SPL EQ Rangers Vol.1 User manual

SPL Analog Code ® Plug-in

Manual

EQ Rangers Vol. 1

Manual

EQ Rangers Vol. 1
The Analog Code plug-in

Native Version (RTAS, AU and VST): Order # 2890
TDM Version (includes RTAS, VST and AU): Order # 2891

Manual Version 1.2 – 1 /2009

This user‘s guide contains a description of the product. It in no
way represents a guarantee of particular characteristics or results
of use. The information in this document has been carefully com­piled and verif ied and, unless other wise stated or agreed upon,
correctly describes the product at the time of packaging with this
document.

Sound Performance Lab (SPL) continuously strives to improve its
products and reser ves the right to modify the product described in
this manual at any time without prior notice. This document is the
proper ty of SPL and may not be copied or reproduced in any way, in
par t or fully, without authorization by SPL electronic s GmbH.

SPL electronics GmbH

Sohlweg 80, 41372 Niederkruechten, Germany
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-Mail: [e-mail]
Website: www.spl.info

© 2009 SPL electronics GmbH. All rights reserve d.

®

Code

, Transient Designer®, Vitalizer® and Atmos® are trademarks of SPL elec-

tronics GmbH.

their respective owners.

All other logos and brand names are registered trademarks of

2

The SPL logo, The Analog

EQ Rangers Vol. 1

Installation ....................................................... 4

MAC Installation, Windows Installation ...................... 4

Introduction ...................................................... 5

The Analog Code®, EQ Rangers Vol. 1 ....................... 5

Control Elements ................................................ 6

Mouse Wheel Control ......................................... 6

On, Power LED, Signal LED, Overload LED ................... 7

Settings A, B, C, D, Output, Faders ........................... 8

Bass Ranger: Fader Settings ................................. 9

Vox Ranger: Fader Settings .................................. 10

Full Ranger: Fader Settings .................................. 11

Vox Ranger: Filter Curves .................................... 12

Bass Ranger, Full Ranger: Filter Curves ...................... 13

Applications ..................................................... 14

EQ Principles .................................................. 14

Your Notes ....................................................... 15

Contents

EQ Rangers Vol. 1

3

Installation

Thank you for your purchase of the EQ Ranger plug-ins. The native
version includes licenses for systems supporting RTAS (Digidesign
ProTools), VST (i. e. Cubase, Nuendo, WaveLab, ...), and AU (Apple
Logic).

The ProTools TDM version includes licenses for systems supporting
TDM, RTAS, VST and AU plug-ins. Therefore, the native formats can
be installed additionally to the TDM version with the same license,
for example to support other audio softwares, too.

Your software is registered for the e-mail address and the iLok
account you have submitted with your purchase. Installation
procedures for both native and TDM versions are identical. The
number of ins talled ins tances is not limited.

MAC Installation

You may want to visit the download section of our website and
check for the latest version (spl.info/software/download) before
installation. Execute the EQ Rangers installer for MAC.

Please note: The native installer includes RTAS, AU & VST formats,
the TDM installer includes all formats. You can select one or more of
these formats during installation.

WINDOWS Installation

You may want to visit the download section of our website and
check for the latest version (spl.info/soft ware/download) before
installation. Execute the EQ Rangers installer file (setup.exe).

Double-click the left mouse button to star t the installation
procedure from CD-ROM or use the right mouse button and select
the “Save as ...” command to save the installer file on your hard
disk before starting the installation.

Please note: The native installer includes RTAS & VST formats, the
TDM installer includes all formats. You can select one or more of
these formats during installation.

4

EQ Rangers Vol. 1

Introduction

The Analog Code

For more than two decades, SP L of Germany is well-known as man ­ufacturer of handmade analog hardware processors. Innovations
like the Vitalizer
complete analog range from frontend to backend and culminate in
the Mastering Series with exemplary specs thanks to SPL’s propri­etary 120 V rails technology.

While SPL’s hardware has been fascinating audio professionals
from home studio owners to mastering engineers in the world’s
most famou s facilities, there has be en a continuing and ever grow­ing demand for digital (DAW) users to be able to enjoy this technol­ogy.

Our software design team has managed to transfer the class and
excellence of our analog processors into the digital domain. Latest
methods for high-precision modeling of our analog circuit designs
now give us results beyond a pure mathematical approach. The
digital products are so amazingly close to their analog equivalents
that we call them the Analog Code plug-ins.

®

™

and Transient Designer™ are accompanied by a

EQ Rangers Vol. 1

The EQ Rangers Vol. 1 plug-in is modeled from the SPL RackPack
Ranger EQ modules. These EQ modules are specialized to specific
frequency ranges and combine the unique sound results of passive
fiter s with a graphic EQ interface.

