Wes Audio ngTube EQ

Have Wes Audio achieved the perfect union of analogue processing and digital control?

Wes Audio’s ng (‘next gen’) products always manage to impress me: it seems that every time one of these devices has come to my studio for evaluation there’s been a few interesting new features that make their digitally controlled analogue circuitry that much more convenient to use in a modern studio setting. In recent years it’s been a case of evolution more than revolution, but for their latest release, the ngTube EQ, they’ve made some significant strides, and created what I can say with confidence is the most appealing analogue processor I’ve used to date. If money were no object it would definitely remain in my studio.

Since I last reviewed one of the ng‑series devices, not only have Wes further developed the plug‑in remote control side of things (more on that below), but they’ve also progressed the front‑panel user controls, taking advantage of touch‑responsive knobs, short and long button presses, onboard memory and a miniature but clear and crisp LCD screen, to deliver some incredibly cool features that I’ve not previously seen on analogue outboard. There’s way more to this thing than the ability to save and recall settings with your DAW session, even if that remains a big part of the appeal.

Tubey Or Not Tubey

That really is the question! As a dual‑channel, passive, four‑band, inductor‑based parametric EQ, the analogue circuitry that lies at the heart of the ngTube EQ is not dissimilar in concept to that in Manley’s famous Massive Passive. Despite its name, though, the ‘tube’ (valve) stages in this device are optional: you have, at the push of a button, the choice of a ‘clean and clinical’ electronically balanced output, or a more characterful valve‑plus‑transformer output stage. In the latter configuration, the Output knob controls amplification based around JJ‑Tesla ECC81 (12AT7) and ECC82 (12AU7) valves, which means it determines how hard the signal hits the Carnhill output transformers, and thus how much character is imparted to the signal by transformer saturation. The pad is placed post‑transformer, allowing you to set the final output signal level. Cleverly, the current output mode is indicated on the hardware by a change in the colour of the backlit controls (green for clean, red for warmth) so you’re never in any doubt about which setting is selected.

Before the signal reaches those output stages, it first flows through Wes’s familiar THD processor, which can be bypassed or set between 0 and 100 percent, to give you yet more control over the signal coloration. It then passes through bypassable active high‑ and low‑pass filter stages and the passive inductor‑based four‑band parametric EQ, which I’ll explore in more detail below. At the time of writing, the otherwise excellent and hugely informative PDF manual offered conflicting advice about the order in which these sections appear: a signal‑flow diagram suggests the filters are between the THD stage and the parametric bands, while some words elsewhere suggest they come after the EQ bands.

The THD section, which definitely comes first, has been thoughtfully integrated: as you turn this knob clockwise to add harmonics, the signal level flowing into the EQ stages inherently increases, so it also influences the sonic contribution of the inductors. But the output is then automatically attenuated to compensate for that increase in level, so the user experience is simply one of turning the knob one way for more ‘grit’, and turning it the other way to dial things down. Also worth noting is that the THD knob is a touch‑sensitive push‑turn encoder, and is used to access some secondary functions; more on those below.

First Among Equalisers

The high‑pass filter can be set to 12 or 24 dB/oct slopes and almost anywhere from 12 to 300 Hz; being a digital control it’s not technically continuous, but with about 80 steps, the resolution is fine enough that you perceive it as such. The low‑pass filter offers the same slopes and steps, and the turnover frequency can be set from way down at 6kHz to a stratospheric 50kHz, so all bases are covered. Bypassing the filter is a simple matter of pressing and holding the push‑turn frequency knob.

Moving on to the parametric EQ, each of the four bands is identical, other than for their centre frequencies. They can each be switched individually to operate either as a bell or a shelving band, and have gain, frequency and Q (bandwidth) knobs. As with all the knobs on this device, these turn continuous rotary encoders rather than pots, and their status is indicated with a circle of LEDs — a particularly elegant arrangement similar to that described in my SOS November 2021 review of the ngBusComp, whereby LED brightness, not just position, is used to give a very precise indication of the setting.

These bands have two (globally switchable per channel) gain modes, ±15dB and ±5dB, which is a fantastic touch: for traditional EQs of this type, manufacturers sometimes offer a dedicated ‘mastering edition’ with a smaller gain range for finer control and, depending on the model, perhaps other features such as switches in place of pots. With Wes’s approach, there’s simply no need for separate mixing and mastering versions: you can access either configuration in the same product. In ±15dB mode, you already have very fine individual gain steps of 0.25dB, which is still fine enough to be automated by your DAW without audible artefacts, but allows you to make bigger changes on the hardware quickly and easily. Switch to ±5dB and each step becomes an alternating 0.08 or 0.09 dB — marginally better than the 0.1dB claimed in the manual, and more precise than any stepped analogue EQ I’ve encountered previously.

