Neve 8803 Dual Channel Hardware EQ - Expert Review

In this video for Production Expert, Technical Editor James Ivey takes a look at the Neve 8803 Dual Channel Equaliser. The 8803 is a hand-wired unit built in the companies UK factory based on the EQ section of the Neve 88RS console. James puts it to work on Bass, Acoustic Guitars, Vocals and a full stereo mix to see what the 8803 EQ has to offer.

[@oinkbastudios3150]

Nice EQ.. I've got one. For mastering you don't need to touch it much "like other mastering EQ's" and it gives you that deep "spacy" Neve sound. I find it better for tracking.. re-printing recorded instuments either mono or stereo. I also use Quad Eight EQ's which are very nice!

[@ProductionExpert]

Thanks for the feedback on your experience, we know others appreciate real-world stories about gear in the hands of users.

[@EricLumiereMusic]

which quad 8 eqs do you like and are they easy to rack? i've seen a few for sale lately

[@1kingstan795]

Yes it does just got one yesterday

[@groovedealerfeaturing-ashl6476]

Wonderful EQ, had mine for years now, use it for mixdown on the main bus, mastering, tracking... you name it! REALLY sweet sounding and works great with the Recall software.

[@johngulliver6151]

Thanks for the great review that's one nice EQ thanks for posting

[@javierjanaid]

I love mine, for tracking and some of my buses. I can add a ton of low end and still sound is so clear and powerful. High freqs do not harsh!!!. I use it every day. So I have an AMEK DCML(cristal preamps and compressors) designed by Mr.Rupert Neve, after that I put a couple of vintage BIG Japanese transformers (can be satured with the AMEK output) and then this 8803. This is it: Neve sound with trafos!!!!! I really like these filters. Playing with them I can got a special 3D sound. Thanks for this video, I really enjoy it (a nice song too!!)

[@WarrenHenry]

Amazing sound. Nice tune also👏🏽

[@ProductionExpert]

Thanks!

[@MusicCityWorld]

Sweet sound.

[@theredfaceofficial]

I had one of these in 2007...nice EQ, powerful shaping. Then I got the Neve Portico 5033...never looked back. The transformers make everything sweeter.

[@ProductionExpert]

You can't beat a good transformer.

[@revelationsoundstudio]

I had two 5033 Eq's and sold them. With Portico mic pre and compressors on a track, adding additional transformers on EQ can be a little too heavy.

[@aaronnichols5206]

The Knobs? If they cheap out on the Knobs then what else they cheaped out on?

[@FVDaudio]

Sweet EQ.

[@ferabra8939]

Great tone. Sounds neve-ish, all right. But I guess it's more suitable as a tracking EQ, and I need a good mastering EQ, which this one, without stereo link, I guess it's difficult to work with.

[@professorwhaley]

great sound. the knobs seem to be really cheap though. recall seems difficult. seems best suited for tracking/mixing.

[@Madrrrrrrrrrrr]

Those cheap knobs would be a dealbreaker for me. And normally i'm only interested in sound.

[@VibeXplorer]

I had no idea Andy Summers had his own audio production channel!

[@revelationsoundstudio]

Smooth EQ, wonder how the BX Console by Brainworx sounds in comparison

[@athonygraham8353]

The manual says "Separate male XLR socket and female ¼” jack socket for each channel provide simultaneous output to female XLR and male jack connectors." So, is it correct? You can have to outputs running on each channel simultaneously? You could have the signals running to your DAW for dual mono or stereo channels, using the 1/4" jack's as lines out and use the XLR's out for sending to a Stereo Bus hardware chain at the same time? Or have I misinterpreted this?

[@vrapitfire]

What interface are you using when testing out these hardware units, and how are you routing the instruments/buss through the hardware back to pro tools

[@ManCalledMif]

Thank you for the helpful review. I have a question about the power supply. 3:19 shows the external power supply transformer. Is there any benefit to reducing the noise floor by moving the transformer away from the audio circuits?

