Radial Engineering has launched the Q4 parametric equaliser, claiming a likely world first in its 100 per cent discrete state-variable class-A design.
The Q4 is a line level device designed to interface with balanced pro audio recording systems. It features four EQ bands with fixed low and high frequency shelving at 100Hz and 10kHz, plus two semi-parametric mid bands of 300Hz~2.4kHz and 1kHz~12kHz. Each mid band is also equipped with choice of wide or narrow Q to open the sweet spot or tighten it. All frequencies are set with up to 12dB of boost or cut. The EQ may be bypassed to compare the signal pre and post effect.
‘Ever since George Massenburg invented and coined the term parametric equaliser in 1972, audio equipment manufacturers have followed suit by employing integrated circuit op-amps to generate the gain in equaliser circuits,’ says Radial Senior Engineer, Dan Fraser. ‘This innovation did away with the finicky induction coils and expensive switches that were used in the 1950s and 1960s, bringing affordable EQ circuits to the mass market. And although this approach certainly works very well, no company has ever gone back to the purity of 100 per cent discrete electronics to produce a true class-A state variable filter design. The Q4 is exactly that. And for the more demanding golden eared engineers, the Q4 will give them an EQ choice that has, up until now, never been commercially available.
The Q4 is cased in steel to provide durability and screening against electro-magnetic fields. Inside, the unit features a double-sided circuit board with discrete through-hole parts. These are hand inserted through-hole wave soldered for optimal signal flow. When mounted inside a Workhorse rack, the Omniport serves as a quarter-inch TRS I/O that can be interfaced with a mixer’s insert point using a simple TRS connector.
‘For years, audiophiles and engineers have been touting the sonic advantages of full sized, discrete parts over their miniaturised integrated circuit computer and cell phone counterparts,’ Fraser adds. ‘The preference of using class-A circuits over class-AB or other designs is also well documented. Couple this with the fact that 500 series users are looking for the purity of analog and you can immediately understand why the Q4 is so appealing. And once you plug it in, you can immediately hear how good it sounds.
The Q4 is made in Canada and guaranteed for three years. It ships with an estimated retail price of US$800.
More: www.radialeng.com
