Manley Labs STEREO EQ User Manual

OWNER'S MANUAL

LANGEVIN

MINI MASSIVE

STEREO EQ

MANLEY

LABORATORIES, INC.

MANLEY LABORATORIES, INC.

13880 MAGNOLIA AVE.

CHINO, CA. 91710
TEL: [phone]
FAX: [phone]

http://www.manleylabs.com

email: emanley @ manleylabs.com

email: service @ manleylabs.com

Rev. MSMPXxxxx

CONTENTS

SECTION PAGE

INTRODUCTION 3

BACK PANEL & CONNECTING 4

FRONT PANEL 5,6,7,8

CREDITS 8

THE MASSIVE PASSIVE

BEGINNINGS, THE SUPER PULTEC 9
THE PASSIVE PARAMETRIC 10
WHY PASSIVE, WHY PARALLEL 11
PHASE SHIFT, WHY TUBES 12

CURVES 13 to16

TUBE LOCATIONS, ETC 17, 18

EQUALIZING

EQUALIZERS (GENERAL) 19
EQUALIZER TECHNIQUES 20 to 24
TRANSLATIONS 25

TROUBLESHOOTING 26, 27

MAINS CONNECTIONS 28

SPECIFICATIONS 29

WARRANTY 30

WARRANTY REGISTRATION 31

APPENDIX 1 - EXAMPLE SETTINGS 32

APPENDIX 1 - TEMPLATE FOR STORING SETTINGS 33

INTRODUCTION

THANK YOU!...

for choosing the Langevin MINI MASSIVE STEREO EQUALIZER. This Equalizer is based on the
Manley Massive Passive Stereo Tube EQ and might be described as an evolution and an alternative to the
original.The Massive Passive and the Mini Massive share a number of qualities. Both are based on passive
circuits comprised of resistors, capacitors and inductors to sculpt tone, in fact for the most part, the exact
same circuits. These EQ circuits substantially attenuate the signal, and gain is needed to restore signal
levels to nominal unity gain when ‘flat’ and provide the apparent EQ boosts. The Massive Passive uses
mostly tubes to provide the gain and the Mini Massive uses solid-state gain blocks. The Massive uses
tubes and transformers simply because it was designed for a certain amount of color and character. The

Mini Massive was designed to be clean and pristine and be an alternative for people wanting the magic
of the its big brother, but who generally prefer EQs that have less intrinsic color.

The Massive Passive was intended to be a brute-force EQ in the same vein as classic vintage units,
most useful on close-miked instruments needing some drastic treatment. Like many things, the users
found many applications that the designer had not expected, such as stereo buss, mastering and subtle
vocal treatments. The Mini Massive should be even better suited for these tasks for some people,
because of its basic cleanliness and more minimalist design. Of course, the best choice is at least one
of each, plus a good analog parametric, a familiar vintage EQ, plus a few good digital EQs, including
a linear phase type.

Some sections of this manual have been directly 'borrowed' from the Massive Passive manual and some
parts are fresh and only pertain to the Mini Massive. As usual, the manual is mostly just train-of-thought,
random ramblings from one engineer to another and can be read with a grain of salt or a smile.

GENERAL NOTES

LOCATION & VENTILATION

The Langevin MINI MASSIVE must be installed in a stable location with ample ventilation. It is
recommended, if this unit is rack mounted, that you allow enough clearance on the top of the unit such
that a constant flow of air can move through the ventilation holes. Airflow is primarily through the top.

You should also not mount the MINI MASSIVE where there is likely to be strong magnetic fields such
as directly over or under power amplifiers or large power consuming devices. The other gear's fuse values
tend to give a hint of whether it draws major power and is likely to create a bigger magnetic field. Magnetic
fields might cause a hum in the EQ and occasionally you may need to experiment with placement in the
rack to eliminate the hum. In most situations it should be quiet and trouble free.

WATER & MOISTURE

As with any electrical equipment, this equipment should not be used near water or moisture.

SERVICING

The user should not attempt to service this unit beyond that described in the owner's manual.
Refer all servicing to your dealer or Manley Laboratories. The factory technicians are available for
questions by phone [phone] or by email at <[e-mail]>. Fill in your warranty

card! Check the manual - Your question is probably anticipated and answered within these pages......

3

THE BACK PANEL

OUTPUT

7

CHANNEL 2

PIN 1 GROUND

PIN 2 HOT +
PIN 3 LOW -

N9512423

6

INPUT

IF IN DOUBT USE +4 BALANCED

& “IRON” IF OPTION IS INSTALLED

INPUT OUTPUT

TRANSFORMER

LEVELS

+4 UNBALANCED

+4
BAL

-10 UNBALANCED

5

OPTION

VINTAGE

BYPASS

IRON

MINI MASSIVE

SERIAL NUMBER

VOLTAGE

123

MANLEY LABS

13880 MAGNOLIA AVE., CHINO, CA 91710

PHONE [phone] fax [phone]

www.manleylabs.com

FUSE 1A @ 117V
FUSE .5A @ 220V

CAUTION - RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN. REFER SERVICING TO

QUALIFIED PERSONNEL ONLY

4

OUTPUT

78

CHANNEL 1

BY MANLEY LABS

MINI-MASSIVE

TWO CHANNEL EQUALIZER

DESIGNED BY HUTCH

INPUT

6

First connect all the cables, then turn on the power, wait 30 seconds, then have fun, as if we had to tell you....

