How to set the low frequency controls of the Pultec equalizer on kick drum (inc. the Pultec trick)

The NoiseAsh Rule Tec EQ1A is a plug-in recreation of the well-known Pultec EQP-1A passive equalizer, with a heritage dating back to the 1950s and, amazingly, still available now under the Pultec brand. Check out the Audio Masterclass Music Production and Sound Engineering Course at bit.ly/3W3tpKo
In this video I demonstrate the low frequency controls.
NoiseAsh EQ1A
www.noiseash.com/rule-tec-all...
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[@exiledmonastic4650]

Others are complaining that this video is long but I have to say, thank you for taking the time to do this so thoroughly, it's very helpful for a beginner who doesn't know much yet. I was able to follow what you were saying and doing, and that's what matters to me. Subbed, keep it up!

[@marcthornton2900]

Agreed, what he said.

[@RickySweum]

This is an incredibly detailed and thorough video explaining how to use the low end of the pultec EQ! I loved your presentation and learned a lot. Thank you.

[@AudioMasterclass]

You're welcome.

[@dangarcia93]

Awesome video! Been wanting to use the Pultec trick on my kick for a while and that was a super clear demo. Thank you!!

[@AudioMasterclass]

You're welcome. Thank you for your comment.

[@Denver_Risley]

A smart demonstration. Very helpful, indeed. Thanks for sharing.

[@jackcarolina856]

this iteration of the Pultec EQP-1 is a fantastic recreation of the original TY

[@SouthYarraMan]

I really liked this review and David has his own inimitable style of presenting. I agreed with his sound preferences. Listening through AKG K92 cans. If this isn't enough to sell anyone on a valve enhanced modeled plug in, I don't know what is. Excellent video, thank you David.

[@Beethovan]

Thanks for the Video. You explained Pultec eq well.

[@jrunundeniable]

i like your approach to examples, very pro.

[@rohitRraina]

video was amazing, expecting high frequency controls video soon . . thanks david . .

[@AudioMasterclass]

You're welcome. HF is on my list. DM

[@bretdouglas9407]

“Make sure...your not making things worse”. I felt that

[@kromanoidx]

Great video, David, thanks :)

[@AudioMasterclass]

You're welcome. DM

[@Shin-ei_Official]

Great video! Thanks for posting!

[@AudioMasterclass]

You're welcome.

[@matetraxx]

great info....well explained...

[@peterboylan8006]

"Trick" starts at 18:25

[@singing894]

Jesus Christ. WTF took him so long to get to the point?

[@Billkwando]

@@singing894 Yeah that was hella tedious. I have enough audio fatigue from listening to my own stuff, over and over, without having to listen to somebody else's kick drum for 15 minutes, and gaining absolutely nothing from it. Nobody is ever going to use a Pulltec clone for the bass boost only, just wasted time.

[@farcry22]

More like 19:44 🤣🤣

[@marcthornton2900]

Really appreciate this video! Thanks

[@AudioMasterclass]

You're welcome.

[@SonoraOndaLatinaOficial]

Awesome video! . Thank you!!

[@AudioMasterclass]

You're welcome. DM

[@arthurmee]

Excellent vid . . . Subbed.

[@wesleyhendricks153]

Amazing video! Thank you kind sir.

[@AudioMasterclass]

You're welcome. DM

[@blueslsd]

Thank you for this.

[@ggriffin5863]

Not sure if this applies to your plugin, but I like the controls on the Waves version of this EQ because you can set it by just clicking on the white numbers around the dial. You don’t have to fuss with turning a virtual knob. You can also set it to values in between by double clicking and typing it in.

[@michaelgormleymusic]

Great stuff man, thanks!

[@AudioMasterclass]

You're welcome.

[@nichttuntun3364]

Thank you, great video :) I tried many and the most natural smack, especially in the highs plus a legit hardware feeling so far gives me the Overtone DSP - PTC-2A1. In comparison the Noise Ash sounds very thin und un-round.

[@AudioMasterclass]

Thanks for sharing.

[@nichttuntun3364]

@@AudioMasterclass you're welcome.

[@tendingtropic7778]

Thanks! you are very knowledgeable! New to the party here but subscribed. What is your favorite VST emulation of the pultec? if you'd have to choose between ruletec, softube tube tech, uad passive pultec eq collection, or maybe even another? curious to hear your top 3!

