Manley Stereo Pultec EQ Review: A Two-Bus Favorite

Some pieces of studio equipment make their usefulness obvious by offering enormous flexibility. The Manley Stereo Pultec takes almost the opposite approach. It gives you a relatively small collection of fixed frequencies, some deceptively simple controls, and a circuit concept that goes back more than half a century.

And that is exactly why we like it.

We have used quite a bit of Manley equipment over the years, but their Pultec equalizers remain among our favorites. Our Stereo Pultec spends much of its life across the two-bus, where it has become part of our regular analog mix chain.

Broad decisions, not surgery

This is not an equalizer we generally reach for to repair something. That is what a good parametric EQ is for. The Manley is there when the mix is already working and we want a little more of something: a touch of openness at the top, some additional weight at the bottom, or simply some of that character associated with the Pultec circuit.

The familiar Pultec arrangement also allows low-frequency boost and attenuation to be applied simultaneously. Because the boost and cut curves are different, they do not simply cancel. Used judiciously, that interaction can add weight while keeping the extreme bottom from becoming loose or overwhelming.

Expanded frequency choices

Low-frequency boost and attenuation choices are 20, 30, 60, 90 and 120 Hz. High-frequency boost provides eleven selectable frequencies from 1 through 16 kHz, while high-frequency attenuation provides 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 kHz choices.

Living on the two-bus

For us, the Stereo Pultec’s natural home is the mix bus. It can brighten a finished mix without making the top end feel artificially hyped, and it can add that characteristic Pultec low-frequency weight without turning the bottom octave into a mess.

The build quality is exactly what we expect from Manley. Our unit has also been extremely reliable. We have never had to repair or even retube it.

It is remarkably quiet for tube equipment as well. No, it is not as quiet as the best modern solid-state electronics, but we have never found the noise problematic in actual use.

Verdict

There are vastly more flexible equalizers. That is not the point. The Manley Stereo Pultec is one of those pieces where the limitations are part of the appeal. It encourages you to stop looking at numbers, make a few broad decisions and listen to what happens to the record.

Ours is not going anywhere.

Highly recommended.

Also see our review of the mono Manley Enhanced Pultec Equalizer.

Specifications

• Type: Stereo tube program equalizer
• Low-frequency boost/attenuation: 20, 30, 60, 90 and 120 Hz
• High-frequency boost: 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 kHz
• High-frequency attenuation: 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 kHz
• High-frequency bandwidth: Variable

Manufacturer: Manley Laboratories