1) POWER CONNECTOR. First verify the POWER SWITCH on the front panel is off (down). Use the power cable supplied with your
Massive Passive. One end goes here and the other end goes to the wall outlet. You know all this.

2) VOLTAGE LABEL (ON SERIAL STICKER). Just check that it indicates the same voltage as is normal in your country. It should
be. If it says 120V and your country is 220V, then call your dealer up. If it says 120V and you expect 110 it should work fine.

3) FUSE. The fuse holder on this unit is part of the IEC power connector and can be accessed by flipping the small rectangular panel. Before
attempting this be sure the power cable is removed to ensure there is no possibilty of getting shocked As to be expected, the big hint that
the fuse is blown is that there seems to be no power, no LEDs lit no matter where the switches are set, in other words the same smptoms
as the power cable not being plugged into the wall or the Mini Massive (which should be the first thing to check). Fuses are meant to "blow"
when an electrical problem occurs and are essentially safety devices to prevent fires, shocks and big repair bills. Only replace it if it has
"blown" and only with the same value and type (2A slow-blow for 120V, 1A slow-blow for 220V). A blown fuse either looks blackened
internally or the little wire inside looks broken. Because the Mini Massive automatically goes into "hard-wire bypass" when power is
removed audio will pass through the unit even when there is a blown fuse.

4) Fuse Value. Just in case you don't read manuals (including this one obviously) we remind you of the right value of fuse to use on the
back panel. In fact, there are a few other bits of technically marginally useful info on the back panel that you may refer to occasionally.

5) Input / Output Level Switch. This 3 position toggle is important to set properly. It allows you to properly interface the Mini Massive
with your studio. For most situation the default setting will be the center position "+4 Balanced" that should work with most pro gear. The
other settings are "+4 Unbalanced" and "-10 Unbalanced". In most situations, especially with typical balanced audio gear, when this switch
is improperly set, the symptoms are subtle, with only a loss of headroom being the significant factor. If in doubt, set this switch to the middle
position and read the section on page 25 for a more complete explanation.

6) COMBO JACK INPUTS. Accepts balanced or unbalanced and XLR or 1/4 inch Tip-Sleeve or Tip-Ring-Sleeve plug sources. These
are just the Input jacks and will easily interface with most gear.

7) XLR JACK OUTPUTS. These are the basic output jacks and should easily interface with virtually any audio equipment whether
balanced or unbalanced when the appropriate setting is chosen at the Input / Output Level Switch. Pin 1 is Ground, Pin 2 is hot or + and
Pin 3 is low or -. These outputs are not the typical pseudo-balanced or cross-coupled type which automatically compensate for unbalanced
inputs but are often unstable and may significantly reduce hum rejection. These outputs maintain a constant and very balanced output
impedance regardless of loading conditions.

8) Transformer Option Switch. Mini Massives may have the "Transformer Option" installed and part of the option includes the fitting
of this switch. If the switch is not here then the "Transformer Option" is not installed. With the switch in the lower position, the transformer
is bypassed and the output is direct coupled from the line drivers. The advantage is a wider frequency response, extending from 1 Hz to
100 kHz, and slighly lower distortion or less color. With the switch in the center position the output goes through the transformer. The
advantages include "Floating" outputs which are very forgiving when it comes to interfacing and the slightly warmer and smoother color
caused by the transformer. The transformer sound in this case is deliberately exagerated a little just because we all expect a bit of tonal
change,and in truth when this transformer is used raw the difference sonically may be too subtle to justify its inclusion, so the circuit pushes
it for extra color . The upper position of the switch further exagerates the transformer by biasing a separate winding with enough DC current
to increase the even order distortions and is intented to begin to simulate some Class A discrete British console circuits from the mid 70's.
This position may seem to increase the apparent lows especially as the user increases the low boosts on the front panel. It may be too much
for some purposes and may be most appropriate where a little less fidelity may be desired - rock guitars for example.

Maybe it might be worth pointing out to those with less time behind the soldering irons and oscilloscopes, that modern transformers tend
to be a lot more transparent than marketing suits may want you to believe (remember when "tubes make it warm" was the hype). We pointed
out that it was more like the old transformers that gave that vintage warmth and now this is the new hype. Basically, some old (and new)
transformers used cheap steel (low permeability) laminations and this caused some low freq distortions. Of course, any distortion can be
said to both be useful on some things but a disaster on other sounds. Its not platinum record magic, its just familiar distortions. OK?

4

THE FRONT PANEL

233

EQ IN

LEVEL

0820

BOOST

FREQUENCY BANDWIDTH LEVEL

OUT

2K7

CUT

1K8

1K2

SHELF

820

560

P

B

BELL

HI FREQUENCY EQ HI FREQUENCY EQLOW FREQUENCY EQ

3K9

5K6

8K2

12K

16K

27K 22

BY MANLEY LABS

LOW FREQUENCY EQ

68

47

33

FREQUENCY

100

22

BANDWIDTH

150

220

330

470

680

1K

HZ HZ HZ HZ

446

1) The Power Switch: First things first, flip the toggle up to turn on the Mini Massive. There is no "power on LED", instead
the "Bypass" LED indicator is lit red for a few seconds as the unit warms up and stabilizes. If the "EQ IN" switch is also up,
then a few seconds later the LED changes from red to green. The Mini Massive has a "hard-wire bypass" so even when power
is off it will pass audio untouched. In fact, because this EQ is quite transparent when set flat, one of our tests is cycling power
on and off while listening for any audible change - it should be as transparent through the unit as when hardwire bypassed.

