Phoenix Audio Gyrator EQ/500 500 Series 4-Band Equalizer

Phoenix Audio Gyrator EQ/500 500 Series 4-band Equalizer

500 Series 4-band EQ with Sheen Control, HPF, and Vintage-style, Transformer-coupled Output Stage

EQ Doesn’t Get Any More Powerful — Or Musical

The Gyrator EQ/500 employs Phoenix Audio’s 4-band Gyrator EQ circuit, which is designed to emulate the active inductor equalizer circuitry used in legendary vintage large-format recording consoles of the 1970s — a decade many engineers consider to be the golden age of solid-state audio electronics design — in a quieter, cooler-running, and more cost-effective design. Sweet-sounding and musical Gyrator EQ is ideal for a range of tasks that include high-headroom mix buss tone shaping, deep frequency sculpting, and creamy Class A saturation. The EQ circuit is a 4-band affair with an 80Hz highpass filter that can be deployed (à la Pultec) against bass boosts for an added palette of unique EQ curves. As an added bonus, you get Phoenix Audio’s new, proprietary Sheen control for shimmering air and presence. The Phoenix Audio Gyrator EQ/500 is as powerful as it is rewarding to use.

 Four bands of Gyration for your tracks and masters

Under the hood, Gyrator EQ uses an ingenious aggregate of amplifier, resistors, and capacitors to achieve deliciously smooth and musical frequency modification. On the face plate, the Phoenix DRS Gyrator EQ is divided into High, High-Mid, Low-Mid, and Low-frequency; each notched to battle-tested frequencies that range from a sparkling 15kHz down to a girthy 40Hz. A 12dB/octave highpass filter is provided at 80Hz. Even at extreme boost/cut settings, the Gyrator EQ/500’s highly musical filters behave with composure, maintaining the sonic essence of your original signal and allowing you to make bold EQ moves that never sound harsh, slurred, or phase-challenged. Used judiciously, these four filters deliver the highly coherent tone shaping you need for full mixes and mastering.

New Sheen control for spectacular air and presence

Phoenix Audio’s new proprietary Sheen control brings vocal and instrumental performances to life with breathtaking air and presence. With ±16dB at a shimmering 25kHz, the Sheen control gives you amazingly flexible tone-shaping power to boost these “dog frequencies.” Humans may not be able to, strictly speaking, “hear” them, but we can absolutely sense when they're truncated in a recording. The Sheen control also gives you another, rather subtle way to roll off undesirable high frequencies.

Masterful transformer-balanced output stage

Phoenix Audio couples their custom-wound DB694 output transformer to a fully discrete, proprietary DSOP-2 output amplifier, itself a direct descendant of the renowned TF1 amp that Phoenix chief designer David Rees developed as an upgrade for vintage Neve 80 Series console modules. Outperforming the TF1, the DSOP-2 represents a pinnacle of Class A output circuit design, offering a seamless tonal range from ultra-clean to gorgeously saturated. The unit also runs at 24 volts so it’s not subject to the inherent limitations of running at 16 volts, which is the standard 500 Series voltage.

Drive it hard for sweet ’n’ punchy vintage character

This output stage sounds so good, in fact, you may well find yourself using the Gyrator EQ/500 completely flat in order to enhance your signal with the sweet musicality of Phoenix Audio’s outstanding proprietary amplifier circuit, or even drive it hard for punchy vintage-flavored saturation. The Gyrator EQ/500’s superior sonics, operational ease, versatility, and tonal dexterity have made it a favorite — and it’s no mystery why. From audiophile clean to classic British punch, the Phoenix Audio Gyrator EQ/500 does it all with poise and panache.

Phoenix Audio Gyrator EQ/500 500 Series 4-band Equalizer Features:

• 4 Bands of Gyrator EQ + High-Pass Filter
• High – 25K (sheen) 15K, 10K, (shelving)
• Hi Mid – 6K, 3K, 1K6 (Bell curve EQ)
• Low Mid – 800Hz, 400Hz, 200Hz (Bell curve EQ)
• Low – 130Hz, 80Hz, 40Hz (shelving EQ)
• High Pass Filter at 80Hz, 12dB/octave
• 16dB Cut/Boost Per Band
• 21-position stepped potentiometers for easy recall and stereo channel match
• Stepped output level with15dB additional gain even with the EQ bypassed
• Proprietary Class A DSOP-2 Output Amplifier with custom-wound transformer
• Drive the output stage and transformer for color and saturation
• Frequency response: 20Hz– 20kHz ± 0.5dB
• Maximum output level: +26dBu @ 1kHz
• Noise: -90dB, 20Hz–20kHz.
• Input level range: -10dBu to +10dBu
• LED Gain Metering
• Built-in 24V PSU

STL PRO AUDIO is the Authorised NZ Distributor for Phoenix Audio.