Bettermaker EQ 232P
TransAudio Group in Las Vegas, U.S. distributor of high-end professional recording equipment, announces its partnership with Bettermaker, the creator and manufacturer of the world’s first analog equalizers that can be controlled, automated and recalled from a plug-in or Eprom.
The Bettermaker’s flagship EQ 232P ($6,100 MSRP) possesses two strictly analog audio channels, each with a mastering-quality switchable highpass filter, Pultec-style passive equalization and clean parametric equalization. The modular 500 Series EQ 502P ($1,775 MSRP) and EQ 542 ($1,775 MSRP) possess only the passive equalizers and only the parametric filters, respectively, and are also stereo.
Bettermaker EQ 542
Bettermaker hardware EQ units offer 100-percent handmade construction and plug-in control, available in RTAS, 32-bit or 64-bit VST, and AU, including automation and recall. The plug-in provides an A/B comparison feature, which goes beyond “bypass/in” to allow comparison of two separate equalizer settings. TransAudio Group states that engineers who aren’t using the plug-in can still store up to 399 presets for instant recall from the front panel via Eprom.
In addition to the three “stock” Bettermaker models (the EQ 232P rack-mount with all equalizer channels, the modular EQ 502P Pultec section, and the modular EQ 542 parametric section), Bettermaker offers two optional modifications of the flagship EQ232P. The first option converts its dual mono operation into M/S operation, a popular choice among mastering engineers. The second option forgoes the front panel controls entirely (at a cost savings) for users who plan to use plug-in control exclusively. These two options can also be combined.
Mix engineer, producer and DJ Marek Walaszek, based in Warsaw, Poland—and the chief engineer and owner of Addicted to Music Studios—conceived, prototyped and is now manufacturing the Bettermaker. “It started with the dream of a stereo Pultec that I could use on my stems or my master bus,” explains Walaszek. “Because I’m a mix engineer, I mostly work with other people’s session files. I recognize the convenience of recall. I can work on a mix, send it to the client, and then make requested changes weeks later. I wanted that same convenience in my outboard gear.”
Walaszek says that he got together with a friend and began prototyping his vision for a best-in-class analog equalizer that could gracefully accommodate the modern workflow.
The Bettermaker earned a Resolution Award nomination in 2013 and won the Music Tech Excellence Award in 2012 and NAMM’s Best In Show award in 2013.
“As often happens with great inventions, it may seem obvious in hindsight,” says Brad Lunde, president of TransAudio Group. “There is, of course, tremendous value in great analog processing paired with plug-in control, automation, and recall. But I should also emphasize that the Bettermaker is not merely a gimmick. The Bettermaker’s sound quality would win converts and awards in its own right, and the plug-in functionality is well designed and robust. These two zero-compromise features come together in the Bettermaker to create something extraordinary. We at TransAudio Group were excited to learn that Marek is already cooking up new Bettermaker products that will pair analog audio circuitry with plug-in control!”
Find more information at www.transaudiogroup.com/bettermaker.