[@nichttuntun3364]

Hi. Very rational and calm video. I enjoyed that. Does mean comparing like with like it's comparing things at same levels? Very good emulation for my ears.

[@AudioMasterclass]

It is always good to make comparisons at the same level, otherwise the difference in level can be a distraction.

[@nichttuntun3364]

@@AudioMasterclass of course. I am a big fan of unity gain :) Have a good day.

[@leitocurra]

very very good! excellent video, clear and specific!! I have a question, what program do you use to record the screen and the audio of the sound board?

[@AudioMasterclass]

Screenflow. It is VERY fiddly to use but when set up it will record audio from Pro Tools and live commentary from a microphone. I haven't been able to get it to monitor the mic which is an irritation but it's the best solution I've found so far. If anyone knows a better method then I would be pleased to hear of it. Thank you for your comments. DM

[@leitocurra]

well, it's a matter of trying!!! thanks man! and your videos are amazing

[@darkonestudio9897]

Compared to Nomad Factorys Pulse Tec ... which plugin is better?

[@alexmagnifica]

What frequencies to boost on drums and bass? In common?are Drums higher or lower than bass should be in low frequencies?

[@AudioMasterclass]

Every case will be different. In general however you would consider whether you want the kick and bass to blend together, in which case you would try to make their frequency balance similar. Or whether you want the kick and bass to be separately audible, in which case their frequency balance should be different. This applies both to the region of the fundamentals, and also to the important harmonics. DM

[@kiekomusic]

“Pultec trick” starts @ 19:45

[@TheRealCowlick]

You can also really hear that resonant bump the "trick" creates.

[@AudioMasterclass]

It's definitely useful. I hope soon to make a video recreating this effect with a standard parametric. DM

[@freakyrandy]

you're using the attenuator. what's the trick? what am i missing? are you using both tracks together or just for comparison?

[@AudioMasterclass]

The so-called trick starts at around 18:25. The two tracks are for ease of comparison and only one is ever used at any time.

[@freakyrandy]

@@AudioMasterclass i'm not trying to be smart ass but i don't get the "trick". crank the boost and crank the attn then dial 'em both back a little?

[@raykingstonmusic]

@@freakyrandy The boost and attenuation (cut) each have different Qs (widths). So the boost is wide, and the cut is narrow. Nice wide, controlled sound. If you're listening on a phone or laptop speakers, you're not really going to hear a difference. When he A-Bs the two examples, the difference is pretty remarkable. :)

[@jonathanmandia8566]

Is this the same to Waves puigtec eq collection?

[@AudioMasterclass]

It is similar but as you will hear in kzbin.info/www/bejne/mKWZd32EgLuIsLs there are some differences.

[@austin7326]

this guy doesn't blink!!!!!!!

[@AudioMasterclass]

I'm practising. DM

[@ggriffin5863]

There were some very clean splices there...I think he edited them out.

[@Achase4u]

Why are audio videos so much better with an English accent?

[@EvannAudio]

Thank you for bothering to do this. I do think it's probably a bit long.

[@dreeshsway]

This man is a robot

[@AudioMasterclass]

Thank you for the compliment. DM

[@Aquiiin]

25 min to describe this (one band only) - omg

[@erestube]

Guess you haven't been to audio engineering school. This was your chance.

[@saardean4481]

in your A-B you forgot to compensate the apprx 2 db of gain that the Plugin adds just by insterting it on a track

[@AudioMasterclass]

Thank you for your comment. Indeed the plug-in does boost the level, even when bypassed using the front panel switch. At 10:42 we compare the level of the two EQs, both switched in on the front panel, but one with an EQ boost. We then measure the levels of both and raise the level of the flat EQ to bring both to around the same peak level. So the comparison is between the flat signal going through the EQ, and the EQed signal going through the EQ, both at approximately the same level. That the EQ boosts the level whether switched in or out on the front panel is the same for both channels. We might consider a further test of the EQ flat and switched in, and the original flat signal without any plug-in, again with the levels matched. That would be for a future video. If you feel that we have not fully addressed your comment, please feel free to comment further.

