California-based Millennia Media have a reputation for designing and building some of the finest audio equipment available, with their preamps, equalisers and compressors relied upon by a number of the world's top mixing, mastering and broadcast engineers. Their latest device, the NSEQ-HF, is a 500-series EQ module that features the high frequency peak/shelf section of their NSEQ-4 equaliser unit. The module is hand-built, and features identical circuity to that found in the NSEQ-4, with a 100% discrete Class A signal path employing Toshiba 2SJ74 and 2SK170 J-FETs.
The NSEQ-HF module features the high peak/shelf section from Millennia Media's NSEQ-4 unit.Users are able to choose between a peak or shelf filter, and six centre frequencies are available placed at 4.8, 5.8, 8, 10, 16, and 21 kHz. A 21-position detented gain control offers 18dB of cut or boost, with a gain range switch present to reduce the range to 9dB, allowing for finer adjustment. Finally, a third switch on the units front panel selects between a balanced or unbalanced input.
Here's what Millennia have to say about the NSEQ-HF: "We've lost count of the number of engineers who've told us that their 'favorite thing about the NSEQ is its incredibly musical top end.' It may not be an exaggeration to say that most clients use the NSEQ to breathe top-end musical life into their tracks. The one comment we hear continually is 'The 21kHz top end boost sounds like music, not like EQ.' So we thought it was time to create a new product that focused exclusively on the NSEQ's top-end. We call it the NSEQ-HF, and it's ready now for your 500-rack, at an attractive price point."
Quoted technical specifications for the NSEQ-HF are impressive, with Millennia Media claiming that the -3dB points in the unit’s frequency response sit at 2hZ and 300kHz, and measuring a THD + Noise figure of < 0.009% with all EQ bands engaged. Power consumption is stated at +250mA with all LEDs switched on.
The NSEQ-HF is available now, priced at $689.
