Black Box Analog Design HG-Q Tube EQ/Saturator with Digital Plug-in Control
You’ve Never Used an EQ Like This!
The Black Box HG-Q Stereo Analog EQ is a powerful equalizer featuring a unique proprietary topology, six interactive bands, a versatile tube saturation circuit, and options for stereo, mid-side, dual-mono, and mono operation. It also includes full plug-in control. The HG-Q’s distinctive architecture provides separate boost and cut controls for each band with independent gain, Q, and frequency selection, facilitating flexible and musical interactions. As one of the most comprehensive EQs we’ve had our hands on here at Sweetwater, the Black Box HG-Q offers virtually unlimited ways to shape and enhance any signal, making it an indispensable studio tool for tracking, mixing, and mastering.
Unique saturation circuit
Although the Black Box HG-Q is spec’d with solid-state cut filters for clarity and precision, its tube saturation circuit adds rich harmonic content to program material without dulling transients or compromising clarity. Unlike the saturation circuits found in many signal processors, the HG-Q’s circuit coaxes out low-level detail and bolsters signal density, resulting in a full-bodied, robust, and vibrant sound. Embedded in the boost circuits, the HG-Q’s integrated tube saturation stages deliver harmonic richness, density, and analog character, adding depth and dimension to any source, be it individual tracks, stereo stems, or complete mixes. The one-two punch of onboard saturation — combined with the complex dynamic phase interactions between bands, which enhance the harmonic relationship of frequencies in a mix — delivers sonic results that no other equalizer can match.
Explore a new world of sonic possibilities
The HG-Q boasts a rather unusual topology in which its six bands interact with each other in complicated ways, allowing it to provide unprecedented sound-shaping capabilities that handily exceed those of other EQs. The HG-Q’s 2X mode further expands its range, allowing up to 16dB boost or cut with magnified saturation that highlights every harmonic nuance in the source material. This yields more cohesive, balanced, and musically engaging results, even at aggressive settings. Between boosting, cutting, dialing in saturation, and choosing between series and parallel configurations, you can produce massively complex interactions and curves that would be impossible to achieve with traditional EQs.
True analog processing with plug-in control
The HG-Q is seamlessly integrated with its included companion plug-in, which provides complete digital control over the hardware's all-analog circuitry. Impressive, to be sure, but there’s more. The HG-Q plug-in is no mere controller; it's also a physically modeled digital re-creation of the hardware — making it perfect for remote jobs where you can't bring your hardware HG-Q with you. The plug-in even goes beyond the functionality of the hardware with the inclusion of a spectrum analyzer not found on the hardware unit, which allows you to visualize how boosting or cutting a band affects frequencies outside its range.
Black Box HG-Q Features:
- 6-band analog equalizer
- Tube saturation circuit
- Boost and Cut per band
- 2X mode with 16dB boost/cut
- Stereo, M-S, dual-mono, and mono modes
- Included companion control plug-in
- Robust 3U rackmount chassis
Tech Specs
- Type:Solid State
- Number of Bands:6
- Boost/Cut Range:±16dB
- Freq Range High:2kHz-15kHz
- Freq Range Mid:220Hz-2.5kHz
- Freq Range Low:30Hz-400Hz
- Inputs:2 x XLR
- Outputs:2 x XLR
- USB:1 x Type B (Host)
- Rack Spaces:3U
- Power Source:Standard IEC AC cable
- Manufacturer Part Number:HG-Q