New Music Gear Monday: Audified Klangfilm RZ062 EQ Plugin
There’s nothing like an old vintage equalizer. New digital plugins are surgical and can do things that no analog unit can duplicate, but you just can’t beat the sweetness of those old analog pieces. It seems like the older they are and the fewer features they have, the more we seem to like them as well. If that statement describes how you feel, then you’re going to love Audified’s new Klangfilm RZ062 EQ plugin.
Yep, It’s Rare
Designed in Germany 60 years ago by Siemans (who made a whole series of Klangfilm professional and audiophile pieces at the time), the Klangfilm RZ062 was the standard pro audio EQ in its time. It’s a complex device in that there are about 200 components, including 3 tubes and multiple transformers. As you’d expect, the original units are very rare these days, with the price hovering at around $12k per pair if you can find them.
But its the sound that really sets the unit apart, since there’s a sweetness to it that’s rarely found in other equalizers. Audified’s plugin duplicates the sonics and provides a number of additional features not found on the original units.
Yep, It’s Unique
The Klangfilm RZ062 is actually 2 plugins in one – an A and a B version. The difference is in the midrange. While both versions feature Treble and Bass controls, the A version features a middle handle that rotates the entire frequency curve around the central point (650 Hz). When the bass frequencies are raised, the trebles are simultaneously lowered (today we’d call that a tilt control).
On the B version the middle control is totally unique in that it’s a presence knob that lets you select one four frequencies (1.4k, 2k, 2.8k and 4 kHz) then boost it in 0.8dB increments. There are 6 selections for a total of 4.8dB of boost available on each band.
The range of the Bass and Treble controls, it should be noted, is a very wide shelf. Treble adjusts the frequencies from 1kHz to 10kHz while the Bass is 40Hz to 1kHz. Boost is 12dB while Cut is -20dB.
The RZ062 features Input and Output controls plus a VU meter on each for both left and right channels. The channels can be linked or placed in an MS mode where the left channel controls the mids and the right the sides. There’s also the ability to control the amount of tube saturation desired besides just playing with the input and output controls, and there are indicators to let you know when that’s happening.
Yep, It’s On Sale
The Audified RZ062 is now on sale for $99, half-price off its usual $199, with a free 30 day trial to see if you like it first. It’s available for both Mac and PC and works with most all plugin formats.
You can find out more here, or watch the video below to hear some examples of it in use.
