Thermionic Culture Launches The Freebird, 3 Channel Valve EQ

UK-based manufacturer Thermionic Culture, makers of such prized units as the Culture Vulture stereo valve distortion box and Phoenix master compressor announced that is has launched the Freebird, a new 3 Channel Valve EQ. A half-rack design, the Freebird (£2,395.00) can be considered as part of a modular system, and can be combined in a 19” rack case with an additional Freebird to give 6 channels of EQ.

Thermionic Culture has added the Freebird 3 channel valve EQ to its lineup.

“We decided on 3 channels because we want this to be seen as an affordable, multichannel, quality valve EQ,” says Nick Terry, Director of Thermionic Culture. “It’s got tons of character and can provide the kind of sound and features that fit extremely well in a DAW based system.”

At the heart of the EQ is a baxandall type circuit, effectively giving Freebird two shelving equalizers, one for low frequencies and one for high frequencies — the EQ point of these shelves can be switched between two positions for each shelf.

“There is also a unique circuit which controls the amount of presence in the signal,” Terry continues. “This is a uniquely shaped, active mid lift type EQ. We’ve included a fixed frequency mid cut similar to that found in the Rooster. We’ve also included a single position hi-pass filter to remove problem low frequency content. The gain control is there to help reduce unwanted distortion when using lots of additive EQ. You can level match the EQ’d signal to the original signal by using the gain control and bypass switch too, as the bypass completely removes all circuits from the signal path.”

The transformer-balanced Freebird is inspired by a design originally developed by Vic Keary. “We feel these broad parameters are actually what is really needed from a multichannel EQ nowadays,” Terry concludes. “The now-universal use of DAWs does inherently mean that digital equalisation has come an awfully long way. To the point where there are some excellent digital EQ’s available and in general use. However, one thing they just can’t replace is the convincing feel provided by outboard valve equalization.”

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