2) EQ IN toggle: This activates both sides of the EQ and is intended as a convenience feature. Of course, it is pretty easy to
bypass the two individual sections per side using the "OUT" setting (Switch#3) so one can easily use the unit as two mono
EQs. This master EQ IN switch makes auditioning and comparing the effect of the total stereo EQ extremely easy.

3) BOOST / OUT / CUT, TOGGLE. Each band has individual toggles to select whether that band will boost or cut or be
bypassed. "OUT" is a hardwire bypass for that band. Unlike most EQs, you must select boost or cut for each band. There are
several good reasons for this arrangement. First, because the boost part of the circuit is in a different place than the cut part
because it is passive, this allows us to use the same components in both sections but doing essentially opposite functions. The
conventional arrangement of a boost/zero/cut pot (baxandall) circuit was avoided to really make it passive. This switch also
allows twice the resolution of the "GAIN" pot and a much more accurate "zero". The center detent of conventional EQs is rarely
the "electrical" center of the pot so what you expect is zero is often a little EQed. This toggle allows some of us, who use dip
EQ to reduce offending frequencies to verify those frequencies in "Boost" and then switch to "Cut". Finally, it allows us to
bypass each band individually, without losing our "GAIN" pot setting rather than resetting a band to zero or bypassing the
entire EQ.

BOOST

OUT

8

CUT

SHELF

BELL

P

0

20

B

BELL 2

POWER

150

100

220

68

330

47

470

33

680

1K 560

1

3

BOOST

FREQUENCY BANDWIDTH LEVELFREQUENCY BANDWIDTH LEVEL

OUT

8

0

20

P

B

SHELF

3K9

2K7

5K6

CUT

1K8

8K2

1K2

12K

820

16K

27K

BELL

8

0

P

B

4

3

BOOST

OUT

CUT

mini

massive

SHELF

BELL

20

BELL 2

457657657657

4) SHELF & BELL toggle. The two lowest (leftmost) bands can each be a special Low Shelf or conventional Bell shape. The
two highest (rightmost) bands can each be a special High Shelf or conventional Bell shape. Shelf & Bell describe the EQ's
shape. We included some diagrams to help visualize these curves. Bell curves focus their boost and cut at given frequency and
the further away we get from that frequency, the less boost or cut. The bell curves on the Mini Massive are moderately wide
and the "Bandwidth Control" does not have a lot of range and it also affects the maximum boost and cut (like a Pultec). Shelf
slopes generally boost (or cut) towards the highs or lows (thus high shelves and low shelves). These are not to be confused
with "high or low filters" which purely cut above or below a given frequency. Shelves also have gain or dB controls which
allow you to just boost or cut a little bit if desired - filters never have these controls.

The High band also has a special setting labelled BELL 2 that only operates on the 4 highest frequencies. It simply narrows
the Q for those 4 highest frequencies. This can be useful for controlling the apparent air or sweetness of the extreme highs.
One may notice the ovals marked around the 4 highest freqs and a corresponding oval around the Bell 2 setting.

It is a bit of an refinement from the Massive Passive which doesn't offer that feature and which followed a more general
philosophy of maintaining very similar curve shapes across the spectrum. While the SHELF curves on both the Massive
Passive and Mini Massive are capable of good control of 'air', it seems many users missed that idea because they generally
favor bell curves and in the case of the Massive Passive the bell Q is probably too wide for great 'air' control. The Mini Massive
includes 3 features that vastly improve 'air' control. The first is this narrower Q in Bell 2, the second is reshaped curves for
the 4 highest shelf frequencies, and the third is the incredible clarity offered by the Rapture amps along with transformerless
outputs, which extents the frequency and phase response. These features were considered important for a basic 2 band stereo
EQ more aimed at mastering than the Massive Passive was, where ironically it has seen a lot of use.

Similarly, we reshaped the 4 lowest shelf curves for more fatness, depth and punch compared to the Massivo. These new curves
might be considered more Pultec-like but are not in the strictest sense. They just offer a similar usefulness and essentially
increase the range that the bandwidth control can be effectively used for those lowest freqs. It also breaks away from the
philosophy on the Massivo of maintaining similar curve shaping across the spectrum. The Mini shifts the dip aspect of the shelf
curves more towards the low mids and mids for those lowest 4 frequencies.

It may also be worth pointing out that the shelf curves that were introduced by the Massive Passive were quite unique at that
time and while there have been imitations since, these shelves are still unique, unusual and certainly unconventional compared
to most EQs and are worth exploring and learning. Let us just say that the biggest fans of the Massive are the engineers who
quickly learned the strange shelf 'features' and those who approached it as a whole new tool, and not just a standard EQ.

5

5) GAIN. This sets the boost and/or cut depth or amount and works with the BOOST, OUT, CUT, TOGGLE. FLAT is fully
counter-clockwise not straight up "12:00" like most EQs. It is more like a Pultec in this regard. Maximum boost or cut is fully
clockwise and can be up to 20 dB - but not necessarily. There is a fair amount of interaction with the BANDWIDTH control.
The maximum of 20 dB is available in Shelf modes when the Bandwidth is CCW and is about 12 dB when the Bandwidth is CW.
The maximum of 20 dB is available in Bell modes when the Bandwidth is CW and is about 6 dB when the Bandwidth is CCW.
At straight up "12:00" in Bell mode "narrow" expect about 8 dB of boost or cut. In other words, you shouldn't expect the markings
around the knob to indicate a particular number of dBs. Many Eqs are this way. On the other hand, this interaction is the result
of natural interactions between components and tends to "feel" and sound natural as opposed to contrived.

