For some, parametric EQ begins and ends with GML’s legendary 8200. Following its release, we take our first look at the new Pulsar 8200. With a fresh take on a studio legend, how does this feature-packed homage perform? Watch and hear it for yourself.

In Summary

Rebooting a legendary EQ for the DAW, Pulsar 8200 adds tilt, HPF, LPF, MS processing and more. Metering and a spectrum analyser round off the package for those looking for a fresh take on the 8200’s legacy.

Going Deeper

The Original Parametric EQ

Familiar to many reading this, the GML 8200 EQ is a familiar sight in many larger commercial facilities. Instantly recognisable by its primary coloured knobs and black front panel, its friendly lego-like 1980s looks belie a seriously high-end studio tool.

From one of the inventors of the parametric EQ, the classic 8200 hardware incorporates several signature features into its design. Firstly, its discrete Class A topology has five overlapping bands that have up to 15dB of gain in hand. This will be appreciated by anyone who has needed to cut or boost inside the curve of an adjacent band. Featuring generous headroom and high quality components, its wide baseline response from 10Hz to 80kHz can even outrun audio test gear long after it has the ears of the operator!

Pulsar 8200

For all its focus on audio performance at all costs, GML’s hallowed creation can look basic when compared with a modern curve-bender. Going beyond its five-band control per-side, the user is left with two bypass buttons and that’s just about it.

Taking on the universal hardware factors such as availability (how many ‘instances’ can you afford or fit into the rack?), and lack of recall comes Pulsar’s 8200 EQ. This sets out to bring GML’s creation to the DAW, banishing the expense and basic controls braved by pro users, adding a few extra twists into the bargain.

• Curve editor - Providing a familiar audio plugin EQ-like experience with draggable nodes for those who like to grab inside the audio itself.

• Metering and spectrum analyser - These can be hidden or shown, for unbiased listening or visual investigations.

• High and low-cut filtering - Unlike the original, this makes no other cut device necessary for losing subsonic clutter or unwanted HF information.

• Tilt filter - Harder to come by in many EQs, tilting the entire response doesn’t risk losing the relationship between bands when overall response needs shifting.

• Air and Sub bands - In a departure from the GML unit’s forward-looking design, these have in fact been developed to provide a response in the style of the Pultec EQ’s shelves.

• Mid Side mode - Sometimes overlooked, the ability to switch any two channel EQ between LR and MS opens up possibilities such as taking vocals and snares forwards or backwards, adding spaciousness to side channels, or dialling down wide, bright overheads.

• Auto Gain - Engineers will be aware of the effect on perceived loudness that equalisation can have. Pulsar’s algorithm uses C-Weighting for its response.

• De-Esser - Adding an extra dynamic band to the 8200’s arsenal, this simple de-esser keeps everything in one device to tame sizzle on voices and more.

• Gain Scale - Acting as a multiplier for all the bands, this is great for deciding between big changes with small turns or vice versa.

In the video we deploy the 8200 in its natural role across a mix to check out some of its features that elevate Pulsar’s super-parametric credentials. We look at using its new Sub and Air bands as an alternative to the hardware’s shelving filters as well as making use of its level matching chops courtesy of Autogain.

Final Thoughts

It’s not uncommon for engineers to use software recreations of gear they already have nearby in their mix room. With instant recall and replication being the big draws of the audio plugin, it’s entirely possible see the ubiquitous 4k plugin lighting up channels 1 and 2 on the real thing or similar. This can extend to signature rack-dwelling hardware, and when it comes to EQ, the GML 8200 has been ripe for an audio plugin rebirth.

While those using Pulsar 8200 may or may not have experience of the Real Thing, Pulsar’s reboot has extra features that make it a comprehensive parametric tool in its own right. Although it’s not the only digital 8200 recreation out there, it provides possibly the best value combining the layout of the hardware itself with some of the extra visual feedback of GML’s own Sony Oxford OXF-R3 option. These factors could place it as another tool to make both software 8200 newbies and hardware owners take notice.

A Word About This Article

As the Experts team considered how we could better help the community we thought that some of you are time poor and don’t have the time to read a long article or a watch a long video. In 2023 we are going to be trying out articles that have the fast takeaway right at the start and then an opportunity to go deeper if you wish. Let us know if you like this idea in the comments.