PlanetZ forums - scopeusers.com

Having always read about a 'trick' on Pultec emulated EQ plugins of boosting and attenuating the same frequency, and having bought a Black Friday special to try : The idea is that normally if you boost a bass frequency (e.g. 100Hz) it will increase the overall gain of the track. But by attenuating the same frequency you can get the bass boost without the overall gain increasing. This is subtly different from boosting the bass @ 100Hz then reducing the overall gain (which affects all frequencies not just the boosted 100Hz one).

Can anyone confirm this is what is actually referred to as 'the Pultec trick' ?

How is the sound? Sorry, OT again. I had the UAD-2 one and it was pretty good. I am still learning how to use an equalizer

Maybe you can google the pulteq trick...

-Tom

Yeah, I just googled it. Sounds like you're doing it right

-Tom

That's the part I love about the Pultec. I know about the spat but Pultec is absolutely beautiful 60Hz and below. Adds such power without getting messy.

Softube dropped the price on their tubetech (pultec emu) from $350 to $220, still to expensive for me so I went for the Kuassa EVE MP5 sore dick deal at $40 and modelled on the Pultec MEQ-5 and EQP-1A. It has the same Boost / Atten controls on the low EQ band, it works at 20,30,60 and 100hz. I played with it & sounded good but with many of these toys Ill need to play with it over time to get a feel for its usefulness. Its a quick way to get more bass without raising overall gain so far.

Will have to try the 'trick'. I remember the Pultec giving vocals a nice presence after boosting the 10k a bit. And this was using a cheap mic! Yeah, it's old technology. I'm sure it's all passive (inductors and resistors?).

-Tom

DAS's is a very good emu...

Yes, theirs has Boost and Cut at similar freqs plus midrange - Im assuming 'cut' means the same as 'attenuate' - so that could do the same trick.

yep.

I always liked the Pultec HW, back in the 80's we used it a lot with a Kepex for our R&B funk band sessions. Now with the Euro down to record levels again the POLTEQ can be had for $61 (if you log in). Maybe with a holiday special, even less! I don't see how a native version can beat a DSP version (even UAD). I just downloaded the Waves PuigTec EQP-1A (for S&G's) only because it was $19. It cranks up the CPU. So that likely means the native pain-in-the-arse of freezing audio tracks when things get busy. I like to keep my options open and flowing, so SCOPE ASIO to/from Sonar works the best for me. I'll max out native CPU before I max out SCOPE DSP every time.

Dunno if the POLTEQ can do better than the MASTER IT.....

Let me have a try on my 3 year old chip...

I bought that plugin from Waves for 'free'. No, didn't pirate.

-Tom

Hmm,

Are we talking about the same Waves plugin? I just stacked 16 of them in a chain until the point where they were feeding each other noise and hiss was coming out with just a few % of the CPU used. Unless the Sonar meters are lying...

-Tom

I have the Sonic-Core (DAS) version of the Pultec. I love it as an insert on mixers for my bass or kick drum....it's true, the low end/sub-bass can be done right without mud!

Celmo has one too

http://www.celmo.com/Pultecator_page.htm

Will have to try Celmo's one. Love his plugins.

Brainworx has a bass shift which works really nicely too. Got v2 off Gary and it's quality.

tlaskows wrote:Hmm,

Are we talking about the same Waves plugin? I just stacked 16 of them in a chain until the point where they were feeding each other noise and hiss was coming out with just a few % of the CPU used. Unless the Sonar meters are lying...

-Tom

Yeah. An FX chain is useful to save CPU (latency) when you chain different effects together on a buss or track but applying this plug to different tracks (bass, kick, HH, or whatever) is the way I use it. Maybe also to stems on a buss too as a plan B. But a full mix would be a plan Z. So rather than a serial chain I use it on parallel tracks or busses where the load can add up with heavy CPU modelers or samples (which are pretty much what I use and I'm not a fan of "freezing" tracks). In any case, I always check the CPU usage via the OS which seems to be more accurate, usually showing 20 to 40% more than the DAW shows (when the CPU is at max speed, with no throttling of course). Depending on how you use it, your mileage may vary.

PS: I'm sure the Celmo's Pulticator will sound great but unless I'm missing something I think you would need to put two in serial to do the Pultec "trick". (Granted in SCOPE that's no big deal). I'm still willing to bet on the DAS POLTEQ compared to ANY other native or even DSP device as far as an emulation goes. Tempting as the Euro is still holding really low. Holiday special would put me over the fence.

Ahh,

I see. I had no idea that it would use more CPU when you use it separately on every track. Let me have a try...

-Tom

Tom, make sure you have audio going through them so they huff and puff.....

Yeah, I'll drop down some boring drum loops and have it on repeat like a record baby!

-Tom

Ronnie,

It's been looping for at least half an hour without a glitch. Just a little CPU use on 16 stereo audio tracks. The only thing that nearly kills my CPU is 4 instances of Diva with 16 poly each It will start to crackle, but won't drop out until I add another Diva...

Here's what I'm working with. I'm pretty sure you use the same software.

http://www.thomaslaskowski.com/wp-conte ... Pultec.png

Are you sure your speedstep is off? Try getting CPU-z and see if it's always running at full speed.

Cheers,

-Tom