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Electro Harmonix Tube EQ

 

Review of the Electro Harmonix Tube EQ by The Man in the Jar  

Essentially the Tube EQ is a double layer of lush extra tone for your instrument.    

Features of the Electro Harmonix Tube EQ

Construction - The Tube EQ has the traditional Electro-Harmonix construction of folded aluminium. Because this makes an EH feel quite light you get the impression it might be quite flimsy. But this method of construction does proffer great strength as witnessed by the many Electro Harmonix units that are happily working into their third or even fourth decade.

The valves that feed the tone circuits are exposed to enough air to keep them from over-heating but are well-protected in this position by a curved metal grille supported by two sturdy metal posts. This grille also separates the control knobs from the boot end of the unit. The on/off footswitch is regular sturdy.  

Ins and Outs - There's one jack input and one jack output with an additional input for an optional expression pedal that can be used to sweep the frequency of the bandpass filter. On the side is the inlet for the dedicated power supply that comes with the unit.

Power - Use only the dedicated power supply that comes in the box.

Controls - The Tube EQ is a stacked layer of tone filters. The first layer is a passive shelving filter which has basic Treble and Bass controls. Below those are the controls for the second filter. This is an active parametric bandpass filter. This has a Frequency control which sets the frequency around which the bandpass filter will operate (think of this as the broader brush stroke which defines the sonic territory upon which you want to pour some tonal magic). The Frequency control is complimented by the Q control. This focuses on the centre defined by the Frequency control and allows you to alter the width from that centrepoint and resonance within which the bandpass filter operates. The Bandpass Gain determines the mix of the active tone circuit with the passive tone circuit.

The addition of the optional expression pedal (sold separately) allows you to control the frequency centre with your foot and sweep it backwards and forwards. Set the Frequency knob to full to give the expression pedal maximum sweep.

 

Sound of the Electro Harmonix Tube EQ

I started off with the active bandpass gain turned down and focussed on the passive Treble and Bass circuit. Switching in and out illustrated the great improvements I was getting over my raw tone, a tone I had previously been quite content with. It's worth taking some time to get this element just right because it sets the basic sound into which you are going to mix the bandpass filter.

Noting where the Treble and Bass control served me best I turned them to zero to isolate the active circuit. Because the Q control controls the width of frequency range that can be independently swept to any point in the sonic range, this active circuit is practically limitless in variation. The best and most subtle effects can be achieved with narrower bandwidths, but you should spend time trying everything from that point up to complete breakdown into horrible howling feedback. Only then will you begin to understand the subtleties and extravagancies available to you.

Now comes the fun of reinstating the Treble and Bass controls to your preferred position and under-pinning that sound by blending in with the Bandpass Gain what you've learnt by playing around in the active bandpass.   

Overall Impressions of the Electro Harmonix Tube EQ

Everyone knows that valves are likely to produce better-sounding tone. The valve-driven Tube EQ is a bit of a quiet revolution that can bring excellent tone and, possibly more importantly, near-infinite tone control to any musician using amplified equipment. Do you need this pedal? You might not think so until you try it. Then you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.  

Buy the Electro Harmonix Tube EQ

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