The 2 bands will have some interaction and interdependence especially when both are set towards mid frequencies. It is a parallel
EQ rather than the far more common series connected style. If you set up all 2 bands to around 1kHz and boosed each 20 dB,
the total boost will be 20 dB rather than 40dB (20+ db of boost and 20 dB into clipping). This also implies, that if you first boost
one band, that the next will not seem to do much if it is at similar frequencies and bandwidths. Virtually all other parametrics
are both series connected and designed for minimal interaction, which seems to be quite appealing if you wear a white lab coat
with pocket protectors ;.) Actually, there are valid arguements for those goals and there are definately some applications that
require them. However, there is also a valid point for an EQ that is substantially different from the "norm", and for audio toys
that have artistic merit and purpose and not just scientific interest or gimmickry. We tried to balance artistic, technological and
practical considerations in both the Massive Passive and Mini Massive, and offer both some new and old approaches that appealed
to the ears of recording engineers (and our own ears).

6) BANDWIDTH. Similar to the "Q" control found in many EQs. A more accurate term here would be "Damping" or
"Resonance" but we used "Bandwidth" to stay with Pultec terminology and because it is a "constant bandwidth" (*) design rather
than "constant Q" and because of the way it uniquely works in both Bell and Shelf modes. In Bell modes, you will find it similar
to most Q controls with a wider shape fully CCW and narrower fully CW. The widest Q (at maximum boost) is about 1 for the
and the narrowest Q is about 2.5 to 3 for most of the frequencies. On paper, the bell widths appear to have less effect than is
apparent on listening and the sound is probably more due to "damping" or "ringing" and the way it interacts with the gain. Also
some people associate a wide bell on conventional EQs with more energy boost or cut, and at first impression the Massivo seems
to work backward compared with that and narrow bandwidths give more drastic results. On the Massive Passive a narrow
bandwidth bells will allow up to the full 20 dB of boost (or cut) and wide bandwidths significantly less at about 6 dB maximum.

In Shelf Modes the Bandwidth has a special function. When this knob is fully CCW, the shelf curves are very similar to almost
all other EQs. As you increase the Bandwidth control, you begin to introduce a bell curve in the opposite direction. So if you
have a shelf boost, you gradually add a bell dip which modifies the overall shelf shape. At straight up, it stays flatter towards the
mid range, and begins to boost further from the mids with a steeper slope but the final maximum part of the boost curve stays
relatively untouched. With the Bandwidth control fully CW, that bell dip becomes obvious and is typically 6dB down at the
frequency indicated. The boost slope is steeper and the maximum boost may be about 12 dB. These curves were modelled from
Pultec EQP1-As and largely responsible for the outrageous "phatness" they are known for. As you turn the Bandwidth knob (CW),
it seems as if the shelf curve is moving further towards the extreme frequencies, but mostly of this is just the beginning part of
the slope changing and not the peak. This also implies, that you may find yourself using frequencies closer to the mids than you
might be used to. These shelf curves have never been available for an analog high shelf before and provide some fresh options.

7) FREQUENCY. Each band provides a wide range of overlapping and interleaving frequency choices. Each switch position
is selecting a different capacitor and inductor. In fact, in SHELF mode the EQ could be deemed third order sections, which implies
3 frequency dependent components are in play, 2 capacitors and an inductor or two inductors and a capacitor. Normal shelf EQs
are first order with only one capacitor creating the EQ shape, and this shape is less steep and controllable by the user.

At extreme high and low frequencies (including 10K and 12K), you might get some unexpected results because of the Bandwidth/
Shelf function. For example, you can set up 20 dB of boost at 12K and it can sound like you just lost highs instead of boosting.
This happens when the Bandwidth control is more CW only and not when it is CCW. Why? You are creating a dip at 12K and
the shelf is only beginning at the fringes of audibility but the dip is where most of us can easily percieve. It takes a little getting
used too the way the controls interact. The reverse is also true, where you set up a shelf cut and you get a boost because of the
Bandwidth control being far CW. In some ways this simulates the shape of a resonant synthesizer filter or VCF except it doesn't
move. These wierd highs are useful for raunchy guitars and are designed to work well with the Filters. There are a lot of creative
uses for these bizarre settings including messing up the minds of back-seat engineers.

6

NOTES

1) Do not assume the knob settings "mean" what you expect they should mean. Part of this is due to the interaction of the controls. Part
is due to the new shelf slopes and part due to a lack of standards regarding shelf specification.

2) You may find yourself leaning towards shelf frequencies closer to the mids than you are used to and the "action" seems closer to the edges
of the spectrum than your other EQs. Same reasons as above.

3) You may also find yourself getting away with what seems like massive amounts of boost. Where the knobs end up, may seem scarey
particularly for mastering. Keep in mind that, even at maximum boost, a wide bell might only max out at 6 dB of boost (less for the lowest
band) and only reaches 20 dB at the narrowest bandwidth. On the other hand, because of how transparent this EQ is, you might actually
be EQing more than you could with a different unit. Taste rules, test benches don't make hit records, believe your ears.

