Radial Engineering Q3 User's Guide
®
™
Q3
Coil Equalizer
500 Series Module
True to the Music
User Guide
www.radialeng.com
Radial Engineering Ltd.
1588 Kebet Way, Port Coquitlam
British Columbia, Canada, V3C 5M5
tel: 604-942-1001 • fax: 604-942-1010
email: info@radialeng.com
True to the Music
www.radialeng.com
Radial® Q3™ Coil EQ User Guide
Table of Contents ......................................................Page
Feature set ..................................................................... 1
Overview ........................................................................ 2
Getting started ................................................................3
Using the coil EQ ........................................................... 4
Preset curves .................................................................6
Suggested settings .........................................................9
User settings records ..................................................... 12
Specifi cations ................................................................. 13
Block diagram ................................................................ 13
Warranty ............................................................Back cover
Thank you for joining the growing number of Radial 500 series module users. We are
confi dent that you will fi nd the Q3 Coil Equalizer to be a great addition to your recording
studio setup. And although the Q3 is ‘plug and play’ easy to use, we recommend that you
take a few minutes to read through this manual to familiarize yourself with the design and
more importantly, the reasoning behind the way we created it.
If for some reason you do not fi nd all of the answers to your quest, we suggest you log
onto radialeng.com and peruse the Q3 Coil Equalizer FAQ section. This is where we post
questions and answers from users like yourself along with the latest updates. If you do not
fi nd what you are looking for, feel free to send us an email at info@radialeng.com. We will do
our very best to get an answer to you in short order.
Now reach out, close your eyes, turn the dials and listen. You are about to hear Nirvana!
(without all of the grunge)
WARNING NOTICE TO USER!
Although preventative safety measures have been designed into Radial
500 series products we strictly advise against hot-swapping modules
or plugging and unplugging them when the Workhorse or other 500 series
rack is powered on. Hot swapping can cause connection sparks at the cardedge connector that could send damaging transients to other equipment.
This also greatly reduces the life span of the card-edge contacts. Damage
due to hot swapping is not covered under warranty. There are no user
serviceable parts inside.
True to the Music
FEATURE SET
1. HIGH BOOST - 12 position rotary
switch features a wide variety
of high-frequency preset curves
designed to add clarity, shimmer and
presence to the voice on instrument.
2. SHIFT - This two position toggle
switch changes the slope and
amplitude of the preset curve. The
SHIFT position offers an steeper
EQ slope with increased amplitude
creating a more pronounced effect.
3. MID CUT - 12 position rotary switch
presents an array of eleven preset
curves, most of which are designed
to cut mid frequencies where the
human ear is most sensitive.
4. BASS BOOST - 12 position rotary
switch is outfi tted with eleven preset
curves designed to boost bass and
add warmth, body and punch to the
audio track.
5. HPF - High-pass fi lter rolls off
excessive low frequencies that can
cause resonant feedback on a live
stage or clutter up the bottom-end of
a track when mixing.
6. GAIN - Adjustable level control
allows you to compensate for the
EQ amplitude boost or cut and
maintain unity gain through the Q3.
7. EQ IN - This switch lets you
compare the original program
material with the effect introduced by
the passive inductor coil EQ circuit.
The LED indicator will illuminate
when the EQ is engaged.
8. OMNIPORT - Unbalanced ¼” TRS
input and output receives a signal
from an external device, processes
it throught the Q3 and outputs the
signal at the Omniport.
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Rear Panel
Rear Panel
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Radial Engineering Ltd.
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Q3 Coil Equalizer 500 Module
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True to the Music
OVERVIEW
The Radial Q3 is different... it does not follow tradition. The usual 3-knob EQ approach is
to select a frequency band using some sort of rotary switch, then set the Q or width of the
peak frequency and then adjust the amplitude of the effect to suit. To create truly usable
audio curves, you really need to combine multiple frequency bands together and mix their
effects. In other words, to recreate the type of curves we have conjured up inside the Q3, you
would need at least two bands and 6 control knobs. This is ‘practically’ impossible in a small
format module like the 500 series as the controls would be so tightly packed, they would be
unusable.
