.
♦ Dynamic Range - 122 dB from maximum output (.5%THD soft clipping) to minimum output.
Transformerless noise floor typically – 95dBV.
♦ Distortion Ranges between .0005% and .005% depending on mode and settings.
♦ DC coupled Input and Outputs, and one transformer coupled output - High quality audio
caps used internally.
♦ Input Impedance is 20k Ohm. Output impedance is less than 38 ohms.
♦ D-S Dynamics Time Constants - Attack time is less than 1mS. Release .04 sec, fixed
internally.
♦ Power Consumption – 34 Watts max. 16 Watts Typical
Empirical Labs - Something Old, Something New
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What is the Lil FrEQ?
The Lil FrEQ is a modern digitally controlled analog EQ offering unprecedented performance, and
control over equalization. In a single height unit, Empirical Labs offers seven frequency shaping
controls and one dynamic section… and every frequency is covered in at least two sections.
Lil FrEQ's Five Section Types:
1) Smoooooooth High and Low frequency shelving.
2) A “Colored” High pass filter that emulates the warm low frequency cut of
our favorite vintage equalizers.
3) Four bands of top performance parametric EQ.
4) A dynamic section that offers the verrrry highest performance analog Deesser available, switchable to one of the most musical High Frequency
“knee” limiters ever built. It may be the first contoured soft knee limiter.
5) A built in “direct box”, called the “Inst In”, which offers unparalleled
distortion, noise, and frequency response when preamping instruments.
Using the Lil FrEQ for the first time
Hookup is straightforward. Either the XLRs or phone jacks can be used. In relation to the
phone jack tips, pin 2 is wired "hot" on the XLRs. But if you're using the XLRs in and out, it doesn't
matter which pin is hot, as long as you're cabling is in phase. It’s sometimes advisable to leave a
space above or below the Lil FrEQ, especially if the rack is loaded and runs hot.
The transformer output is a class A balanced design that offers the musical sound of some
expensive Vintage EQ’s. Connect both pins 2 & 3 of this transformer output. If you use the Active
XLR output in an unbalanced system, leave unused pin floating Connecting all input pins is
preferred. All Empirical Labs products have hookup directions located on the rear panel of
unit, near the connectors. See wiring section for greater details (p12).
The performance of the Lil FrEQ surpasses most EQ’s and as a result, it will sound great no
matter what levels or settings it encounters. Start by setting Input knob at 7, output on 6, which is the
balanced unity gain, making the internal electronics operate at the same level as the input. For
unbalanced, set input and output to 7. However, like A/D converters, performance of the Lil FrEQ is
best just below clipping, so it’s best to adjust the input until the BAD! Clip LED comes on during
peaks, and then backing down a number or so, and go wild with the EQ! Of course you should
tweak the output knob till the recorder or device following it is happy. The Lil FrEQ controls are
generally organized on the front panel in the same order as the electronic circuits inside, IE the Input
is the first circuit, the shelf controls and High Pass are next, followed by the Parametric Section and
finally the Dynamics Section (DS). See the block diagram (p11) for more detail.
Remember, it’s always best to try getting the source to sound right WITHOUT EQ! If you are
tracking (recording the source for the first time), there are many ways to alter the tone without EQ,
especially if microphones are used. However, everyone says that, and yet still uses EQ anyway!
If the signal needs a little general brightening, the Hi Shelve is verrrry smooth and simple to
use. It is a gentle curve that starts around 2.5 KHz, but affects frequencies above 6 KHz the most.
Our ears are very sensitive to frequencies in the 3 – 4 KHz range. So watch out for harsh
“honkyness” if excessive Hi Shelving is used. One could click in one of the mid bands and pull down
those upper midrange till the signal was bright, yet sweet. The low shelve is also very smooth and
can add body to a signal. If undesirable mud starts to appear, try one of the high-pass settings to roll
out this “mud”. Be careful using the High Pass since it is steep and once those frequencies are
gone, they probably won’t come back!
Use the Parametric EQ (PEQ) sections to carve frequencies in and out of the source. It allows
extremely narrow or extremely wide cut and boosts. Remember that each section has a bypass, but
don’t let an apparent drop in signal make you think it doesn’t sound as good when you are cutting
frequencies! Try noting the “Output” knob setting, and adjusting it up when A/B’ing the sections that
are cutting frequencies.
Using the Instrument Input – The Lil FrEQ as a Direct Box
SIMPLE! Just plug in your instrument (bass, guitar, synth etc) into the “Inst In” on the front panel,
push in the INST IN button, adjust level, and VOILA… an unparalleled Direct Box!
