The studio version of SBS Designs’ Iso-Q2 Advanced Isolator & Focusing Equalizer has now been updated with resettable gain controls making it easier to recall previous settings.
Key to its design is the way the Iso-Q2 handles its three bands of equalization. The front panel has separate Bass Frequency and Mid-High Frequency sweep controls that set the exact lower and upper crossover frequencies be- tween the bass frequency and high frequency equalizer sections on either side of the central mid-range equalizer.
The low frequency sweeps from 50Hz to 400Hz, and the mid-high frequency sweeps from 3.1kHz to 12.6kHz. It gets fun when I figured out that the bass, mid-range and mid-high gain controls are unity at the straight up position but range from off to +15 dB of boost.
The Iso-Q2 has balanced XLRs input and output connectors as well as unbalanced inputs and outputs on RCA jacks. There are also RCA jack connections for a selectable unbalanced loop insert path along with a rear panel master gain control.
The Iso-Q2 Studio Version is made in the U.S., distributed by MV Pro Audio and has a 10-year warranty. It sells for $2,195 MSRP.
Barry Rudolph is a recording engineer/mixer who has worked on over 30 gold and platinum records. He has recorded and/or mixed Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hall & Oates, Pat Benatar, Rod Stewart, the Corrs and more. Barry has his own futuristic music mixing facility and loves teaching audio engineering at Musician’s Institute, Hollywood, CA. He is a lifetime Grammy-voting member of NARAS and a contributing editor for Mix Magazine. barryrudolph.com
