Pultec punch

[PaperBoat]

Hi all! Merry Christmas Eve! I've paired my JBL 305p MKII Monitors with an IFI Zen Air DAC... I toggled boundary EQ to -3dB and now trying to tighten up the low end using DSP... My IFI DAC has an XBass+ switch which is an ASP circuitry. I know the XBass (XBass+ has better components) feature is not a gentle boost and is actually meant for Headphones... But when I see the frequency response graph of the XBass and IFI TRUEBASS (meant for Headphones and Speakers) it clearly shows that the TRUEBASS is a more aggressive boost than XBass and/or XBass+! I've contacted IFI support and they told me that XBass+ could be used in my scenario but at medium volume... Now I'm trying to set up some tweaks using Fabfilter Pro MB and Fabfilter Pro Q3 in my JRiver DSP chain to use the XBass feature safely... I wonder if there is a better way to control the low end and then boost it (like the"Pultec punch") again using XBass to get a punchier kick (but not a sub rumble)? Any help?
https://ifi-audio.com/faqs/cant-hear-the-effects-of-xbass/

 

[ppataki]

For the Pultec punch I would recommend using the PuigTech plugin from Waves
It is modeling the Pultec hardware and adds some punch even if you don't adjust the lows
Tip: try boosting and cutting the lows at the same time, will sound awesome

Another alternative is Fabfilter Saturn 2
Use Warm Tape, Drive = 0
If you want even more punch just start increasing the Drive (note that it will then start applying some dynamic range compression though)
I warn you that these plugins are addictive!
Have fun! & Merry Christmas!

 

[PaperBoat]

For the Pultec punch I would recommend using the PuigTech plugin from Waves

I don't have Pultec but I would like to know will Pultec eqp-1a cause phase shift?

Another alternative is Fabfilter Saturn 2
Use Warm Tape, Drive = 0
If you want even more punch just start increasing the Drive (note that it will then start applying some dynamic range compression though)

Oh boy! I love FF plugins bundle... I have Saturn 2 but never used it and will definitely try...

 

[ppataki]

Every non-linear phase EQ causes phase shift, so yes, it will
If you have the Saturn 2 already then start with that, maybe you wouldn't even need to try the PuigTech plugin

 

[PaperBoat]

Every non-linear phase EQ causes phase shift, so yes, it will
If you have the Saturn 2 already then start with that, maybe you wouldn't even need to try the PuigTech plugin

My goal is to reduce sub-rumble but get punchier kick... To achieve that I'm currently using FF Pro MB to control/ attenuate low end and switching on the XBass+... It's good/ fantastic for classicals but not for modern music...
My FF Pro MB setup:

Band 1: Compression Frequency is 42.426Hz
low crossover at 30Hz, Slope: 6 dB/oct
high crossover at 60Hz, Slope: 6 dB/oct
Gain: 0dB
Range: -12dB
Threshold: -90 dB
Attack: 100%
Release: 0%
Stereo link: Mid-only
Lookahead: 20ms
Knee: Hard
Ratio: ∞


Band 2: Compression Frequency is 84.853Hz
low crossover at 60Hz, Slope: 6 dB/oct
high crossover at 120Hz, Slope: 48 dB/oct
Gain: 0dB
Range: -6dB
Threshold: -30 dB
Attack: 100%
Release: 0%
Stereo link: Mid-only
Lookahead: 20ms
Knee: Hard
Ratio: ∞

Am I doing right?

 

[ppataki]

My goal is to reduce sub-rumble but get punchier kick... To achieve that I'm currently using FF Pro MB to control/ attenuate low end and switching on the XBass+... It's good/ fantastic for classicals but not for modern music...
My FF Pro MB setup:

Band 1: Compression Frequency is 42.426Hz
low crossover at 30Hz, Slope: 6 dB/oct
high crossover at 60Hz, Slope: 6 dB/oct
Gain: 0dB
Range: -9dB
Threshold: -90 dB
Attack: 100%
Release: 0%
Stereo link: Mid-only
Lookahead: 20ms
Knee: Hard
Ratio: ∞


Band 2: Compression Frequency is 84.853Hz
low crossover at 60Hz, Slope: 6 dB/oct
high crossover at 120Hz, Slope: 48 dB/oct
Gain: 0dB
Range: -6dB
Threshold: -90 dB
Attack: 100%
Release: 0%
Stereo link: Mid-only
Lookahead: 20ms
Knee: Hard
Ratio: ∞

Am I doing right?

