Oram Octa-EQ

[TEMAS]

http://www.oram.co.uk/octaEQ.htm

Its an 8 Channel rack-mountable EQ.

Apparantly its the same as the eq used in the 'BEQ Series 24' consoles. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

[theblue1]

I'm just gonna hunker down in my foxhole and stick my periscope up to watch this one...

[lefthando]

yeah...

bomb shelter might be in order here...

[TEMAS]

Oooops.

I kinda knew a few sparks might fly!

Oh, and another un-mentionable topic - I saw an AudioJunkie Ebay auction complete last night; someone got themselves 8 x SSL 502 EQ's racked for £1,170......or did they??!!

[Steve G]

I haven't heard the 8 ch EQ, or the console, but the 2 Oram EQ's I have used (the Hi Def and the Al Schmitt) are very good. Very clean, and very musical. I'd be interested in checking the new ones out.

Steve

[Double-Take]

These units sound fantastic. I have them in stock. Call me for a great deal.
Peter Lanzilotta
Double-Take Studio Services
(212) 685-7900

[phelbin]

I'm reviving this thread to ask the same question.

Has anyone used the Oram Octa EQ? It's 8 channels of EQ for the price of a good stereo EQ. Is it at least usable?

[jayfrigo]

Originally Posted by phelbin

I'm reviving this thread to ask the same question.

Has anyone used the Oram Octa EQ? It's 8 channels of EQ for the price of a good stereo EQ. Is it at least usable?

There are plenty of other affordable EQ choices out there as well.

[phelbin]

Originally Posted by jayfrigo

There are plenty of other affordable EQ choices out there as well.

...such as?

[jayfrigo]

Originally Posted by phelbin

...such as?

You could check out Speck, and for similar money, you could almost get into a six slot API lunchbox with API graphic EQs. Granted, not as fun as 550s, but by comparison, it's API after all. Speck even has a model that fits in the API rack, so you could mix it up and have some API graphics and some Speck parametrics. I'd rather fill up 4 or 5 slots in the lunchbox with cool stuff than get 8 of something that I'm just hoping will be "useable." Look around, I'm sure you can find others.

[Tim Farrant]

Well it is "British EQ" whatever that means......................................................................................................................................................................................................?

[The Reel Thing]

Originally Posted by phelbin

Has anyone used the Oram Octa EQ? It's 8 channels of EQ for the price of a good stereo EQ. Is it at least usable?

Damn f. right it's useable. I've owned a BEQ24 console for the last 6 years, doing album after album with it, mostly rock'n'roll and singer/songwriter stuff, but also world music and blues. I like the sound of the EQ, it's got a very sweet top end with an outstanding character around 14-15 KHz. The mids are nice, but they're not for all instruments. Like, for vocals and guitars I've heard better EQs, but for drums I haven't. This is a fantastic drum EQ! The low end is full and warm, but you need to get used to working with the combination of a sweep that goes down to 150 Hz, a shelv. @ 50 or 150 and a very good LF cut between 5 and, I think, 400 Hz. Between the three you get everything you want with a bit of practice.

I understand that the Qcta EQ can split each unit in two independent EQs - one with just HF and LF, and the other one doing the mid frequencies. I think that is pretty practical - it keeps the signal path short if you just need a touch of high end (the tape return EQ in the BEQ console with just HF/LF is also really nice) or maybe a touch of 3 K or something - and you can always slip another 8 extra EQs out your sleeve for cue paths or FX returns or whatever you might suddenly need an EQ for.

Tom

[The Reel Thing]

Originally Posted by jayfrigo

and for similar money, you could almost get into a six slot API lunchbox with API graphic EQs. Granted, not as fun as 550s, but by comparison, it's API after all.

I don't understand. I use API 550s and also 560 graphics, and they're just as much fun, if you use them on the right signals. They're just totally different beasts, and they do different things, add a different character. Altogether 550s as well as 560s are totally different beasts from Oram EQs. I might use APIs to record one drum set and it sounds fantastic. I record the same drumset with Oram EQs and it sounds also fantastic, just totally different. The style of music you're recording and where you wanna take the production's going decide over your choice of weapons, over what sounds better. I believe.

Tom

[Snatchman]

Originally Posted by jayfrigo

You could check out Speck, and for similar money, you could almost get into a six slot API lunchbox with API graphic EQs. Granted, not as fun as 550s, but by comparison, it's API after all. Speck even has a model that fits in the API rack, so you could mix it up and have some API graphics and some Speck parametrics. I'd rather fill up 4 or 5 slots in the lunchbox with cool stuff than get 8 of something that I'm just hoping will be "useable." Look around, I'm sure you can find others.

You can also use the Speck V EQ without a 500 rack. ( with the optional power supply/stand). Very creative by Vince!..

[jayfrigo]

Originally Posted by The Reel Thing

I don't understand. I use API 550s and also 560 graphics, and they're just as much fun

True enough, but I tend to use the 550s more than the graphics, and most people seem to prefer the 550, though most racks have a couple graphics in there too. The graphics are definitely still cool, but the 550s are the classic API that usually comes to mind first. Still, I think both have their place and both are nice to have.