The gain knobs have secondary and tertiary functions too. A double‑push on any band’s gain knob inverts its gain, turning a boost into a cut or vice versa. This makes it easy to sweep to identify a problem frequency and then nix it. Neatly, each band can also be bypassed with a single push of its gain knob, and pushing it in and holding for a couple of seconds resets it to unity gain. These ‘hidden’ functions are clearly described in the manual, and while it can take a short time to grow accustomed to them it’s a really neat way to accommodate so much control on an analogue device, without the front panel feeling cluttered or too different in use from a traditional analogue device.

The bandwidth for each band can individually be set to Q values (in the default constant‑Q mode) from a tight‑ish 4.0 to a gentle 0.5, while pushing the Q knob toggles it between bell and shelving types. The Q control remains active for the shelves, and with all bands being switchable in this way, you have generous scope to fine‑tune the overall EQ curve. In bell mode, the bands are switchable between constant Q and proportional Q. In the latter configuration, the bell narrows dynamically as more boost/cut is applied. I should point out that this is a per‑channel setting, rather than a per‑band one, and that this mode isn’t (yet) perfectly reflected on the plug‑in GUI. Particularly in the dual‑channel and Mid‑Sides modes, where you can use different Q types on different signals, this feature extends the unit’s utility considerably.

Each of the four bands can be set to one of 12 frequencies and, in combination, the four frequency controls span a generous 22Hz to 28kHz. There’s useful overlap in the individual ranges, which are as follows: low band 22Hz‑1kHz; low‑mid 90Hz‑4.8kHz; high‑mid 260Hz‑11kHz; high 600Hz‑28kHz. As you can see, there’s even a little overlap between the outermost bands, never mind adjacent ones, and it lets you really dig into the midrange if you need to.

Channel Linking & Presets

One thing that’s great about all dual‑channel Wes Audio processors is that they can be configured to operate as L‑R stereo, Mid‑Sides or dual‑mono devices, and the ngTube EQ is no exception. On the hardware, this mode is determined using buttons in the central section between the two channels. When it’s stereo, the left‑channel controls operate on both channels. A minor frustration (not a particularly big deal) was that the right‑channel controls in this mode are inactive. Ideally I’d have liked to be able to use whichever set was closest to hand, but there’s a workaround for that as I’ll explain shortly.

The Mid‑Sides encoder comes before the THD stage, and the decoder between the EQ and output stages, so the left control set operates on the Mid and the right set on the Sides. But note that the output gain and valve/transformer coloration apply only to the left and right channels.

In dual‑channel mode, the role of the controls will, I hope, be obvious. But there’s a channel Parameter Link button at the top of the central section and when this is engaged and you’re in either M‑S or dual‑channel mode, the controls for the two channels are linked, such that when you turn, say, the gain or frequency knob on the left channel, the right channel’s control moves accordingly. This provides that workaround for using either set of controls in stereo. But since engaging parameter linking doesn’t override either channel’s settings, it’s more useful than that. (You can copy the setting from one channel to the other, by the way). Any offsets between the two channels’ settings are preserved so, for example, if there’s a low‑mid dip on the Sides and a low‑mid boost on the Mid, you can hit parameter link and adjust the gains of both relative to their starting position with either channel’s gain control.

A couple of the hardware’s ‘hidden’ features: toggling between the ±5 and ±15 dB gain modes; and the preset menu, accessed by a long press of the Parameter Link button. The red backlit buttons denote that the valve output stage is engaged, while they light orange in preset mode and (not shown) green if the electronically balanced output is active.

The Parameter Link button also has a handy secondary function: a press and two‑second hold accesses a preset menu on the central display. Presets aren’t new to the ng series, but traditionally the hardware has offered only A, B and C buttons (still available here) for quick comparison, and has relied on the remote‑control plug‑in for more extensive preset management. This time, you have 100 onboard memory slots, any of whose contents can be loaded to the A, B or C buttons. When you’re in preset mode you’ll know it, because as well as the screen displaying the preset information, all the backlit buttons turn orange. The channel bypass buttons, either side of the screen, are used to navigate through the presets. There’s also a preset bank feature, so that you can recall different banks of A, B, and C button presets.

