Nick Messitte of online platform SonicScoop was “on the hunt for a mastering-grade stereo equalizer for a while” when the opportunity to review an SPL PQ came his way. So he did an awesome review, which also includes some sound example videos, that we wholeheartedly recommend to check out. Here’s a short summary:
“No one could accuse me of not putting the thing through its paces. I tested it on garage rock, indie rock, metal, EDM, acoustic, live-concert, alt-country, and mood pop mixes.
In a word, the unit is ‘euphonic’, meaning ‘highly musical’.”
“It is utterly so: in the context of my chain, the SPL PQ has the rare property of making things sound better simply by switching it into the circuit.”
“I find that just by inserting the PQ, I can accomplish a whole lot of good with far less processing, simply because of the box tone.”
“This is precisely why I’ve been looking for a good hardware solution: software gives a great curve, but we’re still missing some life.”
“…with the SPL’s prop-Q circuit, the bandwidth control is almost like a second gain-stage, one that fine tunes the amplitude even further.”
“Moving onto the 1/4 gain switch: I can work incredibly quickly without sweeping through needless frequencies and disorienting my ears. Also, the operation is smooth and easy: I can swing the gains all the way up, so I don’t have to worry about matching them. The 1/4 gain switch makes it so I never overwhelm the material to the point of distortion.”
“I demoed this EQ on a whole bunch of genres, and never once did it feel out of place. That’s saying something.”
Conclusion:
“For everything that SPL intended this equalizer to accomplish, I would say they succeeded handily.”
“I’m pleased to say that my personal search for an EQ versatile enough to suit my projects has come to a close.”
“…for now, I’ve found a workhorse EQ – more accurately, a work-chameleon EQ, since the switchable circuits really do give you the feeling of two equalizers in one box.”
“If you’re in a similar place – looking for something to handle the stereo-buss with quality, musicality, versatility, and transparency (where needed) – I wholeheartedly recommend this unit.”
You can find the complete review online at SonicScoop.
