UAD Pultec EQP-1A plug-in equalizer

Equalization is the heart of mixing besides where you place the faders. If you have a great EQ you can add all kinds of sweetness to the sound of your tracks and it will make for an intangible that means all the difference in the world between bland and high quality. That being said very few analog equalizers are as famous as the original Pultec EQP-1A, for the very reason that it does the job by adding a very special sound to anything you pass through it. Unfortunately the original units cost several thousands of dollars per channel and remakes are not much cheaper. But in the world of ITB mixing there are several options that try to capture the sound of the Pultec. Universal Audio was one of the first major players to go all out and make a really competent Pultec emulation with their EQP-1A plug-in. But the question always arises: does it sound like a real Pultec? More on that in a minute.

The Pultec Pro plug-in is really two plug-ins in one that come with separate modules for the EQP-1A and the MEQ-5 midrange equalizer. I use both regularly. The controls are very simple (as with a real Pultec). You have a low shelving filter where you can boost or cut at set corner frequencies. There is a high peak boost, with variable bandwidth and finally a high shelf cut at selectable corner frequencies. With the MEQ-5 unit there is a low mid peak boost, a low mid to mid cut and a high mid peak boost, all at selectable, set frequencies.

IN USE

So does it sound like a real Pultec? Well I have heard and used a real Pultec and various analog copies of the original and I'd say that no the UAD version doesn't sound exactly like one. But it's close enough in sound that you get similar effects from the material you use it on in the mix as if you were using the real thing. With the plug-in there is a subtle lack of dimension and fullness as compared to the actual hardware. That's not really a problem if you're used to mixing ITB and aware of the usual differences between hardware and software emulations.

If you're fine with working ITB and accept the UAD Pultec on it's own terms it's a wonderful, characterful, software EQ. I find it great for fattening up a bass drum or bass guitar, for taming harshness on electric guitars, for adding a sense of vibe to an otherwise bland track and for making something sound a bit thicker and dirtier when it's too clean and thin. It's really a fine EQ. The drawback is that dialing in too much will usually result in mud. To avoid that is a matter of not using a Pultec on every single track and being careful about how you dial it in. But on the whole I like the sound of the UAD version and I find it goes a long way towards giving some vibe to ITB mixes. I highly recommend it.