In this video I review the highly unique Cranborne Audio Carnaby 500 Series Harmonic EQ. A 3 band EQ that does more than just EQ. Listen to how much weight can be added to the low end on the drum examples and how guitar is turned from dull and lifeless into a guitar full of harmonics.
The Cranborne Audio Carnaby 500 is a unique 3-band parametric equaliser for the 500 series format that uses harmonic saturation to boost and cut frequency content.
The Cranborne Audio Carnaby 500 provides three bands of Harmonic EQ™, each with 10 dB of boost/cut and sweepable frequency control. Each band has a unique blend of harmonics to give maximum musicality to their support frequencies.
The HI band ranges from 5 to 25 kHz. Its smooth saturation capability extends high-frequency sounds beyond human hearing— for maximum realism on vocals and acoustic instruments, such as cymbals or flutes.
The LO band has a frequency range of 420Hz down to 20Hz and uses hard-clipping saturation to increase the low end— ideal for adding subtle warmth or extreme subharmonic distortion.
The MID band is a peaking filter that emphasises frequencies in the 200Hz to 6.2kHz range and adds saturation effects, making sounds richer than they naturally are.
Unlike other EQs, Carnaby 500 has a dynamic response: The more you drive the circuits with audio signals, the more boost/cut and harmonics it produces.
Each band has an Input and Output level control that can be adjusted ±20dB for more saturation or distortion effects or turned off for a cleaner EQ when needed.
In addition to the world-first eq circuit, Carnaby 500 features an innovative stereo-linking feature called Optosync which allows two Carnaby 500 units to work as a perfect stereo pair for mixes and stereo sources.
There are no wires between the controls from the left unit to the right. It is recommended that the slave units be turned on, and their controls be turned on to the master unit. Multiple units can be linked together to apply the same sonic footprint.
With unique structural support, custom 41-way detented pots on every control, and automatic calibration of all analogue saturation paths, Carnaby 500 is a timeless processor designed to be a constant audio enhancer in your studio for years to come.
