Empress Effects ParaEQ MKII Deluxe

[@G5Hohn]

Andy is part of my YT nostalgia. How many of us used to nerd all the PGS demo videos and "Hi, I'm Andy with PGS"?

[@AndyDemos]

I appreciate you finding me here!

[@G5Hohn]

@@AndyDemosIt's my good fortune. And man, your voice is a gift, you should look into voiceover work in addition to being a killer player.

[@alexwong7]

back in the days when he was just a finger pointing at pedals....!!😂

[@sassycat]

I know that too often a pedal is described as a "must have" but this one truly earns that accolade.

[@Gibson1976uk]

I am seriously gunning to get one of these :) I have found EQ the most useful pedal over the years

[@rasm0225]

I’m just commenting to make sure you’re getting enough algorithm love after being a bit quiet. So great to have you back!!

[@AndyDemos]

I really appreciate the love! Great to be back 👊👊

[@WeaponsRemorse]

As somebody who has actively hated, Neck pick ups forever because of the wooly factor This will actually make them usable to me. I am definitely buying.

[@LukeBlase]

Thank you for playing Ziggy Stardust, Andy!

[@emilong]

5:13 Ooh Ziggy is a great choice to demo - always a song I could never quite dial in perfectly

[@SomeKindOfMadman]

Killer playing Andy, very rad pedal indeed; you’re the GOAT.

[@AndyDemos]

Thanks so much!

[@deptofcarstereorepair]

I'm considering buying this pedal but wanted to watch a demo, especially to see how those trim pots worked. As always, your demos are awesome! Thanks for all the time and effort you put into your vids!

[@AndyDemos]

I’m glad you enjoyed it, thank you!

[@willbohland3698]

Another ridiculous win from Empress. Thanks, Andy!

[@AndyDemos]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@BernieZazz]

Nice demo Andy!

[@AndyDemos]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@yohnsvain9651]

Great eq tips, esp. the q control stuff, cleared up something for me I never quite understood. Keep ‘em coming Andy.

[@AndyDemos]

Happy to hear that, thanks!

[@granthambeard]

Empress effects option anxiety pedal, lovely playing Andy

[@RByrne]

Theres always room for one more! Great demo!

[@michael_caz_nyc]

14 Knobs - it's gotta be good ( right? ). Empress always makes great stuff. Nice Demo.

[@kevon217]

watching this again. Super great reference.

[@AndyDemos]

Glad it’s been helpful to you! Thanks!

[@Firstinversion899]

Very helpful indeed🙌🙌🙌🙌

[@grizelda4526]

I use it with my bass rig. Still experimenting on where in the chain to put it! Great video!

[@AndyDemos]

Good to hear it's working for your bass rig! I'd say placement is always up to you and your ears. Towards the end of the signal chain (post dirt) always makes the most difference for me. Thanks for watching!

[@HyBr1dRaNg3r]

Wish I didn’t ever sell my big box paraeq, but this will be even better!! Definitely want the deluxe

[@BernieZazz]

What’s the diff between the two?

[@dinmentor]

​@@BernieZazzone is different than the other.

[@BernieZazz]

@@dinmentor 🤣

[@alexanderrasmussen9149]

LP and pedals with parametric EQ - always hoping for some Ronno. Wonderful!

[@edadpops1709]

Theres his clean tone 11:35🙌

[@boyan.guitar]

they should make it with assignable expression pedal controls... imagine you can sweet through the mid freqs as they're boosted or cut... super fun... great demo as always :)

[@wazcooper401]

This pedal had me at Mick Ronson, the guy who got me into guitar! However, it has me really torn between this and the Angry Rhubarb. I like the Para EQ’s clean tone abilities too, being a Midnight Oil inspired player as well.

[@ChrisTotster]

Kinda want one of these

[@Gibson1976uk]

I now own the deluxe version and it sounds GREAT!!! I only have one grumble though, for the price you pay, you would think the knobs would better quality?? they are not bad but I was expecting something more like a Chase Bliss or Thorpyfx quality but putting that aside, I can live with it :) the pedal is quick and easy to dial in tones! much prefer it to a graphic eq. Thank You Andy for all the demos you do!

