Fave vocal EQ

[jon]

So my dear fellow gearslutz, what EQ do you find yourself reaching for (or wishing for) while mixing lead vocals?

[Ckevperry]

Reaching for? Sony Plugin.

Wishing for? The Ibis. I think the coloring bands could be useful on vox.

[Jules]

Hmmm

Focusrite 215
1176
Fatso

Is a good combo for PT audio IMHO

[e-cue]

GML8200

[Wiggy Neve Slut]

Shep SN8..

All the goodness of a real 1084 plus some resally useful additional frequencies like the 15K is great for a bit of air and can be realy sweet and sassy or downright bitchin.... but its my swissarmy knife EQ cos its freaking great on anything!

Would like to try an IBIS life every og slut round here!.. but gerenally im all Rock and Nevesque.. or API EQ's do it for me.. i understand for more vocal oriented genre's like RAP or R&B or pop etc a GML or stumthing liek that is prolly more the order.

PEACE
Wiggy

[jon]

I usually use a combination of Neve and SSL EQs. But...my Neves are all out on rent this month!

Even if the vocal doesn't need EQ, I like passing it through the Neves' line inputs with the EQ off.

I'm going to try the Massive Passive on vocals for a mix today.

I don't have any Pultecs, but am surprised no one has said they rely on them...

[Wiggy Neve Slut]

Jon.. i totally agree ont he neve factor for vocals!

I had manly pultecs... they were SO boring.. Real deal is cool but they are kinda one trick ponies.. but they do it so ****ing well. Most people i know who have them get tired of them but still keep on to them for $$ reasons..

me i would rather have a more versatile EQ...

Has anyone every heards of HSE eq's?.... they are made in SWitzerland and are meant to be very nice.?

PEACE
Wiggy

[e-cue]

Originally posted by jon

I don't have any Pultecs, but am surprised no one has said they rely on them...

Too much phase shift going on there for me on vocals.

[Steve Smith]

Neve 1081 is the bomb for me on vocals.. put the right comp in the chin while tracking, and I am way happy.. then just run the vox back through the eq section during mix and voila!. I really need to get one to live here permanantly..

[Dave Martin]

None? I'll often do a bit of high pass filtering with a RennEQ, but essentially, I do no EQ on the vocals, either tracking or mixing. Unless you count the choice of mic, pre, and compressor as well as the placement of the mic in relation to the singer.

On another note, I justy started using the Manley EQP 1A on kick and bass, and find it anything BUT boring. I'm only bummed that it took me so long to try them. (But then, I don't have any Pultecs here...)

[thethrillfactor]

It depends on the vocal. Is the vocal thin,too bassy,dull, overly compressed, or just right? Usually these days, all of the lead vocal tracks see the Massive Passive(sometimes in bypass) then a comp and another EQ(GML8200). There are times though where some "iron" is needed(usually for character) so a different chain works(i call it the iron chain) a Neve comp with a Neve EQ(either 1081 or 1073) followed by a an 8200 . Sometimes if the vocal is thin and screechy(female vocals) a different chain works(the chocolate chain/8200) mixed in with some Amek CIB. The Amek CIB is a great EQ to "mix in "with different chains(to thicken the mids).

[clipgod]

Just do name some rare, but very helpfull pieces :

ADR vocal stressor - very smooth highs
Distressor - nice & ugly with Dist2 for rock leads
Publison Fullmost - great for background vocals
Filtek MK3a / MK5a - very colored

[mig27]

my vocal no-brainer: siemens W295b (solid state class A broadcasting gear from the 70ies).
lets you dial in laughable amounts of treble boost.
it's a shelving band centered at 15kHz.
I often end up with +9dB
no harshness at all - just sweet and silky.

michael

[Wiggy Neve Slut]

Ditto mikes selection !!!!

