Ed Simeone of TC

We are seeing more and more integrated units, that have system control parameters beyond simple equalization. The dbx DriveRack was one of the first, and one of the latest is the t.c. electronic EQ Station, with the optional Motofader module. Although it can be run from a laptop, the basic EQ Station has a very generously sized window that is an actual QVGA color TFT display. Ed Simeone of t.c. is a really good teacher. He explained to me the difference between parallel and cascading filters used in a graphic EQ.

If your graphic is parallel, that means if you push up all the faders 3 dB, your actual gain on the output is also 3 dB. But, with a cascading design, when you do the same thing, it yields an increase in output of 11 dB. The EQ Station is capable of emulating either type, and also has a setting that makes it sound like the t.c. 1128.

That is one of my favorite EQ’s of all time. I have written before about how when I started to use one on a Clair Brothers gig, I was totally intimidated by the motorized faders and memory, and then after a few nights of using it, wished I could carry it out of the venue and take it with me to every single gig I do. It is so great to be able to command multiple slave units, and address different zones, without having to have racks and racks of different traditional graphics, each with physical faders vulnerable to dust and moisture.

The new EQ Station has a 29 band graphic, six bands of parametric, 600 ms of delay, optional AES/EBU I/O, a limiter, and the ability to have dynamic filters that only operate when a chosen frequency hits a certain level. Each EQ Station controls eight channels, so four units will handle 32 channels. The top one would serve as the master, and they are looped with Ethercon connectors.

Like the 1128, the Motofader unit allows A/B-ing between a new adjustment versus the saved version. It has 29 faders and takes up four rack spaces. And, the Motofader only weighs four pounds, as opposed to the original 1128’s controller head’s 22. Right now, it is slated to retail for about 2,500 Euros, with the EQ Station going for approximately 7,000.

An additional use is possible, with what t.c. calls its mix/sum mode, or what I think of as “backwards,” so that instead of driving four stereo units, the EQ Station can serve as a summing amp, for multiple consoles. I would assume that one pair of outs would still be active, so that would mean you could connect three consoles at a larger gig or festival scenario, without a bunch of wankers complaining about how they don’t want the next guy plugging his stereo output into two channels of their precious console.

Thanks, t.c.!