[@INeedsMoneys]

Yes. But probably not noticable. But in theory, yes

[@newtension]

Mate Your bass sounds sooo good, i loved the sound of it, Beautiful. What's your signal chain? was this recorded Di? or Amp? Do you adjust the volume on your bass guitar or it's cranked up and you back it off on your preamp? Please let me know. Also Great review!!

[@INeedsMoneys]

Sounded like amped and miced

[@thaexception3406]

Yup on my list

[@user-vd3if4wq6m]

Mastering? I thought this wasnt for Mastering since its really just 2 racked mono eq's...maybe slight phase issues? ...nevermind you just mentioned it at the end. Still a question on owners minds so ill leave comment...and maybe try it on the stereo bus! 😉

[@johngulliver6151]

I love mine if i had to moan it would be the leds are to bright ?sounds awsome clasic neve vide

[@MELOPSMUSIC]

Do you think would be ok for mixbus ? It s not a true stereo....

[@atta1798]

of course it would be and would have its own signature sound. Once on the Mix bus, you only need minor adjustments....etc

[@hammondvoodoo9555]

It'd be interesting to compare the sound of this EQ to the cheaper JDK Audio R24. The concepts are more or less the same. The JDK is a 2U rackmount EQ whereas the Neve 8803 requires only 1U but has an exterior power supply which the JDK doesn't have. Both don't feature a stereo-lin, which is strange at this price point, but so be it. Of course, the functionality of the Neve EQ makes it an interesting competitor. Since people generally consider neither of them to work too well in a mastering environment, I ask myself if it works well as sort of high-end EQ for instruments in a live setting (e.g. keyboards or vocals) - so simply for tone-shaping of your own gear.

[@3star2nr]

Why no stepped pots that would be sweet

[@nelsond1498]

Stepped is usually reserved for a mastering EQ. Despite what our narrator says, this is nowhere near a mastering EQ. Tracking & mixing.....yes.....but mastering Eq's are in a different league.

[@matbell1514]

What about the USB?

[@FrancisJoa]

RECALL

[@matbell1514]

FrancisJoa obviously, but would be nice to see the interface!

[@FrancisJoa]

Do you mean the GUI?

[@matbell1514]

FrancisJoa if the interface is via usb then it will be of the graphical variety operated by a user....

[@FrancisJoa]

First of all. This is NOT an audio-interface. The USB slot is only there for the recall of the parameters of the EQ. The software just saves the values of the parameters which you can manually adjust for recall.

[@SeanDamonGreene]

wobbly knobs...

[@LuizCarlosJesusdosSantos]

Cabelo do Neymar??

[@joaocarvalho1424]

external PSU = better noise performance

[@Hirsbrochannel]

shame about the woobly knobs thats a dealbreaker for me

[@willcarter1210]

You can literally see the knobs wobble every time he touches one…

[@DJURBANBG]

Why dont they make it one knob for both channels , thats so annoying ..

[@jimmyblack6401]

Trust Fund Kid EQ

[@munkhammer1880]

Not even close. If you wish to make smart ass remarks then at least try to have some kind of understanding of how high end gear is priced. Sure, it is not cheap - at least from a bedroom producer’s point of view - but is most definitely not even close to what some of the ”big boy/girl” eqs go for. The Manleys, vintage Pultecs, GMLs etc. You could even go as far as to call this one affordable compared to a lot of other units.

[@munkhammer1880]

@James i still stand by what I said. You wouldn’t call a Nissan Micra a ”trust fund kid” car, even if most folks couldnt afford it. You might call a Ferrari a trust fund kid car. Kinda exaggerated, sure, but hopefully you’ll catch my drift? In the world of high end eq’s, this is not even close to being expensive.

[@nilespeterclemens8328]

@@munkhammer1880 I was only curious about this one because it’s cheap and from Neve. Looks like I need to steer clear

[@chrischoir3594]

this video proves you can't polish a turd