Got a U67 and love it, but I can see why people talk about opening up the top end for vocals.

Can you share some EQs you’re enjoying these days for this purpose?

I searched, and found some classic combos, like Pultec, 1073, and 550A, and maybe those are still top choices, but with many newer boutique gear makers, I’m curious to hear what you’re enjoying in 2019.

For context, I mostly do mainly pop-folk, Americana, and independent/psych rock.

Thanks!

If you have access to a Maag EQ with the Air band, try that - absolutely mega! Pultec-style EQ always fits well to my ears, with a soft opening up of the top, but can be too 'tubey'. A GML 8200 can be a cleaner, crisper sound.

Retro 2a3 can pair really nice for vocals.. does all the usual pultec tasks... plus the HPF at 90hz works great tracking vocals, really cleans up plus adds something to the bottom end.
I’d certainly recommend trying one out.
On individual sources tracking it works for any genre.. but also as a mix bus EQ it works really nicely with the genres you’ve described. Not so EDM / some Pop etc. But Folk, Americana, Rock etc. its a beaut over a mix

Pultec style with a +4 boost at 8-10khz. Even better replace your u67 to a m269c

Hope you're only talking about mixing & not tracking. Be careful with deeSsing.

You’ve run into trouble with sibilants tracking u67 with EQ?

I find the u67 so sibilant resistant, more than any other mic I’ve used.

Hey Proxy, I love the U67 (reissue included). I use it just about every day. On some voices it's not as smooth with sibilants as I'd like it to be. If it wasn't for this "little" thing it'd be the "perfect" mic.

Pulse Technique’s 1A3. Works well with the 67 and just about everything else.

Atleast the sibilance is as bright or as smooth as the rest of the signal on a u67/269. It won't get out of hand like 99% of all other mics!

I never really liked to use eq while tracking and once you clean up the dirt in the lower mid range then u67 usually sits like no other mic in the mix

Yeah, doesn’t have to be at tracking, just part of the general system of sound for the vocal.

Seems to want a 8-12K lift depending on all the things. Maybe a little bump at 3-5K too.

Even though other mics may already have those frequencies emphasized, somehow boosting a 67 in those spots to be similarly present and airy is more pleasing to my ears.

Anyone particularly liking API EQ in this combo?

My experience with using eq with the u67 is mainly based on what I owned myself, never used a HW api I'm afraid :/. The hammer eq though which i me own sounds very lush and expensive. Clean for being a pultec style eq.

What you describing is missing or what you want to add is exactly what the m269c has naturally.

I do believe any quality HW eq will do though. But check out the hammer if you have a chance

Yeah, m269 sounds lovely.

If Neumann ever does a reissue of it, I'd try it in a heartbeat.

Had the Hammer a couple of times and loved it - was wondering if someone would mention it. It was particularly good in that 10K range. Not quite as soft as more traditional Pultec, but very vivid and dimensional in my memory.

Almost anything works with this mic.
EQs from standard plugins that come with Logic and Protools to analog 1073s. Pick your poison. You’ve got my favorite mic in the world. Enjoy!

send your 67 to Klaus and the top end will be beautiful and open.

I’ve read Klaus’s writings about his very rigorous analysis of the reissues, and he seems to be an authority on the subject.

But from much of what I’ve read, even well-maintained vintage U67s commonly benefit from opening up the top end a little. Is that inaccurate?

Most vocals benefit from a bit of brightening up, in a modern sounding production.

That's not unique to the 67, and unless you've got a problem with the mic, I'd be reluctant to modify a vintage one that was working well, and you'd have to convince me to have a new one modded too! That's no slight to Klaus, it's just economics, warranty and the point that most people EQ anyway after the fact.

Have you considered the chandler curve bender?

There is a 500 series unit with one variable stepped “presence” band (8 frequencies from 500-10k) and a 90/150 switchable bass shelf, the one in the TG Cassette with one more frequency up top I think, or the mothership. They sound so sweet

Caveat. Have not tried with 67

Klaus has a mod to the 67 that opens up the top. Tommy Lipuma had one that was used on nearly all the Diana Krall records until recently when she started using the Sinatra U48 at Capitol instead. My 67 has been Klaus’d with the same mod and it has a gorgeous and open top.

Sorry, to be clear, I meant many of the classic applications of U67 involved using an EQ to open up the top, right?

I have no doubt that what Klaus does to microphones enhances them for many, and thank you for mentioning it, as it is very pertinent to the conversation.