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Example Settings
The Lil FrEQ provides a new level of Equalization power in a single device. However, using little or
no EQ and getting great sounds is usually preferable than using lots of EQ to get the same results.
If you are tracking (recording the source for the first time), there are many ways to alter the tone
other than with EQ, especially if microphones are used. Remember that the closer a source gets to
a microphone, the more bottom you will have, and the farther you move the microphone, the thinner
and less body it will have. Moving a singer slightly off axis, tilting a mic on a guitar amp speaker, reaiming a mic at the body of a trumpet only takes a few seconds and simple adjustments like these
can make EQing simpler or unnecessary. Especially when tracking, where it is possible to "overdo"
EQ’ing things. However, EQ is one of the major tools for an engineer. Bring professional
“reference” recordings to your sessions to clear your head and ears… and to sometimes even copy a
bit. There is also nothing better than to work alongside (or assist) major engineers that you respect
and watch all their tricks. Most major engineers started out assisting older major engineers.
Trying to generalize what EQ will add magic to your mixes… is ridiculous. That being said, here are
some sample settings that may provide a starting point… and maybe occasionally, actually improve
a sound, or a mix.
Mixes & Buss EQing
those who aren't used to the jargon... A “BUSS” is usually a pair of channels that have pre mixed
instruments or stereo music on them. The Left & Right outputs of your CD player could be
considered a 2 channel buss. In the recording studio, it is more often applied to the final left and
right channel mix, or to something such as all the drums mixed down to 2 tracks (a "submix") Instead
of moving 12 faders at once to move the drums up and down, you only have to grab two.
EQing Whole Mixes – The most common problem with mixes is overall “dullness” or lack of
high end clarity. Try boosting the high frequency shelf first. Since this is smooth it may be just the
thing, or… it may make some pointy frequency ranges pop out, making them more obvious to the
engineer so he can focus on them. Often mid frequencies will pile up between 1 – 5Khz. Our ears
are most sensitive to this range and one can often pull 1 – 3 dB with a parametric band (-1.5@4K
.7oct) after high shelving has been applied, and make your mixes a little sweeter.
Another way to do overall brightening is to use the Hi Frequency parametric sections as
High shelf EQ’s. If the HF shelf boosts too many upper mids, a wonderful shelf can be made by
setting the HF PEQ section to the highest frequency (20.5KHz), BW on .5 – 1.5, and set the boost to
desired amount. Cut 1.5dB @3K – 5K, .5oct if it pops out.
Working the Low End - Sometimes you can do the opposite to brighten a mix by cutting the
low end. But, if the mix needs more bottom (low frequencies and bass), try boosting the low shelf
first, being ready to cut some subs or woofy mids with the parametric (-2@250Hz .7Oct?).
Dealing with “Subs”. With digital recording, frequencies in the 10 – 60Hz range get passed
without any loss. This wasn’t the case with analog tape recorders. Many an engineer has let these
muddy frequencies get down on tracks such as vocals, acoustic instruments, and not even heard
them till much later… and possibly too late! Headphones such as the SONY MDR7506 are really
indispensable here. You will hear these sub frequencies in these and can prevent problems as early
as the tracking stage. Most speakers don’t go down below 60 or 70 Hz accurately, so a $100 set of
headphones is a good investment. The Lil FrEQ has some excellent high pass filters built in to rip
these subs out. These are steep and must be used wisely. However, cutting below 40Hz will not
affect most mixes at all, except it may keep the speakers from moving quite as much. I’ve
encountered some mixes that would be better if 50Hz on down was cut…but be careful! You may
lose the kick drum thump, or the body of a bass and not ever get it back.
Use the Parametric section as a low frequency shelving equalizer Using the low frequency
band is more controllable here than the “Lo Shelf” on the Lil FrEQ. One can get a great bass boost
or cut by putting the LF Parametric on 40Hz and the Bandwidth to .7 to 1.5 oct. This will basically be
a Low Frequency shelf since it is wide and starts below most of the mid frequencies. If you are
boosting you may find putting on the 30 or 60Hz HP filter to shelve off the subs works great.
Sometimes pulling a dB or two at 200 – 400Hz might be necessary after a LF boost.
Another common problem is mud or woofyness in the lower mids. Pulling out frequencies
between 200 – 600 can often clear up a whole mix, making the low end and high end come out in a
pleasing way. If there are vocals present, watch out for losing their pleasant warmth and body.
Mastering mixes is almost always an art of compromise.
Smooth the top end with the DS Section. Applying the DS to smooth and integrate high
frequencies is extremely useful. The HF Limit will do the smoothest general softening, where as the
De-ess mode will pinpoint overwhelming sibilance. Start by setting the frequency to 6KHz.
