SPL Passeq User Manual
SPL Analog Code ® Plug-in
Manual
Passeq
Dual-Channel Three-Band EQ
2
Passeq Analog Code® Plug-in
Manual
Content
Passeq Analog Code® Plug-in, Model Number 1040
Manual Version 2.0 – 12 /2 0 11
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 verified and, unless otherwise 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 reserves the right to modify the product described in
this manual at any time without prior notice. This document is the
property of SPL and may not be copied or reproduced in any way, in
part or fully, without authorization by SPL electronics GmbH.
SPL electronics GmbH
Sohlweg 80, 41372 Niederkruechten, Germany
Phone: +49 (0)2163 983 40, Fax: +49 (0)2163 983 420
E-Mail: info@spl.info, Website: spl.info
© 2011 SPL electronics GmbH. All rights reserved.
The SPL logo, Analog
Code
®
, Vitalizer® and Atmos® are trademarks of SPL electronics GmbH.
All other
logos and bra n d names ar e registere d trade m ark s of their resp e cti ve own e rs .
Installation 4
Plugin Alliance Activation 4
System Requirements and Compatibility 4
MAC and Windows Installation 4
Introduction 5
Glossary, SPL Analog Code Plug-ins 5
The most powerful passive EQ system ever made, The Passeq
Analog Code® Plug-in, Special Features 6
3
Passeq Analog Code® Plug-in
Content
Operation 7
Mouse wheel control for all rotary knobs, Keyboard Shortcuts,
Mono, stereo or multi-channel operation 7
Layout of Operational Elements 8
Allocation of Frequencies 9
Control Elements 10
LF-LMF Cut and LF Boost 10
MF-MHF Cut and LMF-MHF Boost 11
MHF-HF Cut and HF Boost, HF Boost Q with Proportional Q 12
MHF-HF Cut 13
Output Control, Settings, Channel Switch 14
M/S and Link, M/S, Link 15
Using Equalizers 16
Basic Approach, EQ Yin & Yang 16
First control levels, then apply EQ 17
First cut, then boost; Reducing bleed outside an instrument‘s
range, Reducing bleed within an instrument‘s range, Boosting harmonic frequency levels 18
Boosting fundamental levels, Cutting fundamental levels,
Emphasis of an instrument‘s main frequencies 19
In the mix—or not?, Splitting frequency bands 20
Complementary filtering 21
Processing Examples 22
Classical instruments and their frequencies 23
The Basics of Frequency Filtering 24
Frequency and Energy, Tone and Sound 24
Sound Correction and Sound Design 25
Frequency Filters, Filter Types 26
Shelf Filters, Peak Filters, Bandwidth 27
M/S Basics 28
M/S Stereophony 28
4
Passeq Analog Code® Plug-in
Plugin Alliance Activation
Your Analog Code plug-in must be activated in your Plugin Alliance
account. You can set it up and log into your account anytime at
http://www.plugin-alliance.com
For details about the activation process, read the Plugin Alliance
Activation Manual. The PDF file is stored in the same folder of your
computer like this product manual file.
Alternatively, the following web page provides the same information: http://www.plugin-alliance.com/activation
System Requirements and Compatibility
For details about system requirements and supported platforms
or formats visit http://www.plugin-alliance.com/compatibility
MAC and Windows Installation
1. Check for the latest plug-in software version before installation:
http://software.spl.info/download
2. Execute the installer file and follow the instructions.
Installation
Passeq Analog Code® Plug-in
5
Introduction
Glossary
Host Program: program on which the plug-in is running (Pro
Tools, Cubase, Logic, etc.).
M/S: Mid/Side encoded signal information as an
alternative to standard left/right (L/R) encoded
stereo signals. For more background information
on the M/S technique read page 28 and 29.
SPL Analog Code® Plug-ins
While SPL hardware products have been fascinating audio professionals from home studio owners to mastering engineers in
the world’s most renowned facilities for years, the need for this
technology in the form of plug-ins has also been an ever-growing
demand. With the Analog Code® plug-ins we have finally accomplished our much desired goal: to transfer to the digital domain the
high quality we have striven to achieve with our analog processors
throughout several decades.
The first time we ever heard a software that fulfilled our expectations, one of our hardware developers said to the programmers:
“you have cracked the Analog Code” — thus was coined the name
of our digital products.
6
Passeq Analog Code® Plug-in
The most powerful passive EQ system ever
The original Passeq hardware is the first passive EQ which provides three separate frequency ranges for both boost and cut
stages. One famous, if not the most famous, passive design was
the Pulteq EQ from the decades of the 1950’s and 60’s. This EQ
sported two frequency bands (low and high frequencies, or LF and
HF), and had only a few switchable frequencies to offer. In contrast, the Passeq has 12 switchable frequencies per band, totaling
36 boost and 36 cut frequencies. Boost and cut frequencies are
NOT identical, thus the resultant 72 frequencies per channel offer
an enormous choice for the most elaborate EQ curves.