The concept of the SPL EQ Rangers plug-ins is characterized by two
decisi ve features that separate them from traditional designs:

First there is the basic idea of specialized modules for typical in­strument or vocal ranges. In contrast to static graphical EQs with
always the same center frequencies in repeating octave distances,
the Ranger EQ modules are much better suited to work with specif ic
instruments and their peculiarities—and only different frequency
ranges do allow to effec ti vely separ ate instruments in a mix. >

EQ Rangers Vol. 1

5

Introduction

The second main aspect follows the idea of a modular design and
affects both the filter technology and the user interface. Why did
we chose a graphic EQ design? For a fully parametric EQ with all
necessary controls there would have been space for one frequency
band on the module front. However, our graphic EQs of fer eight
bands—and therefore a flexible and direct access to a large scale
of frequency controls without the need for additional bandwidth
controls etc. which would make access less direct ag ain.

Each SPL plug-in provides the A, B, C, D settings feature to save
four different set s of adjustments. Much faster than the usual sav­ing and recalling of presets, the settings can be stored and recalled
by just one click. The settings can also be included into the auto­mation of an audio soft ware to apply different sets of parameters
to specific part s of a song.

Control Elements

Mouse Wheel Control

All SPL Analog Code plug-ins support mouse wheel control for
rotary controls and faders. Place the mouse cursor over a rotary
control or fader and move the wheel or scroll ball of your mouse
to adjust the control or fader. Hold the CTRL (Windows) or APPLE/
COMM AND key while moving the wh eel or sc roll ball for fine adju st­ments with higher control resolution.

6

EQ Rangers Vol. 1

Control Elements

On

With the ON button you can turn an EQ Ranger plug-in on or off.
The ON button is illuminated when the plug-in is activated. You can
also click on the Power-L ED to activate or bypass the plug-in.

Power LED

With a click on the POWER LED you can turn an EQ
Ranger plug-in on or off. The POWER LED is illuminated
when the plug-in is activated. You can also click the ON button to
activ ate or bypass an EQ Ranger plug-in.

Signal LED

The SIG. LED indicates that an audio signal reaches the input. In
the analog world this LED helps the operator especially in com­plex setups to determine immediately whether the unjt actually
receives any signal. In the digital domain it simply tells you that the
channel where you inserted the plug contains a signal that is loud
enough to ensure correct processing.

Overload LED

The OVL LED indicates internal clipping. Wether the clipping is
audible or not depends on the kind of audio material you are pro­cessing . Ne ve rtheless it should be avoided that the OVL LED illumi­nates. Use the Output Gain control to reduce the output level if the
OVL-L EDs keeps flashing.

EQ Rangers Vol. 1

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Control Elements

Settings A, B, C, D

The settings feature allows to store four different sets
of adjustments (A, B, C, D). Much faster than with the

usual save and recall preset dialogs, the respective
current setting is stored automatically when you switch to another
setting—to recall previous settings by just one click. For example,
leaving setting A (by calling another setting) stores the current
parameter setting under A, calling B restores the last adjustment
made under B. Settings A, B, C, D can also be included into the au­tomation of host applications to apply different sets of parameters
to different parts of a song.

Output

With the OUTPUT fader control you can readjust levels
that were changed by previous EQ settings. For example, if you
have by and large applied cut values to the signal, the overall out­put level can be lifted again to meet the input level’s value. The
same of course applies vice versa: simply lower the output to com­pensate for boosts.

Faders

Each EQ Ranger plug-in provides nine fader controls

(also refer to “Mouse Weel Control” on page 6). The

upper eight faders control the eight frequency bands,

the lowest fader controls the output stage. The bell

filters have individually optimized bandwidths and

boos t/c ut val ue s. The frequency range around the cen-

ter frequency can be boosted (fader into direction “+”)

or can be cut (fader into direction “-”). On the following

pages we give examples for setting the bands of each

EQ rang er pl ug- in. Th is is of cou rse no t a com ple te li st—

we just want to give some orientation to start from.

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EQ Rangers Vol. 1

Control Elements

Bass Ranger: Fader Settings

Band 1: 2kHz Center Frequency

Boost: Improves attack; metal strings and slap
becomes clearer

Band 2: 80 0 Hz Center Frequency
Boost: Accentuates the bass sound that can be local­ized, good alternative to more volume. Can intensify
the material sound of an instrument (wood).

Band 3: 500 Hz Center Frequency
B o os t: a cc en tu ates b as s li nes , in g e ne ra l cl ear e r s o un ds
Cut: makes room for vocals

Band 4: 230 Hz Center Frequency
Boost: more warmth
Cut: reduces pulpy sounds

Band 5: 170 Hz Center Frequenc y
Boost & Cut: this is the area where a bass has its main
impact. Boost produces harder bass sounds with all
deep instruments.

Band 6: 95 Hz Center Frequenc y
Cut: makes room for the tonal area of a kick drum

Band 7: 65 Hz Center Frequency
Boost: fuller sound, more body
Cut: reduces boomy sounds of all instruments. Implicit emphasiz­ing of over tones improves asser tion of bass lines, reduction usu­ally in favour of a kick drum, especially makes room for the deep
bass punh of a kick drum.

Band 8: 30 Hz Center Frequenc y
Boost: fuller sounds for all deep sounding instruments, Cut reduc­es boominess and improves assertion.