It’s superbly well thought out. Since the procedure for storage and recall of presets and banks is clearly described in the manual I won’t detail it here, but I will say that it’s very quick and intuitive in use. It’s great for those who prefer hands‑on control and in particular those working on sessions likely to require multiple different setting recalls — album mastering sessions, for example, with different settings for each track. But to my mind it also makes the hardware that bit more futureproof. If (perish the thought!) Wes were one day to cease operating and plug‑in support ended, then whatever Apple or Microsoft or the DAW developers decided to do in the future, the hardware would still support quick and accurate recall of many settings. Top marks!

Advanced Stuff

I haven’t mentioned the plug‑in side of things much yet, but there are still more hardware features to explore, including some I believe are unique. The use of touch‑responsive controls allow good use to be made of the LCD screen. Though tiny, the screen’s resolution is good and it’s always easy to read. It defaults to showing horizontal bar meters for the input and output levels (ie. two bars per channel) but touch any control (no need to move it) and, after the briefest of waits, the screen displays that control’s parameter and status. For example, the LED rings around the Q control already give you a decent indication of the current setting, but rest your fingers on the control and you’ll see the precise setting on the screen. Turn the control and you’ll see the on‑screen value change accordingly.

A stand‑out feature is the implementation of the valve amp and output transformer stage. The hardware’s touch‑responsive controls allow the valve gain and post‑transformer pad to be inversely linked — and the plug‑in, of course, achieves the same thing with a single control.

The touch‑responsive controls aren’t just about information, though; they’re also used to access hidden functions. Perhaps the simplest illustration (and a very practical application) is the inverse linking of the output gain and Iron Pad controls. Rest a finger on the Iron Pad knob while using your other hand to turn the adjacent output gain control (to drive the valve‑plus‑transformer stage harder) and the pad value will increase accordingly, to deliver attenuation that results in approximately unity gain. It’s just about possible to do that one‑handed too, by resting a finger on one control and using a thumb and finger to turn the other. As long as you’re touching both controls, you can turn either one and achieve the same thing.

It’s the sort of feature I’ve seen only on modern EQ plug‑ins like FabFilter’s Pro‑Q 3. Frankly, it’s astonishing to see this on an analogue processor.

While inverse parameter linking is a neat trick, it’s perhaps not unique. But I bet you’ve not seen anything like the channel and band solo functions on an analogue EQ before! Just pressing the THD button and touching a gain button simultaneously will solo the channel when in dual‑mono or M‑S modes. Or press THD and touch the frequency knob, and you solo only the band — something Wes achieve by temporarily changing the setting of the high‑ and low‑pass filters. You can adjust any of the band’s controls while you’re doing this too, so that ‘sweep and invert’ trick becomes incredibly powerful. It’s so quick and easy to identify precisely where you want to cut and with what Q, and it’s the sort of feature I’ve seen only on modern EQ plug‑ins like FabFilter’s Pro‑Q 3. Frankly, it’s astonishing to see this on an analogue processor, accessed by front‑panel controls.

I’m sure I’ve overlooked some other secondary control functions in this write‑up; there’s simply too much of this stuff to convey everything in minute detail in a review. But, again, it’s all explained very clearly in the 68‑page PDF manual, and if you’re interested in learning more about this side of things, I’d recommend you download it from the Wes Audio website. In fact, if you plan on visiting a store or demo’ing this device somewhere, it’d be well worth browsing through it in advance to make the most of your auditioning time.

The ngTube EQ can connect to a computer for DAW plug‑in remote control over USB, or directly or via a LAN using the Ethernet port.

Plug‑in Power

On the rear panel, alongside the analogue I/O (on XLRs) and IEC mains power inlet (which feeds an internal, vertically mounted toroidal transformer), you’ll find both an RJ45 Ethernet socket and a USB‑B port. You can connect directly to a computer using either, or to a LAN using Ethernet, and once connected you can update the firmware and/or connect to the remote control plug‑in. I had to update the firmware to the latest version for this review, and that side of things was automatic, quick and pain‑free.

To use the plug‑in you must first have installed it along with Wes Audio’s GCon control software that runs in the background. The software (for Windows or Mac) was a 440MB download for my Mac, and includes installers for the control plug‑ins of Wes’ entire ng range. You get to choose which ones and which versions (VST3/AAX/AU) you install, though. Once the ngTube EQ is connected to your computer and you’ve instantiated the plug‑in in a DAW session, you must select the attached hardware — it’s recognised automatically, but it’s possible to have more than one device attached so you must choose it. This setting will thereafter be saved and recalled with your project.