[@saardean4481]

@@AudioMasterclass i think i did not express my self good enough. i meant that i am a big fan of immediately Volume matching. When you started at around lets say 5:20. you said "switch in and out" and it "improves the sound". while i dont argue with this , you also have a 2 db boost everytime you switch it on. this makes it harder to hear the difference like you do also in 6:30. To me the best (or one of the best cause i dont know many others that do this) is for example Powair by Sound Radix. When you throw it on a channel it has a perfect automatic Volume matching that is On by default but you can switch it off. So the first thing you experience with it is perfect Volume matched comparrison. I dont mean that i did not enjoy your video. Just a thought for the Future

[@AudioMasterclass]

@@saardean4481 Thank you for your clarification. It is a useful reminder that either levels should be adjusted so that plugin-bypassed and plugin-active are the same, or mention should be made that they are different, and we try to remember always to do this. A further finesse would be to match the levels of EQ-in and EQ-out using the front panel switch. We sometimes make this kind of correction, but it can slow down the pace of the video too much and it is more practical just to mention the level difference. One point that perhaps could be clarified further, and please correct us if there is a mistake, is that with the *insert* bypassed, there is no level change from no insert present. With the insert active, then the level rises by approximately 2 dB. However the difference between front-panel-off to front-panel-on is +0.3 dB with all cuts and boosts set to zero (measured in Pro Tools with a 1 kHz sine wave at -6 dBFS). In our video we have treated this as negligible. Probably for a single instance it is, but small differences over a large number of tracks can add up to something that is easily audible. We may consider developing a policy of what level difference we consider to be the dividing line between negligible and significant, but for the moment we will decide from video to video. Thank you for your input which has been useful.

[@saardean4481]

@@AudioMasterclass My pleasure. I enjoyed the video and got some new thoughts so its a win-win

[@AudioMasterclass]

@@saardean4481 It certainly is thank you.

[@machettman]

150$ to boost and attenuate to get a beefier sound..... theres so many other ways to do this with stock plugins.... ill pass.. last i remember no one ive ever met in my life said "I hear the pultec really shine through in this song" good tutorial and all. this plugin is more for rich engineers

[@ggriffin5863]

Ashton Khan I got the Waves version of pultec plugin and their matching mid range EQ for $29 during their sale.

[@jonathanmandia8566]

@@ggriffin5863 You mean the Puigtec ones from Jjp's?

[@matthewomorere8241]

Papa you are too much.

[@dxtrs_mnpltr]

I don’t know about this noiseash emulator tho..i think i’d trust more somthing like Wave’s Audio Puigtecs

[@WorstViktorEU]

trust?.. If it sounds good it sounds good.

[@dxtrs_mnpltr]

WorstViktorEU haha

[@russellhill7694]

This eq is so outdated but I enjoyed it as a good history lesson.

[@AudioMasterclass]

We would say 'old-style' rather than outdated, because it really is still relevant now, despite the old-fashioned look. One of the useful features is its simplicity compared to, say, the standard Pro Tools EQ which has more than thirty parameters. With the Pultec, real or emulated, it's straightforward to get the best sound you're capable of. With a more complex EQ there is often some doubt that there's a better sound available but you can't find it. For an EQ with a more modern interface, we like the FabFilter Pro-Q 3.

[@aarona.dubzperson8245]

This Eq will NEVER BE OUTDATED!!!

[@louisalfred3]

@@aarona.dubzperson8245 Agreed

[@WorstViktorEU]

by this reasoning, almost every EQ/Compressor would be outdated except non-analogue emulations.

[@richypitch]

This eq process is definitely not out dated as it's relevant with any kick sound, perhaps you were referring more to the sound used, which is more of natural live kick sound than a processed digital one (which you might hear on many contemporary songs or sound expansions). Whatever the kick sound, the Pultec trick is relevant and useful.

[@vnz421]

Votre anglais est absorbant. Ty

[@darkonestudio9897]

Compared to Nomad Factorys Pulse Tec ... which plugin is better?

[@AudioMasterclass]

That's a good question, but it's really a matter of personal preference. For example in kzbin.info/www/bejne/mKWZd32EgLuIsLs we compare two Pultec plug-in emulations. They do sound different, but we wouldn't say that one is better than the other sonically. The best way to compare plug-ins is through trial versions where they are available. Then you can make your own choice depending on what you hear and which you prefer.