There’s something about the way an unmodded U67 feels when you apply an EQ to it. Something about compensating (EQ-ing) the compensation (mic roll off) yields this really unique narrative quality that I love.

Maybe pure nostalgia, but I love it all the same.

Hey Proxy,
there are a lot of nice pieces on the market for lifting the topend of a U67 (or any other mic really..)

These are my favs:

-Avedis E27 (his 28k band is really exceptional..that button is present already into his MA5 preamp, so if something like that is needed I don't even need to use the E27 eq.. it's a very broad Q, so it starts to lift at about 12k, the cool thing is that the sibilance area is left out, so you get only magic air
what I did with some bckg vocals, was pushing the 28k on the MA5 and then, like the well known pulteq-trick, I controlled that lift with the E27, taming a little bit around 17.5k or 20k ).

-Avedis E12G, more frequency points avalaible at the same time, since it's a graphic eq, very clean yet musical, super fast for tracking, less expensive than the E27. win-win

- Crane Song Insignia eq.. smooth as butter

- A Retro 2A3 will do well, or the Pulse Techniques, or the Tube Tech one.. different shades of the same thing, Pulse Techniques being the closest to a real pulteq. These are all lovely and valid options.

- Electrodyne 511, the top end is really lovely... you could push a lot that 10k.. niiiice... although quite limited freq points and only 2bands.

- CAG HDE-250 - you could use it on the mixbus or mastering as well, it's his version of a sontec-ish eq (similar to a GML as well)..hand made in Germany, sounds stellar, is incredibly well built, the Price is incredibly fair for what you get, and you have also the option of having xformers in there, IF wanted. highly reccomended!

although I rarely use an eq while tracking vocals, sometimes happens.

I hope this helps,



Cheu

For a really nice lift @ 10-12k (ish) in no particular order. My faves :

AS EQP's - or any decent EQPa. 10k or 12k A little "soft" sounding, but that's the EQP thing, right?
Miad LCPQ4040. 10k is gorgeous. 15K little high, but nice as well.
API 550A - 12.5k is a fav. A bit aggressive, but sometimes that's just the ticket.
Silver Bullet - AIR is a must use for me as well. A beautiful shelf that reaches lower and lower the more you boost. Never gets harsh. Opens things up like no other. Presence boost too if the mic is really dark (like an older ribbon) That works killer too.

The "loading" on certain comps works really great for me in this application too. Like the Serpent SA3a's with the impedance mod that DD did. A beautiful HF lift in just the right spot.

Good luck!! And keep that 67 STOCK!!

For me personally with a quality mic like u67/269 I think any SW eq would do really. The quality is already in the signal. For me I went compressor hunting instead and found the 1176 + Cl1b combo to be a winner, especially the cl1b.

Classic, 1176 takes 3-8db's on peaks and the CL1b takes about 10db. Takes about 5min to get a perfect vocal sound.

Also i like to keep the u67 with something a bit cleaner on the preamp side. I love the crane song spiders tape fx but that can make the u67 distort quite easily, especially with a colored compressor.

HW compression is still quite allot better then SW, eqs not so much these days.

Some great recommendations, thanks!

I’ve been resisting 500 series because I’m aware of my own compulsive behavior. Can’t tell if it would make things better or worse! Haha

Tempted to get one of those 3 slot 1RU units to try a 550a, an E27, and Crane Song’s tube EQ for different flavors.

I have the 2a3, but I love it so much it lives on my mix bus.
@ drBill like I need any more encouragement to get another AS piece! In general, I still love tube outboard, and already use their opto and v-comp on every vocal. I’m confident their EQP is tasty!

Running my U67 Reissue through a UA 1176 (3-8 db on peaks) and LA2A (5-10db) for body, into a Burl B2 ADC > Apollo x* >DAW.

So far enjoying EQing ITB via the UAD Pultec. Don't think I'd want to make those decisions until mixing, so while I'm tempted to get a hardware Pultec, I think I'll stick to Software for now.

Thanks for the details.

I didn’t mean strictly tracking, but part of the overall vocal processing.

I do 1176 > LA2A > Apollo as well, and the UAD Pultec was def nice!

T-Funk 251 (or a 250)--> Neve 1081 --> LA-3A

Haha... your favorite way to EQ a 67 is to use a diff mic.

OT, but Fair.

Pultec. What else ? I have a pair of M269C's so rarely need the Pultec

I did a session with Tommy and Al Schmidt engineering
That klaus 67 was memorable
I remember asking Al what are u doing ? Lol

A good vintage 67 already sounds perfect, imo.