- During tracking, mixdowns, and mastering, EQ is an indispensable tool. For
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standard De-ess mode which is level insensitive.
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Example Settings (Cont’d)
Vocals - One of the worlds favorite vocalists, Frank Sinatra, became so good at” working the
mic”, moving in when he was singing soft and wanted intimate body, moving back when he belted
and needed to get the higher notes out… he became so proficient that I have heard the engineers
used very little or no EQ his voice. He got the sound at the source. As he sang soft, he would
move in a little closer to the mic, giving his voice an intimacy. He would even turn his head quickly
to the side so certain breaths wouldn’t be heard. Modern singers of every style could learn from
what Frank was doing 40 yrs ago.
Sticking my neck out, I have to say I have never heard so many nasty vocal sounds on some of
today’s (2005) hit records. There are whole albums that have become painful to listen to because of
over compressed, over brightened, and “spitty” lead vocals. I would mention engineer’s names but
some of these people are our customers! It’s a little bit frightening that people accept these sounds
as normal or actually “good”. Some of it is the result of engineers thinking it’s cool to smash every
breath, word, and syllable with +20dB of compression… and some of it from using digital “software
plug-ins” that haven’t been designed with the greatest musicality. Let’s hope this is just a phase. A
little restraint, combined with getting things right from the start can help. Here are some tips.
Pick the right mic, the right distance and the right angle for the singer. The most expensive
mic isn’t always the best mic for a person’s voice. Moving a person a couple inches in and out from
the mic can make all the difference in the world. Putting the mic up above the person’s mouth
around their nose level can warm things up, avoid pops, and make a singer sound less nasal. When
a mic is aimed down a little towards the singer’s mouth, you will be aiming it at their body also, where
lots of low frequency resonance occurs. Conversely aiming it up can work, having the singer sing
over the top of the mic. Remember that a leading cause of “nasality” is the lack of sound and air
coming from a persons nose, so by aiming up or being level with the nose, an engineer can often
improve the basic quality of a voice. Remember to remind the singer they can move slightly in on
soft intimate parts, working the microphone ala “The Frank”.
EQing - Don’t overly brighten! One of the first things people do when they track or mix vocals
is to grab for that high end and crank it up. Of course, a certain amount of high boost is frequently
required. But, often harsh sibilant frequencies suddenly pop out making a perfectly good vocal
become this scratchy, hissy annoying squawk. UGH! Remember that pulling some woofy or pointy
lower mids can bring out the body and high frequencies without exaggerating the spit, S’es, and high
frequency resonances in a voice. Try pulling freqs from 300 to 4000 out to smooth and bring out the
low and top end. There is a danger in removing the body in the 300 – 600 range so keep your ears
alert when pulling out these freqs. A dB or two may be enough. Compression is going to bring
some of the body back up but will also bring out the honk, breaths and sibilants (sibilants are the
annoying S’es, T’s K’s that have a high frequency transient nature).
A very common technique used in pop and rock mixdowns today is applying different EQ’s to
different vocal sections. Splitting a vocal on to different channels or tracks to allow tweaking the EQ
sound is a day-to-day event for many major mixdown engineers. The engineer will mute the unused
channel(s) for different sections of a song. Sometimes different effects will also be applied to the
different sections. Even with digital editors, this is still a lot of work and takes experience to make it
sound natural and all fit together. Some of the most pleasing rock vocal sounds were achieved by
an engineer riding the EQ during mixdowns, punching an EQ section in or out or up and down during
certain sections. Again, the upper mids (3.5KHz) is a target for this kind of treatment.
The Lil FrEQ provides a dynamic equalizer in its DS section. There are some other
dynamic equalizers out there that work pretty well, but… hoping to get a great vocal sound using one
“holy grail” setting on a wildly dynamic vocal is dubious in our minds. We believe some experienced
engineers have gotten a bit lazy using some new toys and not their ears. Also, one very common
dynamic equalizer has extremely asymmetrical boost and cut, where the boost is 5 times wider than
when the same band cuts, leaving the engineer wondering why the vocal sound gyrates so widely
when compressing or expanding a frequency range. The Lil FrEQ DS section uses a crossover
method to control high frequency content and is extremely smooth and even in its response. The DS
can be moved before the EQ so that any boost in that eq, will not be undone.
On an occasional overly sibilant vocal, use the
Adjust the frequency for around 6Khz and adjust the threshold till the sibilants start sounding natural.
If lisping starts occurring, raise the frequency or raise the threshold to lower the De-essing. The Deesser should only be working on the offending fricatives and sibilants.
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