4) Sometimes the shelfs will sound pretty wierd, especially (only) at the narrow bandwidth settings. They might seem to be having a complex
effect and not only at the "dialed in" frequency. This is certainly possible. Try wider bandwidths at first.

5)A reasonable starting point for the Bandwidth for shelves is straight up or between 11:00 and 1:00. It was designed this way and is roughly
where the maximum flatness around the "knee" is, combined with a well defined steep slope.

6) The back panel I/O level switch is important to set properly in order to maximise headroom and ensure that there is not an unwanted
6 dB level loss. However, there may be situations where a deliberate goal might be to make the Mini Massive clip early. For example, one
could use the "+4 UNBALANCED" setting (assuming it is patched into balanced gear) and get 6 dB less headroom or use the "-10
UNBALANCED" setting which will clip the input 12 dB early.

7) And speaking of clipping, there are no "Clip LEDs" mostly because like the Massive Passive, the headroom is generally outrageous. For
example the balanced output clips at +30 dBm which is about 6 dB more than most gear and 8-10 dB more than most A to D converters.
That said, one still needs to always be listening and should be aware that clipping may be possible with extreme settings.

8) The Mini Massive may sound remarkably different from other high end EQs and completely different from the console EQs. Yes, this
is quite deliberate. Hopefully it sounds better, sweeter, more musical and it complements your console EQs. We saw little need for yet
another variation of the standard parametric with only subtle sonic differences. We suggest using the Mini Massive before tape, for the
bulk of the EQ tasks and then using the console EQs for some fine tweaking and where narrow Q touch-ups like notches are needed. The
Mini Massive is equally at home doing big, powerful EQ tasks such as is sometimes required for tracking drums, bass and guitars, or for
doing those demanding jobs where subtlety is required like vocals and mastering.

9) Of course the Mini will get compared to the Massive Passive which gets compared to vintage Pultecs and to Manley's Enhanced Pultec
EQs so maybe a few words from the designer are appropriate. First things first - The vintage Pultec EQ section was designed by Western
Electric and decades later Eugene Shenk added his gain stage and formed a company called Pulse Technologies to manufacture these EQs.
Shenk's design used 4 triodes (2 tubes) in a balanced topology and 3 transformers, and we might point to the interstage transformer and
less than optimal drive circuitry for its vintage Pultec crunch . This made it a favorite for kick and sometimes bass guitar during the 70's
and 80's but may have been too low fidelity to be used on much else. Of course, most Pultecs by that time had drifted to the point where
if one had 10, one was lucky if two sounded similar enough for stereo. The Manley Pultecs were designed initially for mastering and a
cleaner gain stage was used and transformers were chosen that were flatter and cleaner and more consistant. Of course, the exact values
of the original EQ components were used, but the quality of capacitors, resistors and pots had improved and were used. So the original EQ
shapes are intact along with several new frequencies added. Pultecs have been a studio and broadcast standard since the 60's and that most
engineers used both the boost and cut knobs at the same time - so it may be a bit funny that what we call "the Pultec Curve" wasn't described
until the late 90's and wasn't resurrected earlier.

The Massive Passive was designed as a tracking EQ and as an alternative or addition to the usual tools like console EQs and plugs.
A) There were hundreds of op-amp based parametric EQs and a growing number of software based simulations of that idea. Even a Manley
variation on that idea wouldn't have been so different and we didn't want to use op-amps (but ended up using one in the end)
B) Nobody had really addressed the issue that most engineers favorite EQs were Neves, APIs and Pultecs and nobody had really done an
new inductor based EQ design in decades.
C) There was more of a percieved need for a new tracking EQ than a 'mastering EQ'. Besides back then there were a lot fewer people calling
themselves mastering engineers. The idea of strapping an EQ across the mix at that time was pretty unusual and almost unheard of.
D) So we set out to design an EQ that would be good for guitars, bass, keys and drums, and of course it ended up being used for almost
everything else (like vocals) and started a fashion of EQing the stereo buss (for better or worse).

The Mini Massive came about due to the designer finally finding a solid state gain stage he liked a lot (it was developed for an A/D converter)
and because he appreciated how the Massive came to be used and how that style of EQ might be improved for some users. Of course, some
use the Massive for its color and there was no need to repeat that (if that is what you need we still build the Massive). The Mini was envisioned
as a buss EQ so and was optimised for that (it is clean), so, of course, we expect it will get used for everything else.

8

More Thoughts from the Designer

Clean versus colored - Active versus Passive - Tape versus Digital - well it all gets a bit tiresome.
Here is the real deal: they are all a bit colored and for the most part remarkably clean. So if anything
we are basing our preferences on which flavor of subtle color we either happen to like, or believe we
need (based on something we read somewhere) which may be just a slightly familiar sound rather
than some magnificient life changing event. No magic, just good tools. The music is the magic.

Does Digital require some analog warmth, some color to make a great recording? Not necessarily.
For example some recordings call for "as clean as possible" and even some instruments within an
otherwise grungy mix may sound best or provide a wonderful contrast when made as clean as
possible. And while this designer doesn't claim that today's hi end digital is absolutely clean and
transparerent or clinical and sterile, adding more and more stages of processing whether analog or
digital will mostly tend to make it less transparent, less true to the source. Choose wisely.

