BETTERMAKER EQ 502P Operations Manual Addicted to Music Group ul.Paryska 35 m.10 03-945 Warsaw Poland Phone: +48 604649220 info@bettermaker.eu, www.bettermaker.eu www.addictedtomusic.
The Bettermaker crew would like to thank all the people that were deeply involved in the development of our first product, the EQ 230P. This product started our concept that leeded us to EQ 502P. Thank you for the insight and inspiration you gave us to make it even better. Thanks to all the Beta-testers that gave us hands-on tips and all people involved in the conceptual stage. We hope we have listened to you carefully so as to produce an ideal tool in the hands of every engineer.
Table of Contents Important Safety Information 4 I. Introduction 5 II. Standards, Use and Alignment 6 III. Hardware 6 IV. Front Panel 7 V. Software 10 VI. DAW Integration 12 VII. EQ Filter Sections in Depth 14 XI.
Important Safety Information WARNINGS • Do not operate this unit in the presence of rain, liquids, or condensing moisture. Liquid entering the product enclosure presents the risk of electric shock injury. Practical Safety Precautions Do not operate the Bettermaker EQ502P underwater, uncovered in the rain, in a sauna, or anyplace near water. (We know your shower is the greatest reverb chamber ever created).
I. Introduction Congratulations on your purchase of the Addicted to Music Bettermaker Equalizer - all analog sound with the flexibility of digital control! Welcome to the family! The hybrid audio equalizer now in your possession is the result of years of research and development in emerging digital control technologies. The final hand-built result is currently glowing happily in your rack (Lucky you).
II. Standards, Use and Alignment The Bettermaker EQ502P is designed according to international standards, and is fully functional in any location with proper power and 500 format enclosure available. This includes but is not limited to studio, stage, video post, on-location, festival, corporate, and both installed and temporary audio solutions. This equalizer is excellent in festival situations as its instant recall makes it perfect for fast resetting between multiple stages or bands.
IV. Front Panel The Bettermaker EQ502P front panel is divided into 2 main sections and a clip indicator. To keep a clean and modern design aesthetic. All knobs are machined out of solid aluminum and are securely mounted to the detented digital encoders. All knobs rotate as digitally encoded increments and decrements. The exception is the ‘Preset’ knob, which rotates as a digital encoder, but also has a special function as a push-button menu selector.
Clip Indicators Two red LEDs illuminate if the headroom has been exceeded. This can occur by driving a signal too hard into the EQ, or by applying too much boost in any of the bands. Clip detectors are located at the output of the filter stage. If clipping does occur, lower the input level feeding into the unit until the LEDs stop blinking. P-Filter EQ The P-Filter EQ is organized into 2 sections (low freq and high freq). Each frequency section (high/low) features separate boost and cut controls.
Presets On the lower right corner is the PRESET section (pictured below), which saves and recalls the entire state of the unit. The multi-purpose knob can rotate as a digital encoder and be pressed as a menu selector button in tandem with the 3-digit LED Read-out. Operation is described in detail below in Part V, Software. Stereo / Dual Mono Over the preset section is a stereo/dual mono selector button (pictured above). This unlinks the channels of the EQ502P to allow dual mono processing.
V. Software The sound of an equalizer is of course based on the quality of its hardware design. This unique equalizer is also a hybrid; all control and user interaction are performed in the digital software realm.
Memory Clear (Delete) Though it’s unnecessary in practice, if you ever want to clear a memory (perhaps to hide your most secret EQ setting from prying eyes), start with the same procedure as storing: rotate the PRESET knob to a used memory cell, then press and hold the PRESET knob for 2 seconds. The LED display will change to a dialog saying NO. Turn the PRESET knob till the LED display shows dEL, then press the knob once.
VI. DAW Integration The Bettermaker EQ502P can communicate with your DAW via USB connection. The units appear as a MIDI device and can be managed via a Plugin or Sysex commands. We strongly encourage using the plugin because it’s much easier to manage than Sysex. USB Programming and Features Bettermaker EQ502P has a unique option not available in any other analog EQ. You can connect it to your DAW and use your host to controll the EQ as you would controll a plugin.
Unit Address: You can select a unit Bettermaker EQ502P to integrate a specific unit with a specific plugin. This serves two purposes: 1. You can use multiple Bettermaker units with one host and use them in one project where every unit will have its own selected plugin. This way you can, for example, have a 10 slot 500 rack filled with 5 Bettermaker EQs and have 10 channels of analog correction controlled with plugins! 2.
VII. EQ Filter Sections in Depth We’ve put a large amount of time, effort, money, and listening tests into the research and development of the analog stages of the Bettermaker EQ502P. We feel that it represents one of the best values, highest fidelity, and newest methods of working available in audio today. We set out to make a product that broke new ground, an equalizer with the highest sonic quality, ease of use, and a full pallet of sound shaping tools to allow engineers to make the best-sounding record.
P Section Low frequency band use Simple Boosting or Cutting: Boosting or Cutting (attenuation) is marked on the front panel from 1 through 14, and further divided into tenths (e.g., a very delicate boost of 0.1 is possible). The equalizer is flat at a setting of 0 (knob indicator fully counterclockwise). Be aware that unlike modern shelving equalizers, the PEQ’s boost frequency is specified at the frequency of maximum boost instead of the 3 dB down point.
PEQ combining a boost of 7 at 20 Hz with an atten of 2 (orange); a boost of 7 @ 20 Hz combined with an atten of 5 (red) To achieve enlightenment in Zen, you must try it out yourself! Start with very high boost and cut to hear the effect clearly, notice a smoothing in the center frequency. Now take away the cut. Notice how the center frequency jumps out and becomes very aggressive. In normal use, such extreme boosts and cuts are not needed.
Simple HF Cutting: The PEQ’s high frequency attenuation is a first order shelving filter with selectable cut frequencies of 5 kHz, 10 kHz and 20 khz, and a range down to -15 dB. Like the low frequency section, the cut frequency is specified at the maximum cut amount (pictured below).
IX. Product Specifications Bettermaker EQ502P Performance (actual unit measured balanced with Audio Precision Portable One) Model EQ502P Frequency response -0.5 dB @ 10 Hz, -3 dB @ 100 kHz THD 1 kHz Unity gain Max rated input level Max rated output level @ +12 dBu 0.
XI. Contact info / RMA warranty In case of failure, please contact Addicted to Music for RMA information to have your unit repaired under warranty. Addicted To Music Bettermaker EQ502P Phone: +48 604 649 220 Email: info@bettermaker.eu Web: www.bettermaker.eu Warranty: Addicted to Music warrants to the purchaser of a new Bettermaker EQ502P that the unit is free from manufacturing defects in materials and workmanship for a period of one (1) year from the original date of purchase.
