Update 24/04/19: Added AA Titanium 3 and reset play counters. Shuffled numbers again bar 1 and 3 since they have been commented on.

Update 24/04/19: Added NoiseAsh Rule Tec. Tried to add SteDal's PureTeq but the trial kept removing settings on export. Enough to put me off buying it.

*** Counters have been reset to hide the latest addition. Numbering shuffled ***

Lynn from Sweetwater shared a great Pultec HW shootout recently. I put my best ITB options up against my favourite HW unit from the test, the Pulse.

• New: NoiseAsh Rule Tec
• New: Acustica Titanium 3
• Acustica Purple
• Nebula Dual Tech (TimP)
• Acustica Ruby2 (plus CraveEQ to match the EQ closer as they're different units)
• Black Rooster VEQ-1P

Softube's Tube Tech was included in the original test with the exact dial values listed for the 30Hz and 12Khz boosts, so I used Q-Clone to capture the resulting curve and matched the above plugins to the same levels.

Included Ruby2 as it's a favourite of mine. Not a direct clone but along the same lines.

Random numbering with the original Pulse file included. Processed at 48K and exported as MP3 @ max bitrate. Closer than I was expecting!

Updated with NoiseAsh Rule Tec.

Thx alot.. Titanium 3 eq is not good enough?

wow very close. I like Nr1 and Nr3.

Added

Would love to know which one is no.6?
No.3 Has the whumpiest whump

Incoming PM...

Thanks for the pm. I recently bought it and had an inkling....

hey b0se, not sure if you could add in another. The Ignite PTEq-X is a very good contender, would love to hear it in this shootout before I listen.

Oh and if you can it, please use ECC83 tube setting.

Am curious how overtone ptc-2a compares to the current listing, could you add it as well?

PTC-2A Vintage Program EQ for Windows, Mac and Linux - OverTone DSP

Cheers.

Please pm me what is what ..i like 1 and 6 the most

Thanks for the test. 3,7 and 5 jumps out to me with nice transient details and 3-Dness. Can you pm me the results?

Regards

No.6 - no idea whats what though, haven't tried any of these.

Not speaking for @ b0se and don't mean to hijack/derail his fine work here, but I also thought the Ignite was a good contender, but when I compared Pultec flavors a few months back, the PTEq-x wasn't quite as good on my material (non-scientific, non-A/B testing) against Apogee Pulse and AA Purple. It was my favorite outside of those two however, and for the price...

3 sounds the best to my ears...

can you pm me whats what?

Hey b0se, have you read the message I've PM'ed you?

Tried the NoiseAsh Rule Tec last night. While it is a good eq for sure, I found it to be kind of stiff sounding. The curves sound good but almost linear.

Must have missed it - will check!

Not up to Dual Tech standards, but it's the best algo imo (including saturation). Quite a few have picked it out as their fave (via PM). Sounds big!

Can you pm me please?

NoiseAsh seems to be making some noise with this release I'll have my eye on future releases.

PM please

Coming after a long session.

I prefered 1 and 6 based on low-end. I really don't like 7 at all, I think it's horrible compare to the others (especially the high-end). 3 has the biggest low-end to me (which can sounds cool if it is what you want). 3 also has a very good low-end punch/dynamic, which could make it my favorite too...

1 is the brightest to me (in a good way). 6 is not bad in terms of high-end IMO. 3 hasn't the best high-end IMO.

In terms of transient 1 is interesting. Although 3 has a very good punch too.

All in all I like 1 and 3, with 6 being close to them and 4 being interesting !
3 having the biggest punch but having kind of fuzzy high-end compares to 1 which is a bit more "mild", has a bit more "breath" and a reasonable high-end. A good all-arounder which may fits most situations IMHO.

I am entitled to have the results in PM now ?

Hi Bose, can you send me again the PM, with the new ones added?

Thanks.

I'll take the silence on my add request as a "no"

So here's my take on these files:

1 seems more dynamic and bit more clarity than 2 and 3.
3 has a "compressed" quality to it.
4 was similar to 1 in dynamics and openess but also has better weight.
5 and 6 are more like 1 with 5 having slightly more upper mid range.
5, 6, and 7 actually all seem to have more upper mid range with 7
sounding the most different of them all. It's startling how different 7 is really.

4 is my favorite here.

Please PM me results.

PM me results as well please

Using a DT770 Id say Pultec 6 is hitting best to me.

Thanks for participating! Incoming PM :¬)

Indeed!

Hey T.

It's not intended to be a comprehensive list with requests - just thought the results from my own tests would be interesting/helpful to others.

PMs incoming...

I liked the 2,5 and 6 - good balance

3 has a very bloomy low end..

1 has the least low end and I think it could probably be tweaked to have some more.

PM me please!

I like 1 and 6. PM the results?