Well, I think this is rather subjective and depends on one's taste (=there is no right or wrong I believe)
I personally never use dynamic EQ for boosting the lows, it sounds unnatural to me

What I usually do is either I apply a low shelf filter, let's say at 70Hz, 24dB/octave, Q=1, 3-4dB (again, this is totally up to taste) and then apply a high-pass filter to prevent over-excursion of the drivers (this is needed for higher SPL)
Or instead of the low shelf filter I just apply a simple bell (peaking) filter, let's say at 40-45Hz, 24dB/octave, Q = anywhere between 0.5 and 0.7, 3-4dB - in that case I don't necessarily need a high-pass filter since the bell won't boost all the way down

And after all of the above I apply Saturn 2 with the Warm Tape option, Drive = 0

 

[Elitzur–Vaidman]

What's your source? I have a pair of JBL 306Ps for my computer/desk setup, and I use peace EQ to apply a few dB bass shelf around 65hz and a high pass filter around 35hz

 

[PaperBoat]

Well, I think this is rather subjective and depends on one's taste (=there is no right or wrong I believe)
I personally never use dynamic EQ for boosting the lows, it sounds unnatural to me

What I usually do is either I apply a low shelf filter, let's say at 70Hz, 24dB/octave, Q=1, 3-4dB (again, this is totally up to taste) and then apply a high-pass filter to prevent over-excursion of the drivers (this is needed for higher SPL)
Or instead of the low shelf filter I just apply a simple bell (peaking) filter, let's say at 40-45Hz, 24dB/octave, Q = anywhere between 0.5 and 0.7, 3-4dB - in that case I don't necessarily need a high-pass filter since the bell won't boost all the way down

And after all of the above I apply Saturn 2 with the Warm Tape option, Drive = 0

Sorry for the late reply... I was busy testing some A/B setups but was still not fully satisfied with them. Some modern music contains excessive 808, synth bass and sub-bass and I'm trying to separate kicks and bass out of it (more kick and less sub). I know my monitor has a flat response and my DAC has a warm sound signature. My room is small but the speaker placement is good. I've tried to learn Saturn 2 but it's too complex for me... Saturn adds harmonics... harmonics will add distortion... Don't know what else to do now... BTW Merry Christmas!

 

[PaperBoat]

What's your source? I have a pair of JBL 306Ps for my computer/desk setup, and I use peace EQ to apply a few dB bass shelf around 65hz and a high pass filter around 35hz

Merry Christmas!

Source? FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC, Top quality AAC, and some High-quality MP3...

JBL 306 is quite different from JBL 305... 306 has a dip around 1.5k and has a superior bass response than 305 due to a bigger diaphragm and enclosure... I don't think any boost is still needed in the low end if you have 306... Is Peace EQ a dynamic EQ? Has auto threshold function like Fabfilter? Is it linear?

 

[Elitzur–Vaidman]

Merry Christmas! Peace EQ is a PC based parametric EQ program. I use it to fill in the 1.5k dip enhance the low frequency extension of my 306Ps by a few Hz in exchange for some headroom.

 

[ppataki]

I've tried to learn Saturn 2 but it's too complex for me... Saturn adds harmonics... harmonics will add distortion... Don't know what else to do now... BTW Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you too!

All of these kind of plugins will add harmonics (distortion) - that is how they work
Pultec plugins will do the same too (the original Pultec hardware has a tube in it....)
I suggest trying it nevertheless - if you don't like the sound you can just ditch them and keep looking for other solutions

btw. setting up Saturn 2 is very easy, just observe the highlighted parts:

If you don't like Saturn 2 and PuigTec then you could try some transient-shaping plugins too such as Voxengo Peakbuster and various modules of Izotope Ozone 10 (like Impact, Stabilizer, Master Rebalance, Low End Focus)

 

[PaperBoat]

setting up Saturn 2 is very easy, just observe the highlighted parts:

View attachment 252313

What about "Mix" "Feedback" "Frequency" and "Dynamics" knobs? What do they do?

 

[ppataki]

What about "Mix" "Feedback" "Frequency" and "Dynamics" knobs? What do they do?

You can refer to the manual
But for your purpose you can leave all of those as-is, no need to fiddle around with them