[@orryfishburne5326]

It's definitely going to be one of my next pedals. I was so excited the day they released it, just havent gotten around to purchasing one yet. I really want Empress to release a dual pedal thats the ParaEq DLX with the Compressor MkII, but add a toggle switch that changes order and the input/output are TRS to split each jack into a in & out for splitting the pedal allowing u to place each circuit in different locations in your chain, but also add a dip switch that allows for that application or stereo in/outs for placement at the end of a chain or to split your signal up front. To take this idea one step further add an expression jack that controls the HPF and LPF for filter sweeping. That would be my dream utility pedal. Dont think they would ever do it, and im just happy that we have the ParaEq once again and the Compressor MkII, but it would be awesome.

[@123Andersonev]

The Q value on narrow band is actually much more useful for surgically removing frequencies that are problematic like 60 hz cycle hum for example or notch filtering, you would obviously cut the gain instead of raising.

[@AndyDemos]

Yes, that would be the choice for feedback elimination too.

[@doubled5383]

Out of curiosity what are some notch frequencies to eliminate. Are there some go to setups you would suggest to just illustrate? I’m trying to get more knowledgeable about frequency filtering. I know there are tons of ways to do it

[@123Andersonev]

@@doubled5383 typically it's whatever the mains cycle rate is (usually 50/60hz depending what country you're in), rest of the time it will depend on sound sources and whether you are going direct or mic'd up, typically you go narrow band then boost and sweep the Freq range till you find resonant or tinny freqs then after finding them you cut the gain back till you can barely hear it.

[@doubled5383]

@@123Andersonev thank you. That’s a good foundation. The answer as it usually is is “it depends”. I just need to sit down with it and mess around. But order of operations this is helpful, start narrow q, then frequency sweep then mess with the gain, and just keep cycling through I guess.

[@joeygwood]

Hey Andy! I've been watching your demos since the Pro Guitar Shop era. I remember that original ParaEQ video. That was the year I graduated high school. I've been eyeing this new version. How wide can you go with the Q control? I like a super wide band centered at 400Hz to act as a contour control. Is that possible with this pedal?

[@AndyDemos]

Hey thanks for watching all these years! Yes, the Q is much wider than most EQ pedals. The medium Q setting is the standard for most pedals but they also have a wide setting that would be a very broad stroke you could center at 400Hz.

[@attrition0]

Empress makes some great pedals -- if you're reading this, PLEASE make a single channel Heavy! I can't fit the original on my board ;)

[@chuckjcarter]

Excellent demo as always. Did you get to try it with an acoustic-electric?

[@darwinsaye]

Its so weird to me how few companies have offered proper parametric EQs. I was in the market and looking around a while back, and was surprised how many of the supposed parametric EQs out there don’t even have a fully adjustable Q. I mean, that’s the key feature of parametric equalizing. And a lot of other ones only offered two bands, or even just ONE. Are you kidding me? Same problem with all the compressor pedals out there that just have “level” and “compression” controls, and all the other parameters like threshold, attack, release, are all preset. Pedal companies all need to take a cue from the Empress ParaEQ and the Walrus Audio Mira compressor and make more fully-featured effects.

[@bcjaliu]

Where in the signal chain do y’all put this in and why? Also what frequencies do the low and high shelf filters affect !? I looked at the manual and don’t think I saw anything regarding that. All I see is + and - 15dB. Or is it that the frequencies are set by the low and pass filter knobs and as soon as you tweak the shelf filters boost or cut the shelf filters are activated?

[@JHKNVY02]

Do you think there’s value / utility running an EQ (like the MXR M108) either after or in the effects loop of the amp or is this redundant? I would think they do different things, but not sure about location, order or if this is even wise. Thanks! Great Video!

[@AndyDemos]

Nothing redundant about that! An EQ is able to adjust specific frequencies that a preamp can’t do. Some just use a EQ in FX loop to add a signal/lead boost without all the extra saturation. Thanks!