Will some analog processor fix digital's flaws? This designer hears digital's flaws as a subtle form of
time smear. Much analog on the other hand can be characterized as having various forms of
harmonic and intermodulation distortion, plus often some time smear caused by phase shifts which
are practically inevitable given the normal frequency responses of audio gear. One form of distortion
doesn't cancel out the other and adding more time smear should make things worse. However, there
are some families of distortion that may be euphonic and either add to the effect of 3D depth, some
distortions give an effect of fatness or warmth (transformers), and some distortions that seem to
evoke vintage tone like a familiar smell. So 'as clean as possible' is appropriate for some situations
and somewhat controlled dirt is appropriate for others. Beware of getting the mind-set that either
goal is appropriate for every sound and every situation. Like every house should be the same color.

There are many situations where one might want a processor (or preamplifier) that doesn't leave its
thumbprint on the sound. Typically mastering is one place for a transparent EQ, especially when the
mix is already pretty damn fine. Other situations, of course include, most classical and live ensemble
or choir recordings, a lot of acoustic recordings, folk, country, jazz, choir, classical, etc. While the
MiniMassive does have very transparent gain stages, and the EQ sections are passive so they have
less artifacts at low to modereate settings than most op-amp based EQs, it should be pointed out that
significant drastic settings with any EQ (or compressor) regardless of how clean it started, will
probably leave a thumbprint. Sometimes 'natural' is very good goal, and it can be the most familiar.
The place to start is player, instrument, room then mic choice & position, preamp & converter. EQ?

With the MiniMassive, expect a generally clean and natural sound with conservative to moderate
settings. However, it will gradually introduce a signature color at more drastic settings. With the
transformer option, one can introduce some vintage color and subtle warmth. The downside with
iron, and there is always a downside, is some subtle time smear that might be noticed with sounds
that have lots of energy (and tightness) at the edges of the spectrum. Worth a check on big solid
mixes or kick drum tracks or high hat tracks. Drastic EQ settings (from any EQ) can 'time-smear'
too. EQ changes generally introduce phase shift so listen for time smear with spectrum changes.

And for those who have need for more color and more of that elusive vintage vibe, we designed
another EQ to do that function. It is called the Massive Passive, and it is a vacuum tube based unit
originally designed to be an alternative to the typical mostly boring EQs available then. Ya know?

Just a few notes for plug-in users.

One question that gets asked a lot is “Why no ‘Link’ switch “or “Why not a stereo EQ with one set
of controls?” The most accurate answer is “you guys are spoiled, ha ha”. To do it in digital is almost
a no-brainer and is just a matter of passing a few numbers to the other sides parameter registers. To
do it on an analog compressor is a bit more involved but still pretty easy and not pricey. But to do it
on an analog EQ, requires big expensive multi-deck switches, pots, and practically all audio
switching be done with relays or FETs. Now given that the rotary switches and all the pots are
already custom and difficult to source, getting ones that are twice as deep, 4 times rarer, and would
only be used occasionally, would add a lot of cost to the unit. Besides that, considering that the Mini
is really stuffed with parts, just routing printed circuit board traces, would be difficult and involve
compromises to the integrity. Which brings up the final point, crosstalk would probably bite one’s
butt for even trying. Basically, a stereo link or single set of knobs is way more difficult to do in
analog, and extremely easy in digital and that is the difference.

Next question…”Why no Manley EQ plug-in?” Maybe we are a bit too picky, but we haven’t heard
a plug in that really approximates the subtleties of an inductor based EQ or even a transformer.
Maybe some day, we’ll combine our knowledge with some DSP wizard’s knowledge and do
something cool, and cheap (which is really what you are asking for, right?). We might also say, that
we would prefer to do something new and different than try to clone our existing stuff. If and when
Manley does a plug-in it should be at least as radical and special as the hardware. In other words,
take advantage of digital technology and do what it can do best, rather than the questionable effort of
trying to recreate (again) analog processes especially if this is where digital technology is at its
weakest or most immature for now. However, like yourselves, we do use plug-ins, music programs,
etc, and evaluate too many to name, and we are keeping our ears and eyes open. Of course, some of
you know that the we have contributed to some non-Manley plug-ins that are highly regarded.
Meanwhile progress continues and we are continuing to listen, and maybe some day we'll hook up
with some adventurous DSP hot shots with more on their minds than "clone market $".

Or this question…” Have you guys thought about digital controlled analog so that maybe we can
control the EQ like a plug-in and automate or even recall settings?” Gee, we would love to but…..
we, as an industry, just don’t have the technology yet that would enable that without compromising
the signal integrity (and do it at a reasonable cost). For us, that has to be a prime consideration, and
it is really why most of our customers come to Manley. We’ve been approached by a few companies
asking to put our front panels on a computer screen for recalls, but none have suggested any reason
why that would be better or more accurate or cheaper than a pencil and paper, especially when we
supply a paper template in the back of the manual. So, our decisions are based on why people buy
our stuff, which is usually the quality and sound rather than feature set and buzz words.

Or the big question…”Why do analog EQs sound better or at least different than my 50 plug-ins?”
Maybe DSP guys trying to model analog, have zero experience with analog. Maybe young guys who
haven’t yet developed their ears are developing audio software. Maybe FIR filters used everywhere
in digital audio might be a little more audible than people presume. Maybe human hearing and both
analog and digital processing are deeper topics than most people believe and all of us are still
learning. The good news is that the difference is narrowing every year and maybe some day the
choice will be mostly whether this signal path is analog or digital or the order that you prefer to
process or whether you prefer LCD screens or physical knobs and switches.

