The A567 is a three-band equalizer with all the quirks and irregular operation of certain vintage equalizers at that time. No attempt was made to "fix" or modernize it because that is the charm of the A567 EQ. All sections of the original module are modelled including the Input Pre-amp and the Output transformer.

Because of the design, component choices, age and other differences, PSP has modelled eight individual A567 console modules and includes the ability to select any of them or an average of all them. Each of these eight modules had a slightly different sound when "pushed hard" by increasing the Drive control for saturation.

Controls

Starting on the left of the resizable GUI is an EQ In/Out switch and, like the original, the Input Pre-amp and Output sections are always active even while the plug-in's bypass switch is out. This is a cool feature because you can saturate using the A567 without adding EQ.

Next is the Drive control that is variable from -30dB (not off) to +30dB. There is a red LED that flashes with peaks such as loud drum hits. This is an indication of saturation and you'll see the output LED blink depending on how much EQ boost you've applied. Turning up the Drive control produces intense saturation and sounds like an old solid-state compressor with an unique tone. Under extreme Drive settings, I found the throughput level to decrease substantially but you can make up gain with the Output control.

The three bands have large, easy-to-grab, boost/cut knobs each with +/- 16dB range. More exact values for boost/cut are indicated below in an orange text when you mouseover any of the boost/cut knobs. Option clicking a knob returns them to straight up or "flat" for that band--as close as possibly flat if the original equalizer is to be accurately emulated.

Surrounding these boost/cut controls are concentric rings showing the selectable frequency choices. The low frequency shelving equalizer's choices are on octave centers. They are: 240Hz, 120Hz, 60Hz and 30Hz. There are additional frequencies available in between the ones shown on the GUI; they are indicated in blue lettering when you mouseover and click on any of their small dots in between the marked frequencies. These additional frequencies were not on the original A567.

These unmarked frequencies are also a feature for the other two bands. Mid-Range frequencies are 2kHz, 1.3kHz, 800Hz, 500Hz. I think these other frequencies should have been listed along with others--there appears to be room for them. High Frequencies range from 1.5kHz to 14kHz.

There is a row of buttons at the bottom of the GUI for setting up and selecting any of eight different A567 channels modelled which PSP calls "tunings." They are listed as 1 through 8. Selecting the µ button gives the average tuning of all eight while the # button with give you the ideal version.

Next is Variation that crossfades between µ and the particular tuning of one of the eight selected tunings on mono tracks. For stereo tracks, when the Variation fader is moved to the right, the left channel moves away from the µ channel's settings--and then moving the fader left, the right channel will move away from µ.

Next is the Alt Q button that changes the Q of all bands over to a fixed-Q--a broader, bell-shape EQ curve. Fixed Q equalizers are chosen to preserve musical character, especially in the high frequencies.

The Sharp button narrows the Q for only in the high frequency section. Sharp worked well for me to focus in on a hi-hat mixed in the overhead tracks. I paralleled the left overhead track and processed the new track with A567 using a Sharp Q. Then I could blend this new track panned to the same position as the hi-hat is in L/R overheads.

In The Studio

I tended to prefer the Alt Q mode most of the time for mixes and instruments like grand pianos, string sections, and vocals. The default Q was great for guitars, individual drum mics (or tracks) and sometimes bass guitars.

I had a direct guitar track recording that was playing lead lines and fills. Without the A567, it sounded like a direct guitar--thin, not thick, no sustain or color. The compressive nature of this EQ thickens the plucked notes, rounding them out and added girth when the guitarist played melodies using more sustain. This is much like a compressor but you can boost the more desirable frequencies. Awesome!

It's A Good One!

To me this is the heart of this plug-in--I just loved what this saturated sound did to overly clean instruments. So direct guitars and (direct) bass guitars sounded great. On a synth pad, cranking up Drive produces a grainy color with all amplitude changes (dynamics) removed! I liked Channel #4 for this effect on a stereo pad with both Alt Q. More at:

PSP Datamix A567

The PSP Datamix A567 Tracking and Mixing Equalizer sells for $149

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