LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 2022: Bettermaker builds boutique signal processors worthy of worship in their own right, but then they level-up their incredible products with convenient, easy-to-use plug-in control and instant recall. The new Bettermaker Stereo Passive Equalizer replicates that proven formula to bring the famous and deeply-loved sound of the classic passive EQs to modern high-end workflows. No more snapping pictures or relying on misplaced recall sheets to preserve settings. Bettermaker makes recalling settings easy and reliable with unlimited memory via the associated DAW plug-in. Engineers will find the controls on the Bettermaker Stereo Passive Equalizer familiar: low boost or cut at four possible frequencies; high boost at ten possible frequencies with bandwidth control; and high cut at three possible frequencies. Bypass, output gain, and reset round out the controls. But, of course, the real magic of the Bettermaker Stereo Passive Equalizer is its sound, which includes two perfectly matched channels, and comprehensive plug-in control and recall.
“The 100% analog signal path of the new Bettermaker Stereo Passive Equalizer has all the heft and ethereal air of the vintage passive EQs that are so loved by engineers,” said Brad Lunde, founder and president of TransAudio Group, the U.S. distributor of all Bettermaker signal processors. “It’s not a surgical EQ. The Stereo Passive Equalizer shapes the tone of a stereo signal, imbuing it with a richer low end, a more articulate mid-range, and open, airy high end. Importantly, the low end stays smooth – there’s no lumpiness to it, and the high end stays open and clear without any sharpness or brittleness. Everything just sounds more musical and alive coming out the other side. And of course, with Bettermaker, the plug-in control and instant recall makes it easy to build the Stereo Passive Equalizer into a modern studio workflow. Engineers can easily deliver rough mixes to clients and return to precisely the same mix to address their comments. No approximations or detailed record keeping needed!”
A built-in frequency analyzer within the plug-in gives users feedback on the changes they are making and the effects of those changes. Importantly, its built-in curves match the bandwidth and gain of the actual filters themselves. In addition, new functionality allows users to store and trigger thirty-two “snapshots” either manually or via automation. That way, a single command can trigger full sets of parameters from song to song in a mastering session.
The Bettermaker Stereo Passive Equalizer’s impressive specifications include a 7Hz to 30kHz frequency response (-0.5dB) with even tighter tolerance in the 20Hz to 20kHz range. The maximum input level is 24dBu, and the maximum output level is 27dBu. Dynamic range reaches 101dB and the unit imparts very little distortion or crosstalk. Output gain is +/- 8dB. Stereo signal enters and exits the unit via rear XLR jacks. One of its most innovative features is a hybrid analog/digital signal path – the high-pass filter is a modern musical digital implementation, whereas the rest of the signal path is boutique analog.
The Bettermaker Stereo Passive Equalizer is now available and shipping – and is priced at USA MAP $1999
ABOUT TRANSAUDIO GROUP TransAudio Group, founded by industry veteran Brad Lunde, has quickly become the premier U.S. importer/distributor and/or U.S. sales and marketing representative for high-end audio. Success hinges on TransAudio providing dealers and end users with a higher standard of product expertise and support far beyond the norm.
