Name: Pultec EQP-500X 500 Series Program Equalizer
SKU: PU;T-EQP-500S

The Best of Two Classic Pultecs — in a 500 Series Module

Pultec EQP 500X is Single-channel, 2-band 500 Series Equalizer with Separate Boost and Cut Controls, Switchable Frequency Selection, and Variable Bandwidth,The EQP-500X gives you the best of Pultec’s 19″ rackmount EQP-1A3-SS and EQP-1S3-SS EQs in a single-slot 500 Series module. In 2015, Pulse Techniques introduced the EQP-500A and EQP-500S, 500 Series versions of their popular 19″ rackmount solid-state EQP-1A3-SS and EQP-1S3-SS equalizers. They’re based on API’s solid-state rackmount units of the 1970s and are actually preferred by some engineers to the company’s legendary vintage vacuum tube models.

The EQP-500A and EQP-500S differ with respect to the corner frequencies of their LF boost/attenuation shelves and their additional HF boost frequencies. Specifically, the EQP-500S adds 1kHz, 2kHz, and 6kHz peak boosts plus 5kHz and 10kHz shelf boosts while dropping the 16kHz peak boost of the EQP-500A. Presented with this embarrassment of riches, some engineers are in a quandary over which equalizer to choose. Do you forsake the sweet 16kHz peak boost of the A unit to get the 5kHz and 10kHz shelf boost of the S version? Enter the EQP-500X.

Dilemma resolved

The Pultec EQP-500X resolves your dilemma by dropping the 6kHz peak boost — the least used based on user feedback — and adding the 16kHz peak boost. Why can’t we have them both? Remember that the 500X is a single-wide 500 Series module, and real estate is at a premium. So whether your track or mix requires the magical Pultec 16kHz “air” band or the full 5kHz/10kHz shelf boost, you have those options in a single equalizer.

Boost, cut, or both — it all sounds great

Take a look at the Pultec EQP-500X, and you’ll see it’s not designed like your typical equalizer. The 2-band design basically gives you flexible low shelving, along with broad-bandwidth midrange peak control. Because the boost and attenuate controls work independently, you can use an old trick to add weight to the bass region while also notching a bit above the cutoff point, by boosting and attenuating at the same time (try it on your kick drum, and you’ll never look back). On the high-frequency side, you can set separate ranges for the boost and attenuation. Said another way, you can boost at 12kHz or 16kHz and cut at 5kHz, adding air to a track without increasing presence.

Vintage solid-state classics

There were solid-state Pultecs? There were, indeed. Introduced in the 1970s, these equalizers sported tighter bass than their tube counterparts and surprisingly sweet-sounding highs. Today’s solid-state Pultecs, like their ancestors, employ API 2520 op-amps (rather than vacuum tubes) to drive their makeup gain stages. Otherwise, they’re functionally identical to their tubular brethren. If you love the Pultec sound, but the characteristic low-end bloom of the tube units is a bit much, the solid-state models — including Pultec’s 500 Series modules — will serve you well.

Nourish your tracks with the stuff of legend

At Sweetwater, the name Pultec commands reverence. Magical tools revered for their ability to improve the sound of audio simply by passing signal through them, Pultec equalizers are the stuff of legend. They’re all over many of your favorite records. Rare vintage units cost a pretty penny — if you can find one in good working condition. So naturally, there have been many hardware and software re-creations over the years. Now you can grace your recordings with the sweet sound of genuine Pultec hardware — conveniently located in your 500 Series rack!