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Technical stuff
Each section of the Meequalizer has a peaking or “bell” shaped fre-
quency response, which will be found to be musically more satisfying
than conventional “shelving” equalizers. The use of bell curves at LF
and HF also avoids boosting subsonics and ultrasonics which can have
adverse effects on other studio equipment, such as recorders, monitor
amplifiers and speakers. The “Q” value of the peaking filters is 0.9 (or
1.6 octaves). Zero phase distortion ensures the best possible audio
coherence.
Output Stage
‘OUTPUT GAIN’. This output volume control provides up to 10dB of
gain and also goes right down to nothing, so acting as a fader to fade
a sound out completely.
CONNECTORS
Two outputs are provided, jack and XLR, so you can simultaneously
feed (say) a recorder and a monitor amplifier. The switch adjacent to the
1/4” jack selects the output operating level to 4dBu (suits most
professional studio equipment) or -10dBv (suits semi-pro or hi-fi equip-
ment). The XLR output is 4dBu. Check with the handbook for
whatever you are feeding, to find out which level is required.
The XLR output is balanced and wired as follows:
Pin 2: + (hot)
Pin 3: - (cold)
Pin 1: ground
The jack output is balanced and wired as follows:
Tip: + (hot)
Ring: - (cold)
Sleeve: ground
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‘ATTACK’
sets how quickly the compressor reacts to peaks above threshold.
Turn this control anticlockwise for a quick response. Slower (clockwise)
allows the fast leading edge of percussive sounds to pass uncompressed
for a moment, before the compressor reacts to control the gain. This
example of “changing the envelope” of a sound exaggerates the percussive
nature of drums and other instruments. Settings around mid-position are
used where the compression needs to be less obvious. Vocals for example,
require Attack times around 10msec for natural sounding results. Faster
attack times (anti-clockwise) in conjunction with large amounts of compression,
result in extreme “pumping” effects.
‘RELEASE’
sets how long the compressor goes on squashing the sound
for, once the signal has dropped below threshold. If it stopped instantly
there would be very noticeable modulation or “pumping” of the sound. So
we may want it to stop compressing less abruptly and that is what the
Release control is for. Generally, the longer the Release time, the less
obvious is the compression. Of course some “pumping” might actually be
desirable as a special effect and that is another way in which the envelope
of a sound can be modified. The sixQ Release is variable from 100mS up
to 3 seconds giving a wide variety of effects.
How the compressor behaves actually changes with programme content
and volume. So experiment with the controls with different kinds of material to
discover the range and depth of effects that can be achieved. The ‘COMP’
in/out switch allows comparison between compressed and uncompressed
sound (blue LED lights when active). Remember that the ‘MAKE UP GAIN’
is there to restore the level of the signal after compression. Correctly
adjusted, there will be no change in volume as the Compressor ON switch
is operated.
The Compressor is after the Preamplifier and the Insert Point, and before
the Meequalizer.
Meequalizer
The sixQ “Meequalizer” is a highly effective, versatile and musically
rewarding three-band equalizer, or tone control system. Each stage
allows boost or cut of up to 15dB around the frequency in question.
The “EQ” switch turns the equalizer on, and the green LED lights when
active.
The LF band can be tuned or “swept” anywhere between 40Hz and
650Hz. This effectively covers the whole range of low frequencies. It
may help to think of it as like a graphic equalizer, only instead of lots
of frequency bands, you have just one, but it can be moved to cover
any given frequency band. Cutting can be used to reduce unwanted LF
noise, such as hum or rumble. Boosting can bring out the warmth and
body of bass lines and (especially around 80Hz) kick drums.
The Mid band can be tuned or “swept” anywhere between 300Hz
and 5kHz. This effectively covers the whole range of mid frequencies.
Cutting the Mid can reduce sibilance, boominess or other annoying
resonances. Boosting can bring out the body of a vocal, or the harmonics
of instruments. Increasing or reducing the “presence” of an instrument
or vocal in this way, can appear to move the sound forwards or
backwards in a mix.
The HF or treble section is centred at either 6kHz or 12kHz. Boosting
the 12kHz band gives a sense of “air” or “sparkle” to vocals, instruments
and mixes, without boosting harsh upper-mid frequencies. Alternatively
with bass instruments, cutting this band will reduce HF noise such as
hiss and crackle. The 6kHz setting is very effective at controlling
sibilance and reducing harshness, or indeed creating it, for example
by boosting the harmonics of electric guitars.
The Meequalizer is after the Preamplifier, the Insert Point and the
Compressor.
six q manual.indd
4/4/05, 11:09 AM
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