FREQ Q GAIN
630
500
800
400
1k
350
1.2k
1.5k
250
2k
100
-15dB +15dB
To fi t a coil EQ into the 500 series format, a completely different approach was needed. The
Q3 changes convention by giving the user a mind-numbing selection of over 12,000 EQ
possibilities using only three knobs and a few switches. Each 12 position switch is packed
with 11 preset curves that have been carefully selected after exhaustive listening tests.
These were evaluated on voice, bass, acoustic guitar, electric and on drums and compared
using both dynamic and condenser microphones.
We then set about testing how each curve would sound in tandem. There is no doubt that
while some curves will sound amazing on bass, the same curve may not suit mandolin. But
with well over 12,000 combinations, you will surely fi nd lots of very usable sounds.
High Boost
10
+8
+6
+4
+2
0
-2
-4
-6
-8
-10
20 20k50 100 200 500 1k 2k 5k 10k
Mid Cut
+2
0
-2
-4
-6
-8
-10
++=
-12
-14
-16
-18
20 20k50 100 200 500 1k 2k 5k 10k
Bass Boost
10
+8
+6
+4
+2
0
-2
-4
-6
-8
10
20 20k50 100 200 500 1k 2k 5k 10k
Hz
Composite Curve
10
+8
+6
+4
+2
+0
-2
-4
-6
-8
10
20 20k50 100 200 500 1k 2k 5k 10k
The 3-knob user interface is so natural and easy to use, that you will be amazed at how
quickly you will become accustomed to it. And once you get started, you will fi nd favourites
that will surely become cornerstones of your recording process.
Radial Engineering Ltd.
2
Q3 Coil Equalizer 500 Module
True to the Music
®
GETTING STARTED
Making connections
Before making any connections, start by turning off your audio system and turning all
volume levels down. This helps protect equipment from turn-on transients that could damage
loudspeakers and other sensitive equipment. We recommend using a power bar with a
switch as this makes it easy to turn on and off the 500 series rack, monitors and so on, using
a single switch. Carefully plug the Q3 into your 500 series rack avoiding stress on the card
edge connector. Screw the module in to ensure it does not accidentally become dislodged.
Connections between the Q3 and the recording or PA system are made at the rear panel of
your 500 series rack. Most 500 series racks are equipped with XLR connectors. When you
plug the Q3 module into your 500 series rack, it will automatically route the card-slot input
and output XLR jacks to the module. With the Radial Workhorse 500 series rack the I/O is
augmented with ¼” TRS connectors, D-Subs and the Mix Buss signal to feed the Workhorse
mixer section.
Start by setting up the controls as follows:
1. Set all HIGH, MID and BASS frequency band controls to the OFF position.
2. Make sure all three ‘SHIFT’ switches are pushed to the left (bold effect).
This will help you to choose a preset curve that works best for the instrument at hand.
Once selected the effect can be pulled back by toggling the SHIFT switch to the right.
3. Set the HIGH PASS FILTER to off (outward position).
4. Set the GAIN control to the 12 o’clock position.
5. Set the ON switch to bypass (EQ circuit out).
The Q3 is a line level device. In other words, it is designed to take the output from a mic
preamplifi er or pre-recorded track and process the signal before sending it along to a
dynamic processor, effects device or back to the recorder.
MIC PREAMP
Radial Workhorse or other 500 Series Rack
GAIN
COIL EQ
Q3 OUTPUTQ3 INPUT
It is important to note that the GAIN control is always active. In other words, when you hit the
bypass switch, you are actually bypassing the coil EQ circuits. This enables you to switch the
EQ in and out to compare the effect at the same gain settings.
Connect the source to the Q3, connect the output from the Q3 to your recording system...
turn it on. Listen. You should hear audio. If not, check your connections. To check the power
going to the Q3, depress the EQ IN switch. The LED will illuminate if power is present in your
500 series rack. Now familiarize yourself with the GAIN control to check sound levels. If all is
good, return it to the 12 o’clock start position.
Radial Engineering Ltd.
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Q3 Coil Equalizer 500 Module
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