EQ Rangers Vol. 1

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Control Elements

Vox Ranger: Fader Settings

Band 1: 4kHz Center Frequency

Boost: improves intelligibility for (singing) vocals.

Cut: reduces risk of feedback (live).

Band 2: 2.8 Hz Center Frequency

Boost: gets vocals up front, intensifies presence,

improved intelligibility for voices (speech).

Cut: masks wrong intonation, more air in backings.

Band 3: 1,6 kHz Center Frequency

Band 4: 800 Hz Center Frequency

Band 5: 560 Hz Center Frequency

Band 6: 420 Hz Center Frequency

The main vocal area from about 500 to 2000 Hertz is

covered from these four bands. Particular fundamen-

tals can be processed here. Band 3 reaches up into the

presence area, Band 6 processes the foundation.

Band 7: 330 Hz Center Frequency

Boost: more warmth, full sound.

Cut can bring more clarity.

Band 8: 220 Hz Center Frequency
Boost: Emphasizes the “belly“ of sing ing voices.
Cut can reduce

pulpy sounds/improves clarity

.

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EQ Rangers Vol. 1

Control Elements

Full Ranger: Fader Settings

Band 1: 16 kHz Center Frequency

Boost: Glitter, brilliance, air.

Band 2: 10 kHz Center Frequency
Boost: Brightens up, intensifies presence.
Cut: can reduce sibilance.

Band 3: 4,7 kHz Center Frequency
Boost: Improves intelligibility of singing voices,
more attack for ac. and e-guitars or deep toms.

Band 4: 1,8 kHz Center Frequency
Boost: more bass definition and presence
Cut reduces metal for brass

Band 5: 500 Hz Center Frequency
Boost: more profound vocals, clearer basses
Cut: softens snares and toms

Band 6: 150 Hz Center Frequency
Boost: more warmth for every thing,

main impact of bass inst ruments; full snare sounds
Cut for vocals: avoids collisions with bass sounds

Band 7: 90 Hz Center Frequency
Boost: fills bass area of ac. guitars, fuller floor toms, satu­rated depth for piano.
Cut for kick drum: makes room for bass; generally reduces boom­ing sounds.

Band 8: 40 Hz Center Frequency
Boost: in general fuller sounds, deep bass punch (kick drum).

reduces booming sounds and sub harmonic interferences

Cut:

.

EQ Rangers Vol. 1

11

Control Elements

Vox Ranger: Filter Curves

12

Vox Ranger: filter curves

EQ Rangers Vol. 1

Bass Ranger, Full Ranger: Filter Curves

Bass Ranger: filter curves

All diagrams on this double page show the filter characteristics
of the analog RackPack Ranger modules. The lower bands have
relatively narrow bandwidths for fundamental tones, the upper
bands have broader bandwidths to process groups of overtones in
common.

Control Elements

Full Ranger: filter curves

EQ Rangers Vol. 1

13

Applications

EQ Principles

First cut, then boost: The hearing system is more used to energy

reductions in a frequency range, thus boosts at tract more atten­tion. That is, a 6 dB boost is perceived to be similar in amount to a
9 dB cut. Therefore when wishing to emphasize one frequency, it
is typically better first to consider a reduction in others. The result
will bring more transparency and clarit y as well as reduce possible
unwanted color ation of the signal.

Boost harmonics: Harmonic enhancement is one of the foremost
techniques for increasing the clarity and definition of an instru­ment. Examples for bass instruments: 400 Hz—bass lines will
be accented, 1500 Hz—more clarity and attack sounds. Note that
each instrument will have at least two frequencies where EQ can
achieve a greater clarity or brilliance.

Cutting fundamental levels: Cutting fundamental frequencies
provides for a perceived increase in harmonics and is therefore
an ef fective alter native to boosting harmonic levels. This is a com­mon practice in Rock/Pop productions that can be effective in all
musical recording genre. An example for the bass: reduction at
40 Hz may limit boominess and increase presence.

Boosting fundamental levels: Inexperienced audio engineers
will of ten f irst try to make corrections by boosting fundamentals,
something which in fact should be the last thing one considers.
Boosting fundamentals typically lowers clarity and produces a
muddy sound. If two instruments are playing the same part and
thereby produce the same fundamental, raising these levels will
lead to a decrease in the sonic difference between them. This is also
true when two instruments play similar parts in the same key.
Exception: When an instrument sounds thin or small, boosting
the fundamental can help. Or perhaps a microphone was poorly
placed or the harmonics had been raised excessively through EQ.
Finally, increasing fundamental levels can also play a constructive
role when instruments play alone or as soloists with others in the
background.

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EQ Rangers Vol. 1

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Your Notes

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EQ Rangers Vol. 1

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EQ Rangers Vol. 1

Analog Code

®

Plug-ins

Manual

SPL – Sound Performance Lab

Sohlweg 80, 41372 Niederkrüchten, Germany

Fon: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

E-Mail: [e-mail], Website: spl.info