Sound Performance Lab EQ MAGIX manual Concept of sound processing in the EQ Magix

The concept of sound processing in the EQ MAGIX

The VITALIZER is the creative sound component in the EQ MAGIX.

The internal signal processing of the VITALIZER correlates the phase with the amplitude in such a way that masking effects in the original signal are compensated.

The bass sound colours:

SOFT & TIGHT

The MID-HITUNE filter provides shelving filtering with a broad bandwidth which therefore sounds very neutral.

The PROCESS control adapts the output signal to the curves of equal loudness, thus realizing an intelligent loudness concept.

The HARMONICS filter stage accen- tuates even and odd harmonics.

The VITALIZER is the creative sound component in the EQ MAGIX. It works »intelligently«, provided the appropriate parameters are preselected. This means that it does not just raise or lower a certain frequency range but analyses the signal and reacts to it, influencing the frequency and phase response in a sophisticated fashion.

Independently of the potentiometer settings on the front panel, the VITALIZER filter system can correlate the phase and amplitude relations of adjacent frequency bands in such a way that the increasing amplitude of a frequency is given a growing phase drift which, however, can never endanger the signal's mono compatibility. The maximum phase drift is +/- 20° which equals a time difference of around 1 ms to 2.5 ms. This time span is sufficient to trigger two hearing perceptions. Quiet frequencies which are normally masked by louder ones are effectively demasked and thus become audible.

The front panel also accommodates controls to define the bass sound colour (SOFT/TIGHT), the starting frequency of the MID-HITUNE filter, the PROCESS intensity and the addition of the harmonics.

The BASS control provides up to 20 dB gain, thus affecting the direction of the phase drift by the bass sound colour selected. The fact that the phase drift is controlled by the amplitude means that even high bass amplifica- tion remains free from negative sound colouration in the lower mid range.

The mid-high frequency filter (MID-HITUNE) works with shelving filters which provide »linear« broadband amplification. This rules out any comb filter effects which create sound distortions similar to those produced by graphic equalizers.

The PROCESS control determines the addition of the bass sound selected and the MID-HITUNE filter to the dry signal. In addition, dominant mid frequencies are lowered by phase shifts which means that as the PROCESS value increases, they are adapted automatically to curves of equal loudness (Fletcher-Munson curves). The PROCESS is, in a manner of spea- king, an »intelligent« loudness control which can be used to set the typical »bath-tub« curves on graphic EQ's by turning one potentiometer.

The HARMONICS circuitry provides a silky sounding, refreshed version of the original signal. This proves particularly beneficial for voices and acoustic instruments. No distortions are added to the original as there is no Exciter involved. The filters merely amplify the harmonic tones contained in the original.

The EQ MAGIX is constructed like a mixing desk channel. Direct recor- dings can be made on to a recording medium (multi-track machine or hard disk) which means that one less mixer channel is required.

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