Below the hardwire bypass button at the top of the EQ52, the passive Low Cut section of the EQ52 module now has its own In/Out bypass button and a switch to toggle between two ranges of operation. The low range is from 50Hz to 500Hz and the higher range goes from 700Hz to 5kHz.

This is a first order filter for a very gentle -6dB/octave change. Compared to the EQ50 whose frequency range is continuously variable from 20Hz to 1kHz and with no bypass, being split into two ranges allows for more precision with high pass filtering for mixes or individual tracks.

Below this section is the See Saw EQ section. Although it has no individual bypass switch, there is a switch to change between two different "pivot" frequency ranges. The pivot frequency would be the exact point at which above and below frequencies are affected by this filter. The EQ50 had two fixed choices of pivot frequency and now the EQ52 has semi-parametric controls--both the range of pivot frequencies and the amount are adjustable.

The lower range is 120Hz to 1.7kHz and the higher range is from 1.9Khz to 26kHz labeled in red (although hard to read). A single control knob at the top of this section simultaneously boosts the highs and cuts lows when turned towards HF or boosts lows and cuts highs when turned towards LF.

Without a section bypass button, I felt like this See Saw control could use a detent at the "0" straight up 12-noon position to make sure it was not active when either the EQ52's low or hi cut sections were used.

At the bottom of the module is the Hi Cut section that is continuously variable from 3kHz to 200kHz. Again, a first order filter for a very gentle -6dB/octave is used here and I'd like to see a section bypass switch here as well.

Two EQ52s were sent for evaluation and they plugged right into my 500 rack and I have them routable now instead of hardwire into the stereo bus of my SSL Sigma as I had the EQ50s. The EQ52s are more useful for individual tracks as well as a mastering EQ and sound just as pristine and transparent. The manual's recommended null test to verify both modules are set exactly the same for stereo operation showed their accurate phase/amplitude response. Is a stereo version in two 500 slots coming soon?

I had great success using the EQ52s as a stereo mastering touch up tool. When I just wanted to add a subtle touch without adding harmonic or phase distortion. It worked well to clear up lower mid-range build up and for other subtractive EQ changes.

The Ingram Engineering EQ52 See Saw EQ/Filter sells for $410 MSRP and is available from dealers listed at: ingramengineering.net.

ingramengineering.net/eq52.html