Engineers who have already gotten hold of the MASSIVE PASSIVE have told us: "Why does it make everything sound so much better?", "It's organic and orgasmic.", "It's a f%#king powerhouse.", "It's unlike any other EQ.", "This is IT. The sound I've always dreamt of but couldn't ever get until now." Craig 'HUTCH' Hutchison designed these monsters... The MASSIVE PASSIVE is a two channel, four band equalizer, with additional high pass and low pass filters. "Passive" refers to the tone shaping part of this clever new EQ design not using any active circuitry. Only metal film resistors, film capacitors and hand-wound inductors sculpt the sound, kinda like a Pultec EQ on hyper-steroids. Super-beefy, hugely-high-headroom Manley all-tube make-up gain amplifiers deliver your tunes into the next realm. "Massive".... it's a fitting word for this beast. You'll need to experience this. Creating natural, organic, acoustic tone can only be done with an equalizer that treats the signal with natural methods. The Massive Passive uses simple passive components and exploits their natural qualities rather than forcing a complex circuit to meet an arbitrary clinical or scientific goal. Manley knows that recording and mastering equalizers are used by artists for artistic goals and we balanced this design with a little more art than science. The Massive Passive is intended both for the most radical EQ sometimes needed for tracking as well as the most subtle shadings for vocals and mastering. It is designed to be a fundamentally different EQ but incorporates the best strengths of Pultecs, choice console EQs, parametrics and graphics. The difference is that the Massive allows twice as much EQ with half the coloration. It allows huge HF boosts without sibilance problems and unbelievable fatness without mud. This is unique. Being different also gives it some quirks and idiosyncrasies that will spark your creativity and sense of audio adventure. We could attempt to use dozens of superlatives to describe the sounds, but really, you have to experience it yourself. Words cannot do it justice. The astute reader will notice a lack of "buzz words" and that the Massive Passive is not built around gimmicks, plagiarisms, or conventional techniques. However, it is built to complement our Variable Mu¬ Limiter Compressor for instance.... This combo could just be the ultimate processing chain. It's already a Mastering fave. The Filters : 5 frequencies Hi Pass and bypass, PLUS 5 frequencies Lo Pass with bypass. We made them extra steep. 36 dB/oct ! Why? When you need to remove the garbage, this does the trick and allows more of the real music to be untouched. The other reason is that it sounds killer when combined with the regular bands. Towards the mids this degree of steepness may be tamed somewhat. We're going for pure "usefulness" not "well, we guess it's standard". Thinking drums and guitar stacks, and other tough jobs. These filters are passive too. High Pass Filters = 22, 39, 68, 120, 220, OFF Low Pass Filters = 6K, 7K5, 9K, 12K, 18K, OFF FEATURES: All-Passive tone sculpting circuitry Unique Shelf curves use the "bandwidth" control Overlapping and Interleaved Frequency choices Every band switchable to shelf or bell Vacuum tube make-up gain and line drivers Parallel symmetrical topology Premium components throughout HP and LP Filters plus gain trims SPECIFICATIONS: Ins & Outs Balanced XLR & 1/4" (accepts unbalanced) Level +4 dBu nominal, internal switches for -10 operation Bypass Switch bypasses EQ & tube circuits (not hardwire) 44 Frequencies (roughly 1/4 octave spacing) Frequency Range: 22 Hz to 27 Khz EQ Boost/Cut Range : 20 dB boost, 20 dB cut Nominal Q range: 1.5 to 3 (uniquely active in shelf modes) Frequency Response: +/- 2 dB: 8 Hz to 60 KHz Maximum Output @ 1.5% THD +37 dBv; +26dBv @ 20 Hz THD & Noise (1KHz @ +4 dBu): 0.06% Noise Floor (referred to +4dBu): -85 dB (A Weight) Dynamic Range: 120 dB Tube Complement: 2 x 12AX7 EH, 4 x 6414 for serial MSMPX### after 2/2004 Tube Complement: 2 x 5751, 4 x 6414 for serial MSMP### until 2/2004 Power Consumption (120/240VAC): 72 watts Unit is factory set for 100V, 120V or 220-240VAC operation for original destination country's mains voltage. Operating Mains Voltage changeable with power transformer changeover switch and fuse value change. Mains Voltage Frequency: 50~ 60Hz Size (3U): 19" x 5.25" x 10" Weight: Unit 21 lbs. Shipping Weight: 27 lbs.