This section is borrowed from the Massive Passive Manual

Beginnings

The very earliest equalizers were very simple and primitive by
todays standards. Yes, simpler than the hi-fi "bass" and "treble"
controls we grew up with. The first tone controls were like the tone
controls on an electric guitar. They used only capacitors and
potentiometers and were extremely simple. Passive simply means
no "active" (powered) parts and active parts include transistors,
FETs, tubes and ICs where gain is implied. "Passive" also implies
no boost is possible - only cut. The most recent "purely passive EQ"
we know of was the EQ-500 designed by Art Davis and built by a
number of companies including United Recording and Altec Lansing.
It had a 10 dB insertion loss. No tubes. It had boost and cut positions
but boost just meant less loss. Manley Labs re-created this vintage
piece and added a tube gain make-up amp for that 10 dB or make­up gain to restore unity levels. It has a certain sweetness too.

You have probably heard of passive crossovers and active crossovers
in respect to speakers or speaker systems. Each has advantages.
Almost all hi-fi speakers use a passive crossover mounted in the
speaker cabinet. Only one amp is required per speaker. Again,
passive refers to the crossover using only capacitors, inductors and
resistors. Active here refers to multiple power amplifiers.

One of the main design goals of the Massive Passive was to use only
capacitors, inductors and resistors to change the tone. Pultecs do it
this way too and many of our favorite vintage EQs also relied on
inductors and caps. In fact, since op-amps became less expensive
than inductors, virtually every EQ that came out since the mid '70's
substituted ICs for inductors. One is a coil of copper wire around a
magnetic core and the other is probably 20 or more transistors. Does
the phrase "throwing out the baby with the bath water" ring a bell?

Another design goal was to avoid having the EQ in a negative
feedback loop. Baxandall invented the common circuit that did this.
It simplified potentiometer requirements, minimised the number of
parts and was essentially convenient. Any EQ where "flat" is in the
middle of the pot's range and turning the pot one way boosts and the
other way cuts is a variation of the old Baxandall EQ. Pultecs are not
this way. Flat is fully counter-clockwise. For the Massive Passive,
Baxandall was not an option. The classical definition of "passive"
has little to do with "feedback circuits" and we are stretching the
definition a bit here, however, it certainly is more passive this way.

We only use amplification to boost the signal. Flat Gain ! What goes
in is what comes out. If we didn't use any amplifiers, you would need
to return the signal to a mic pre because the EQ circuit eats about 50
dB of gain. Luckily, you don't have to think about this.

We visited a few top studios and asked "what do you want from a
new EQ ?" They unanamously asked for "click switch frequencies",
"character" rather than "clinical" and not another boring, modern
sterile EQ. They had conventional EQs all over the console and
wanted something different. They had a few choice gutsy EQs with
"click frequencies" that were also inductor/capacitor based (which
is why the frequencies were on a rotary switch). Requests like
"powerful", "flexible", "unusual" and "dramatic" kept coming up.

We started with these goals: modern parametric-like operation,
passive tone techniques through-out, and features different from
anything currently available and it had to sound spectacular.

"The Super-Pultec"

Manley Labs has been building a few versions of the Pultec-style
EQs for many years as well as an updated version of the EQ-500
(another vintage EQ). These are classic passive EQs combined with
Manley's own gain make-up amplifiers. Engineers loved them but
we often heard requests for a Manley Parametric EQ with all the
modern features but done with tubes. Another request we had was
for a "Super-Pultec". We briefly considered combining the "best of"
Pultecs into a new product but the idea of some bands only boosting
and some only cutting could only be justified in an authentic vintage
re-creation and not a new EQ.

The next challenge was to make an EQ that sounded as good or better
than a Pultec. With all the hundreds of EQs designed since the
Pultec, none really beat them for sheer fatness. We knew why. Two
reasons. EQP1-A's have separate knobs for boost and cut. People
tend to use both at the same time. You might think that this would

just cancel out - wrong.... You get what is known as the "Pultec

Curve" . The deep lows are boosted, the slope towards "flat"
becomes steeper, and a few dB of dip occurs in the low mids. The
second reason for the fatness and warmth was the use of inductors
and transformers that saturate nicely combined with vacuum tubes
for preserving the headroom and signal integrity.

Could we use a "bandwidth control" to simulate the "Pultec Curve(s)?
The Pultec curve is officially a shelf and shelf EQs don't have a
"bandwidth or Q knob"- only the bell curves. So, if we built a passive
parametric where each band could switch to shelf or bell and used
that "bandwidth" knob in the shelf modes we could not only simulate
the Pultecs but add another parameter to the "Parametric EQ" We
found that we could apply the "Pultec Curve" to the highs with
equally impressive results. This is very new.

The Massive Passive differs from Pultecs in several important areas.
Rather than copy any particular part of a Pultec, we designed the
"Massivo" from the ground up. As mentioned, each band being able
to boost or cut and switch from shelf to bell is quite different from
Pultecs. This required a different topology than Pultecs which like
most EQs utilize a "series" connection from band to band. The
Massive Passive uses a "parallel" connection scheme.

A series connection would imply that for each band's 20 dB of boost,
there is actually 20 dB (more in reality) of loss in the flat settings.
Yeah, that adds up to over 80 dB, right there, and then there is
significant losses involved if one intends to use the same components
to cut and to boost. And more losses in the filter and "gain trim". That
much loss would mean, that much gain, and to avoid noise there
would need to be gain stages between each band and if done with
tubes would end up being truly massive, hot and power hungry.