[@OlandoMcCall]

I would think you place this before the dist/drive, I see this works after as well. I play bass so I'll have to get one and experiment....

[@rydeentokio]

That chassis looks like a Chase bliss one.

[@Gibson1976uk]

The video sells the pedal! I want one

[@AndyDemos]

Glad it was helpful for you! Thanks!

[@Bairov]

It's this or the JHS color box V2. Help me decide Andy?!

[@gitpho]

The ParaEq Deluxe is the more versatile and more transparent EQ; the Colour Box adds that Neve console character and has the option for XLR in/out but has a more limited EQ section. Which is better depends on your needs/priorities.

[@John-e4p1x]

Empress is the best quality out there. There is magic in their components, very high quality internals...

[@Phoboss32]

Andy, do you think it would be possible to apply such parametric EQ on a Helix/HX Stomp?

[@Paul_Lenard_Ewing]

It is literally the best. I saw a video with the old one where they used it on every track of a whole album and not the EQ in the board. Even the old one had killer spec but this takes it to whole new level. The only down side is being analog you get without doubt the very best tone but live changing sounds is not practical. I have 5 sounds used on different tunes. All 5 are beyond killer so it a major down not to have use of them all at a gig.

[@masterofreality230]

I have the newer version of the bigger one, been hearing a few complaints about build quality on these new ones, idk, the added functionality looks nice though.

[@AndyDemos]

I see no quality issues with this one - even if I did, Empress stands behind their stuff and would definitely sort it out. I liked the old one too but having the extra shelving is a nice set and forget option while the main bands let you fiddle 👍🏻

[@masterofreality230]

@@AndyDemos Yea, I love Empress, I will never not have my Para EQ on my board. The people that did have issues had no problem with getting replacements, as would be expected from Empress. Thanks for being the best pedal demo guy to ever exists on YT!

[@siavashmassoudi]

I wish this was midi capable 😭

[@mikemorrisonmusic]

How does this stack up against the Revival Drive?

[@DVDFRMN]

powerful pedal but i hate those mini knobs

[@troy8420]

Yeah, why not just make it a larger pedal lol

[@AndyDemos]

Ha, in that case see previous versions 😉

[@andrewstendahl36]

I feel that way too. In making a pedalboard using only 6 mini pedals, an Ibanez chorus pedal I got came with a couple of those. It's like playing chess on a miniature travel set, skimpy knobs detract from the experience

[@DVDFRMN]

@@andrewstendahl36 I have the same pedal, but to fair for it's size that Ibanez is a GREAT all analog chorus and i tend to leave those mini knobs set on that pedal.

[@andrewstendahl36]

@David Freeman I've had the Ibanez mini chorus for about a week or so, I like the depth and warble modulation of my Analogman Chorus pedal more. In buying up mini pedals, I have discovered that the larger pedals seem to sound fuller. Sometimes we get 2 position toggle switches on them. For a brighter chorus with more warble, I'm gonna check out the JHS series chorus pedal. I wasn't impressed with their flanger. Demo videos show the 3 series chorus to offer more range than the usual boss clone chorus pedals that have been recreated and popular for so many years

[@IvesMarcelin]

C'est du.....CSN & Y ?👍 // i research a Sound for reach *the tonality *of the sound for Pedal steel

[@toddashley407]

Will this pedal sub for a Rangemaster??? Ala Brian May into a vox??

[@AndyDemos]

There’s a little more to a Rangemaster than EQ (the Ge transistor adds some compression and distortion) but yes could mimic the high-pass filter very easily with this!

[@andikurnia27]

Is it analog or digital?

[@AndyDemos]

Analog all the way!

[@ryanmelvey8764]

really cool pedal, but i think i would be constantly tweaking my tone instead of playing lol. so many options

[@AndyDemos]

Sure there’s a lot to discover and experimenting could lead to hours of tweaking but I see it more as a utility box. It solves problems and once you are familiar with it, it’s a set and forget kind of thing. Thanks for watching!

[@guitmickify]

🤓

[@jamestucker3300]

The no pick thing kills me. ANDY!

[@ArgentPure]

Too many knobs for me.