The plug‑in’s GUI is strikingly different from the version I last used with other ng hardware. Previously, the interfaces have always been skeuomorphic, strongly resembling the hardware. That’s an approach that makes switching between operating the hardware controls and using the plug‑in intuitive and seamless. But it might also be viewed as a missed opportunity because, free from the design constraints of hardware, plug‑in developers have made great strides in GUI design in recent years, and in EQs you can now usually visualise the EQ curve and manipulate it with a mouse, using nodes placed directly on that curve. Wes have taken the bold decision to nudge their control plug‑in GUIs in this direction too but, importantly, they’ve not thrown the baby out with the bathwater: they’ve retained the hardware‑style controls too.

With a frequency curve and node controls to accompany the virtual hardware controls, and a resizeable window that adapts its view according to the channel mode, the plug‑in GUI is a significant step forward.

For the most part, it’s brilliant: in a hybrid setup, I was able to treat it almost like a regular plug‑in, with no need to touch or even look at the hardware. The communication is bidirectional: turn a hardware control and the plug‑in updates instantly; adjust a plug‑in parameter and the hardware follows suit. Some functions are easier to use in software too: it requires no exceptional dexterity to tweak the linked output and Iron Pad controls on the plug‑in! Of course, because of the nature of the hardware, with each band having a set menu of frequency options, some things don’t translate quite so smoothly to this paradigm but the generous overlap between bands means it still works pretty well, and if you prefer not to use the nodes, you have the virtual hardware controls.

One tiny limitation I noticed compared with the hardware is that the Listen Mode (band solo) control is only active while clicking on it; release the mouse and this function turns off. It’s not a problem as such, but it does mean you can’t tweak other parameters while in solo/listen mode, as you can on the hardware. I wonder whether a more conventional solo on/off button (or a keyboard modifier for latching control?) might be a tiny improvement. Of course, while holding down the plug‑in’s listen control with the mouse you can still adjust any settings using the hardware controls, a MIDI controller or the DAW’s automation facilities. Another minor issue (and which Wes are aware of) is that the proportional‑Q settings aren’t yet reflected on the GUI curve, which seems to be calculated using the constant‑Q settings. Neither is a major issue, though, and on the whole the ‘new GUI’ approach works very well; a definite improvement on what went before.

Just Like Heaven?

As you can probably tell, I’ve been absolutely blown away by the ngTube EQ’s feature set, but what about the sound of this thing? In short, it was an absolute joy to hear it in action. The overall character was everything I’d expect to hear in this style of EQ. Smooth and gently flattering in the way that only a good inductor EQ can be. Even something as simple as lifting the top end of a picked acoustic guitar part, with the cleaner electronically balanced output stage selected, was a delight: an effortlessly smooth brightness. The same familiar character shone through on pretty much any source I put through it, in fact, and for mastering it was wonderful to have access to such fine settings and the Mid‑Sides mode. But this is more than an EQ, as there’s plenty colour on tap too. If a vocal needs just a bit more edge, the THD control can help. If a bass guitar would benefit from tubes and transformer thickening, that’s also to hand. And on the stereo bus and for stereo mastering, it offered everything I could want. Plug‑ins just don’t yet sound this good to me! Pair this with the convenience of plug‑in remote control, recall and automation, and the features like the band solo mode, and what you have is a very special processor indeed.

Forget About The Price Tag

Of course, dual‑channel, four‑band valve inductor equalisers don’t come cheap, and neither, usually, does plug‑in remote‑controlled analogue gear. So it’s hardly surprising that many of us, particularly the hobbyists out there, will consider the price Wes Audio ask for the ngTube EQ to be an eye‑watering amount of money. You’d certainly have to be making good money as an audio professional or be a very well‑off amateur to consider acquiring one. But setting aside whether or not it is realistically within your grasp, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask this much. Not only is there a lot of hardware here, but a huge amount of development time must have gone into creating this device. There’s its convenience and sublime sonic performance to consider too. And then throw the price of the broadly comparable analogue competition into the equation (devices such as the Manley Massive Passive or the SPL PassEQ, which all lack the digital remote control and recall functions, offer fewer features and are less versatile), and for those who can afford it, the ngTube EQ might look like surprisingly decent value.

This EQ is unique. It’s utterly, amazingly wonderful. In fact, I’m put in mind of the words uttered in awe by Juba in the film Gladiator, on first sighting the Colosseum: “I didn’t know men could build such things.” Well, now we know they can! Hopefully the fruit of Wes’ labours will start to filter down into products more of us can afford...