Instead, we used a parallel topology. Not only are the losses much
more reasonable (50 dB total!) but we believe it sounds more
"natural" and "musical". In many ways the Massive Passive is a very
unusual EQ, from how it is built, to how it is to operate and most
importantly how it sounds.

We designed these circuits using precise digital EQ simulations,
SPICE3 for electronic simulations, and beta tested prototypes in
major studios and mastering rooms for opinions from some of the
best "ears" in the business.

9

"The Passive Parametric"

For years, we had been getting requests for a Manley parametric
equalizer, but it looked daunting because every parametric we knew
of used many op-amps and a "conventional parametric" would be
very impractical to do with tubes. Not impossible, but it might take
upwards of a dozen tubes per channel. A hybrid design using chips
for cheapness and tubes for THD was almost opposite of how
Manley Labs approaches professional audio gear and tube designs.
Could we combine the best aspects of Pultecs, old console EQs and
high end dedicated parametric EQs?

What is the definition of a "Parametric Equalizer"? We asked the
man who invented the first Parametric Equalizer and coined the
term. He shrugged his shoulders and indicated there really is no
definition and it has become just a common description for all sorts
of EQs. He presented a paper to the AES in 1971 when he was 19.
His name is George Massenburg and still manufactures some of the
best parametric EQs (GML) and still uses them daily for all of his
major recordings. Maybe he originally meant "an EQ where one
could adjust the level, frequency and Q independently". He probably
also meant continuously variable controls (as was the fashion) but
this was the first aspect to be "modified" when mastering engineers
needed reset-ability and rotary switches. The next development was
the variation of "Constant Bandwidth" as opposed to "Constant Q"
in the original circuits. "Constant Q" implies the Q or bell shape
stays the same at every setting of boost and cut. "Constant Bandwidth"
implies the Q gets wider near flat and narrower as you boost or cut
more. Pultecs and passive EQs were of the constant bandwidth type
and most console EQs and digital EQs today are the constant
bandwidth type because most of us prefer "musical" over "surgical".
Lately we have seen the word "parametric" used for EQs without
even a Q control.

We can call the Massive Passive a "passive parametric" but .... it

differs from George's concepts in a significant way. And this is
important to understand, to best use the Massive Passive. The dB
and bandwidth knobs are
Q of the bell curve widens when the dB control is closer to flat. More
significantly, the boost or cut depth varies with the bandwidth
control. At the narrowest bandwidths (clockwise) you can dial in 20
dB of boost or cut. At the widest bandwidths you can only boost or
cut 6 dB (and only 2 dB in the two 22-1K bands). Somehow, this still
sounds musical and natural. The reason seems to be, simply using
basic parts in a natural way without forcing them to behave in some
idealized conceptual framework.

not independent. We already noted that the

Another important concept. When you use the shelf curves the
frequencies on the panel may or may nor correspond to other EQ's
frequency markings. It seems there are accepted standards for filters
and bell curves for specifying frequency, but not shelves. We use a
common form of spec where the "freq" corresponds to the half-way
dB point. So, if you have a shelf boost of 20 db set at 100 Hz, then
at 100, it is boosting 10 dB. The full 20 dB of boost is happening
until below 30 Hz. Not only that, like every other shelf EQ there will
be a few dB of boost as high as 500 Hz or 1K. This is all normal,

except.........

Except we now have a working "bandwidth control" in shelf mode.
With the bandwidth set fully counter-clockwise, these shelves
approximate virtually ever other EQ's shelf (given that some use a
different freq spec). As you turn the bandwidth control clockwise,
everything changes and it breaks all the rules (and sounds awesome).
Lets use an example. If graphs are more your style, refer to these as
well. Suppose we use 4.7K on the third band by switching to "boost"
and "shelf" and turning the "bandwidth control" fully counter­clockwise. Careful with levels from here on out. Just for fun, select

4.7kHz and turn the "dB" control to the max - fully clockwise. This
should be like most other shelf EQs, except with better fidelity, (if
you can set them to around 5 kHz!) . Now, slowly turn the
"bandwidth" clockwise. Near 12:00 it should be getting "special". It
also sounds higher (in freq). Keep turning. At fully clockwise it
seems to have gotten a little higher and some of the sibilance is
actually less than in "bypass". It sort of sounds as if the bandwidth
is acting like a variable frequency control but better. More air - less
harshness.

Compared to "conventional parametrics" in all their variations, the
Massive Passive has just "upped the ante" by adding a few useful
new parameters. The first is the use of the "bandwidth" in shelf
modes. Second is the ability to switch each and every band into shelf.
The original parametrics were only "bell". We have seen some EQs
that allow the lowest and highest bands to switch to shelf. Now you
can use two HF shelfs to fine tune in new ways without chaining
several boxes together. Lastly, each band can be bypassed or
switched from boost to cut without losing a knob setting. This allows
twice the resolution from the "dB" pots and allows one to exagerate
an offending note in order to nail the frequency easier, then simply
switch to "cut". You can always check, without losing the dB setting
by switching back to "boost" for a minute. You can also have
absolute confidence that the "zero" position on the dB pot is "flat"
which is not the case with center detented pots. Mechanical center
and electrical center are rarely the same.

"SPICE" printout

"Normal Shelf" Wide Bandwidth

"Special Shelf" Medium Bandwidth

"Pultec Shelf" Narrow Bandwidth

Bell Cut Narrow Bandwidth

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