With some better-known EQs offering endless options, there’s a new game in town for those looking to dip their toe into dynamic EQ for less money. See and hear for yourself its concise feature set with some twists…
What Is Dynamic EQ Trying To Fix?
Conventional, ‘static’ EQ is the engineer’s familiar friend that can be very effective when finessing and placing sounds together. Its healing properties as a more corrective surgical tool are also well known, but this latter use can get complicated. Often, sounds that require equalisation only need it during certain musical notes or events. Step forward the dynamic EQ.
If this sounds similar to multiband compression, that’s because it is similar. Essentially, EQ whose bands’ gain changes with amplitude can be useful on individual notes or resonances, where multiband compression’s dependency on crossovers could make it too blunt an instrument. Splitting audio into bands and compressing them (as in multiband compression), however is a favourite for some, with bus duties being a common use. You can read more about the differences between the two here.
Simplifying Dynamic EQ
For those at the start of their audio engineering journey, or even those artists who aren’t afraid of rolling up their sleeves and getting involved in the mix, dynamic EQ can seem a little daunting. Certainly, even some of the best known must trade functionality for simplicity, with GUIs to prove it.
From MIA Laboratories comes their 590 Dynamic EQ. Sporting five bands, it also offers harmonic distortion modelling taken from the company’s other creations, which interestingly sees their slower, tube flavoured Musiqual Red model across Bands 1 and 2, with Musiqual Blue colouration across bands 3 to 5 for slightly more forward, Class A tones.
In the video, we use 590 Dynamic EQ to reign in some low end lumps on acoustic bass with a compression band. We then expand the warmth of a vocal while compressing in the harshness band. Finally we strap it across the mix to introduce a little static sheen and clarity.
For engineers who want a slice of the dynamic EQ experience for less, 590 Dynamic EQ could fit the bill. Certainly it’s smart, uncluttered GUI will go a long way towards navigating its dynamic functionality, and the drive models add a unique feature to boot.
MIA Laboratories On 590 Dynamic EQ:
The 590 is a 5 band Dynamic EQ, offering dynamic equalisation under MIA Laboratories’ envelope detector, based on the analogue envelope detector circuit. It features parallel band compression or expansion under double precision processing and can be operated in x4 oversampling. “Colour” and “Distortion” can be applied to each band, delivering a characteristic analogue feel through Tube or Class-A - flavoured equalisation and a fine-tuned Triode distortion algorithm.
Features:
• Detection based on the analogue envelope detector circuit
• Tube & Class A Colour, Triode Distortion
• Double precision processing with x4 Oversampling
• MIA Presets
Compression/Expansion
Each band of the 590 can be operated in compression or expansion mode, [utilising] classic feed-back topology, resulting in smoother and more “controllable” dynamic response. The user is able to select between more subtle or aggressive dynamic response, by switching between “Slope” and “Ratio” modes.
Colour
The “Colour” knob, coming from the Musiqual EQ Series, applies a specific set of filters to enhance the harmonic and subharmonic frequencies, related to the selected main frequency. This creates a more natural and musical result, often accompanied by a profound change in timbre.
Distortion
“Distortion” knob emulates the corresponding harmonic distortion introduced by a Triode vacuum Tube amp when driven “hot”. The user has control over the amount of distortion applied to the signal without the need of additional gain stages, easily achieving the characteristic analog feel.
Photo by James Kovin on Unsplash