The Manley MASSIVE PASSIVE Stereo Valve Equaliser. Perhaps the ultimate studio EQ for tracking instruments, mastering and delivering powerful tonal control with character.
The Manley MASSIVE PASSIVE is a two channel, four band equalizer, with additional high pass and low pass filters. Passive - refers to the tone shaping part of the EQ design not using any active circuitry. Only metal film resistors, film capacitors and hand-wound inductors sculpt the sound. Super- beefy, hugely-high-headroom, Manley all-tube make-up gain amplifiers deliver your tunes into the next realm. Creating natural, organic, acoustic tone can only be done with an equalizer that shapes the signal with natural methods. The Massive Passive uses simple passive components and exploits their natural qualities rather than forcing a complex circuit to meet an arbitrary clinical or scientific goal. Manley knows that recording and mastering equalizers are used by artists for artistic goals and they balanced this design with a little more art than science. The Massive Passive is intended both for the most radical EQ sometimes needed for tracking as well as the most subtle shadings for vocals and mastering. It is designed to be a fundamentally different EQ but with the best strengths of Pultecs, choice console EQs, parametrics and graphics. The difference is that this EQ allows twice as much EQ with half the colouration. It allows massive HF boosts without sibilance problems and unbelievable fatness without mud. This is unique. Being different also gives it some quirks and idiosyncrasies that will spark your creativity.
The main features of the Manley MASSIVE PASSIVE include:
Perhaps the ultimate studio EQ for tracking instruments, mastering and delivering powerful tonal control with character
All-Passive tone sculpting circuitry
Unique Shelf curves use the "bandwidth" control
Overlapping and Interleaved Frequency choices
Every band switchable to shelf or bell
Vacuum tube make-up gain and line drivers
Parallel symmetrical topology
Premium components throughout
HP and LP Filters plus gain trims
Each band can be bypassed or set to boost or cut. This provides twice the control resolution over conventional EQs. It also eliminates the problem of a centre detent not guaranteeing flat response
Each band is capable of 20 dB of boost or cut combined with amazing headroom and freedom from clipping
Steep LP and HP filters for maximum effectiveness and achieved passively for minimal coloration. The minimum slope is 18 dB/octave and the 18kHz filter was designed for 60 dB/octave
Modular design that allows future upgrades and special functions
Transformer balanced floating outputs for ease of installation and a touch of desirable flavour
Ins and Outs Balanced XLR and 1/4 inch (accepts unbalanced)
Level +4 dBm nominal, internal switches for -10 operation
Bypass Switch bypasses EQ and tube circuits (not hardwire)
44 Frequencies (roughly 1/4 octave spacing)
Frequency Range: 22 Hz to 27 kHz
EQ Boost/Cut Range : 20 dB boost, 20 dB cut
Nominal Q range: 1.5 to 3 (uniquely active in shelf modes
