EQP-1A

Name: EQP-1A
Price: 79.99 USD
Author: Apogee

by Apogee · EQ · Pultec EQP-1A tube program EQ emulation

Not rated yet

EQP-1A is Apogee's recreation of the Pultec EQP-1A tube program equalizer, officially licensed and endorsed by Pulse Techniques.

It reproduces the broad curves, band interaction and circuit non-linearities of the hardware, for $79.99 (regular $149).

Best for: Vocals, Drums, Bass, Guitars, Mix Bus. Genres: all genres.

Keywords: hardware emulation, bass, tube, vocals, bright, broad-strokes, bus processing, drums, full mix, gentle, low latency, mix bus, electric guitar, kick, licensed emulation, smooth, 50s, circuit-modelled, mixing, musical, static, subscription, tracking, vintage, wide, zero-latency.

What it does

EQP-1A models the Pultec EQP-1A tube program equalizer, known for broad, gentle curves and its boost-and-cut low-end trick. Apogee made it with Pulse Techniques, the current Pultec company, which officially licenses and endorses it.

Low-frequency section: separate low-end boost and attenuation controls, which can be used together.
Band interaction: boosting and cutting at the same time creates the characteristic Pultec low-end curves.
High-frequency section: a separate section for shaping the top end, from added air to a softer treble.
Broad curves: wide, smooth shapes aimed at "smooth, musical tone shaping" on vocals, drums, bass, guitars and full mixes.
Non-linearities: models the circuit's non-linear behaviour, which Apogee credits for the hardware's "magic."
Two versions and DSP: FX and FX Rack versions; on Apogee Element series and Ensemble Thunderbolt interfaces it runs on the interface DSP with DualPath monitoring for near-zero-latency tracking.

The current version is 3.2.0. Plugin Alliance sells it (on sale at the time of writing), includes it in its CORE and PRO subscriptions, and offers a 14-day trial.

Source: Apogee product page

When to use it

Apogee's version is a single EQP-1A, officially licensed by Pulse Techniques. It has a simpler interface than Waves PuigTec EQs, which pairs the EQP-1A with an MEQ-5, and it lacks the extra units of UAD's rated Pultec Passive EQ Collection, which adds the MEQ-5 and HLF-3C in one package, and the mid/side processing of IK Multimedia's version. Pair it with Apogee's MEQ-5 if you want the matching midrange unit.

Best for: low-end weight on kick and bass, air on vocals, brightening a dull mix, and gentle tone shaping on the mix bus.
Genres: any style.
Look elsewhere if: you need narrow, surgical cuts (a parametric EQ like Pro-Q 4), mid/side processing (IK Multimedia's EQP-1A), or several Pultec units in one bundle (UAD Pultec Passive EQ Collection).

What producers say

Reviewers rate it highly for character and its official licensing; the main caveat is the unusual Pultec workflow.

MusicTech (Adam Crute, 2019, FX Rack version) said it "delivers results that ooze with character," and found it excels on kick, bass and vocals and for brightening dull mixes, though its unconventional workflow may confuse some users.
Tape Op (Dana Gumbiner, issue 134) praised the clear interface, which needs little reading of the manual, and said Apogee's plug-ins sound "freakin' great."
Production Expert listed it among its five best Pultec plugins of 2022.

Where to buy

Plugin Alliance: $79.99

Tutorials and reviews

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