The Passeq offers for the first time passive filter control possibilities extending throughout the relevant audio frequency range—
and that with an unheard of abundance of filter choices.
The Passeq Analog Code® Plug-in
The fantastic qualities of SPL’s Analog Code programming faithfully
reproduce the unique sound quality of the original hardware. All
the complex interactions between each single filter are reproduced
in every detail. One of the peculiarities of passive filter designs is
that they can be seen as one big filter — the signal always runs
through the whole network. Whenever the settings change, a flow
of interactions takes place between the filters, providing the characteristic and unique sound of these EQs — something that will
never happen with active EQ designs.
Special Features
Two Graphical User Interfaces (GUI): The plug-in list of your host
program will show two entries after installation: “Passeq” and
“Passeq Single.” Aside from the standard dual-channel GUI, the
single GUI represents a space saving alternative showing one
Passeq channel. Nevertheless, the single version can be applied
to a stereo track — you simply control both channels simultaneously with one knob. >
Introduction
Passeq Analog Code® Plug-in
7
Basics
Introduction
Operation
M/S Mode: as an alternative to L/R processing you can also switch
to M/S mode for processing the mid and side information of a
stereo panorama. Read more on page 15 (“M/S”) and 28 ff (“M/S
Basics”).
Mouse wheel control for all rotary knobs
All SPL Analog Code plug-ins support mouse wheel control for
rotary controls and faders. Place the mouse cursor over a rotary
control and move the scroll wheel of your mouse to adjust the setting. Hold the CTRL (Windows) or COMMAND (Apple) key while
moving the scroll wheel to make fine adjustments; the resolution
of the mouse wheel is increased, making fine-tuning easier.
Keyboard Shortcuts
All SPL Analog Code plug-ins support format and OS specific functions for value reset, fine adjustment and mouse control. For more
detailed information please refer to the host program’s documentation.
Mono, stereo or multi-channel operation
The Passeq plug-in can be used either for mono or stereo operation. You can also use the Passeq as a „Multi-Mono“ or multi-channel plug-in, as long as your host program supports this function.
8
Passeq Analog Code® Plug-in
Overview
Operation
Layout of Operational Elements
Initially one might be struck by the circular arrangement of the
Passeq’s control elements. As unusual as this first appears, the
more understandable and clearer this layout becomes when one
looks closer.
Along with the fact that we simply like this design from an aesthetical view, this layout makes even more sense with respect to the
idea of the passive EQ concept itself: In a passive design, filters for
boosting and cutting a frequency range are physically separated
from each other. Reflecting this fact, the elements left of the central output control perform level cuts, while controls to the right of
this central regulator serve as signal boost controls. Cut and boost
switches are positioned next to the appropriate frequency band
selector and frequency bands are arranged from low to high from
the standpoint of both physical and frequency range layout—all
in all a clear overall functional picture though without much in the
way of boring routine.
Passeq Single – the space-saving single channel GUI
Passeq Analog Code® Plug-in
9
Overview
Operation
Allocation of Frequencies
One of the greatest Passeq design challenges was in determining the choice of frequencies, which in contrast to parametric EQ
designs, are fixed or nonadjustable. One could accept standardized values from such as the so-called ISO frequencies, but such
measurements stem too much either from conventional measurement standards or those from room corrections rather than choices
of what may be musically more sensible. In assigning the Passeq‘s
frequencies it was inevitable that we would rely on the nearly 30
years of experience of SPL’s chief developer, audio engineer and
musician, Wolfgang Neumann.
To enhance further our achieving this musical objective many audio
experts and musicians were consulted regarding their favored frequencies. Among the many, David Reitzas, Michael Wagener, Bob
Ludwig, Ronald Prent and Peter Schmidt offered valuable advice.
From this point of departure we managed to determine that there
is definite agreement among professionals about their preferred
musical frequencies, and these differ clearly from the standard ISO
choices.
The results also showed that the closely meshed boost and cut frequencies are important and sensible. Through them one can on the
one hand focus more precisely on a certain frequency, and on the
other, offer the option of influencing the Q factor (which is typically
rather small in passive designs) by creating so-called S curves. An
Example: Assume you wish to boost in the mids around 320 Hz, an
instrument or voice level while at the same time avoiding a boost
to the frequency range below it due to the small Q factor (high
bandwidth) of the filter, and perhaps even lower it. In this case,
let’s say you choose the LMF-MHF boost band and increase the
chosen (320 Hz) frequency range by about 3 dB. At the same time,
you chose a 4 dB reduction in the LF-LMF cut band. The close proximity of the chosen frequencies allows you achieve an increase in
the slope between the two. This is “S slope EQ-ing” at its best, and
in this discipline, the Passeq is a world champion in both options
and results.
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