Mig27... i stupidly sold all my neuman PEVS... which were vinyl eq very similar to the siemens.. DOH!!!!!!!!!!!! i know the 10K was so fuking sweet and u could pile it on 4 days and it would never freak out.... not even neves can do that!!!!!!!!!! (oops i better shut up now cos Sir Rupert may revoke my rank and stripes!)

all those old EQs are so dope and very much int he sleeper catagory

PEACE
Wiggy

[mig27]

wiggy,

just a hint if you want to get hold of some W295b's:

regularly check out eBay germany (http://www.ebay.de).
a friend of mine sold a pair of W295b's and got $250.00

I also had a pair for auction but used eBay.COM - the bidding war ended at $520.00



best of luck.

[clipgod]

Hi wiggy,

I sold a pair to Jonathan, and I think he still doesn`t use them.
Maybe you wanna contact him.

Nico

[plexi]

Originally posted by mig27
my vocal no-brainer: siemens W295b (solid state class A broadcasting gear from the 70ies).
lets you dial in laughable amounts of treble boost.
it's a shelving band centered at 15kHz.
I often end up with +9dB
no harshness at all - just sweet and silky.

michael

Yeah, the W295b is totally GREAT!!!!
I bought a V276b and W295b racked a couple of months ago, I love em`!!

I don`t use the low eq that much(40Hz), but the sweet 15KHz is killer!!!

Amund


Amund

[Zep Dude]

Well it depends. If I'm looking for an API sound I'll reach for an API, then again if Neve is more what I'm after I'll usually start with a Neve. Of course, often I'm looking for a sound that's Massive and yet at the same time Passive so in that case I'll........

[alphajerk]

im with dave on this one... no EQ on vox unless absolutely necessary [as in i didnt track it], its all about what mic/pre/comp for me.

[AudioGaff]

Gotta go with what little eq. I got to choose from, the Massive Passive, Amek CIB and API 550B

[C.Lambrechts]

on leads : amek/neve 9098 and or system 6000. on backings : waves ren eq.

[etherize]

I really curious where the Ibis is gonna fit in...not that I could afford it... grudge

[Renie]

So where does the Ibis fit in, a year and a half on?

[Nevelicious]

The first EQ I jump for is an Alesis....................

um.....

nevermind......






1081 is the S%$*!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[stealthbalance]

i assume you mean in the analog world. for me , no matter what my flavor eq for the overall lead vocal sound is , i almost always augment it with a dynamic eq and a filter set. and even then id often use a 30 band constant cue type graphic to finish it off. if i record it and pick the mic etc, i often dont need this but most things i get to mix need this stuff. just for that final 6% of excellence. toys of choice are bss901II , lafont cinema filter , klark technic 30 band graphic. also i like to split the lead vocals out among different faders for different sections of the song or different note ranges - or even multiple fader for different eq's and settings for different ranges of the vocal sound, ie: air and top edge , presence , mud and boomy range and bottom - then buss all those to a final destination fader. if only engineers would put their comps together more pristinely ! if only more hack engineers would reach for that sm-7 instead of that 414 for their lead vocals , life would be much easier. and i wouldn't have to choke on my dinner sitting center position at the ssl.

my 2 cents
s

[barforama]

Avalon VT737

and from time to time:

TubeTech PE1C and NTP 182-100

[cajonezzz]

Massive Passive.

[imacgreg]

I like the 1073 when tracking, and a Millennia NSEQ for mixing/tracking as well. If im in Bro Tools, I'll prolly use the REQ. Never had the opportunity to use a Pultec style EQ, but would love to try!

Ian

[Kenny Gioia]

Originally posted by Wiggy Neve Slut


I had manly pultecs... they were SO boring..

PEACE
Wiggy

When I first read this I thought you said you had many Pultecs.

The Manley's are quite boring. All of 'em.

Rock Vocals: Neve 1081 into LA3a into Pultec (real one)
Pop Vocals: Daking Eq into LA3a into Pultec.

Peace

[entropy]

Always the go to box for vocals for me...gml8200.

Other altenatives that I've had results from, ISA430, IAS110 (same eq), Summit EQF100