Thousands upon thousands of professional engineers use the discrete JFET Class A NSEQ parametric EQ in mastering, post-production, live sound, mixing, and tracking. It's the parametric EQ found in the acclaimed STT-1 Origin Twin Topology channel strip. It's the same EQ topology found in the world's most widely used phono archiving system, the LOC (Library of Congress, etc.). It's the EQ used by countless professional artists from Celine Dion to Andreas Bocelli. It's the EQ used on the 2-bus main mix for over a decade of Academy Awards TV orchestra broadcasts (along with 100+ channels of Millennia HV-3 micamps).
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: "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. The NSEQ-HF employs the identical circuitry found in the NSEQ-4: our renowned FSA-03 Class A all-discrete J-FET amplifier and our DSA-01 Class A all-discrete J-FET true-differential line receiver. Both amplifiers use hand-matched Toshiba 2SJ74 and 2SK170 discrete J-FETs exclusively (no signal path ICs), considered the holy grail of pure Class A discrete audio design topology.
$585 US Street price
| Filter Shape | Shelving at 6 dB per octave. When LED is off, EQ is peaking with a fixed "Q" of 1.0 |
| Maximum Output Level | + 21 dBu |
| Maximum Input Level (EQ Flat) | + 20 dBu Balanced, +14 dBu unbalanced |
| Maximum Input Level (EQ Full Boost) | + 17 dBu |
| Frequency Response +0 / -3 dB |
sub 2 Hz to beyond 300 kHz |
| Maximum Cut/Boost (21 Step Detented) | +/-18 dB (+/-9 dB with range switch in) |
| Frequency Centers – (Peak/Shelf Selectable) | 4.8 k, 5.8 k, 8.0 k, 10 k, 16 k, 21 k |
| THD + Noise | |
| 20 Hz - 30 kHz, All EQ Bands Switched In | < .009%, typ < .003 % |
| Common Mode Rejection Ratio 10 Hz - 20 kHz, 100 mV C.M. |
> 60 dB, Typ > 80 dB |
| Slew Rate, +21 dBu Out | > 50 volts per microsecond |
| Hard-wire Bypass Switch? | Yes |
| Input Impedance | 25 kilohms |
| Minimum Output Load Impedance | 50 ohms |
| Recommended Load | > 500 ohms |
| Output Impedance | 5 ohms |
| EQ Amplifiers | Pure Class-A Discrete J-FETs |
| Power | Power consumption is +210mA with all LEDs on |
“Since adding the NSEQ-2 to our mastering rack, about 90% of our customers have preferred it against all other parametric equalizers in our mastering chain.“
Denny Purcell, Georgetown Masters, Nashville
“The NSEQ-2 joins the ranks of the world’s premiere
equalizers.”
Bob Ludwig, Gateway Mastering
“IT’S SIMPLY FANTASTIC! We in studio are astonished about the transparency of the sound comes out! We have a xxxx in one room with xxxx and in the other room we have xxxx xxx, your EQ is second to none!”
Fabrizio De Carolis, Reference Mastering Studios,
Rome, Italy
“Using the Millennia NSEQ-2 has made me completely re-think how I use EQ. Where I used to avoid using EQ at all, the NSEQ-2 has been employed to put just the right touch in a recording. The NSEQ- 2’s transparency and musicality is stunning! I don’t know of an EQ, digital or analog, that could approach its qualities.”
Michael Bishop, Telarc International
“The most transparent equalizer I’ve heard to date.”
Tom Jung, DMP Records
“...the transparency of the signal path is remarkable, and the smooth musicality of the EQ bands as they are adjusted is something special... both [vacuum tube and solid state topologies] are astonishingly clean.“
Richard Foister, Studio Sound Magazine, UK
“...this is an excellent machine capable of very fine results irrespective of the of the technology in the amplification. Although, like most sane people, I would normally find it difficult to enthuse about a simple equalizer, this really is something very special and I have only come across one other similar device which I found as audibly exciting. I would expect [the NSEQ-2] to become a very common entry in the equipment inventory of most mastering houses and top-end studios over here once the word gets out.
Hugh Robjohns, Sound On Sound Magazine, UK
“I believe the NSEQ is, audibly, the most perfect analog equalizer I have ever had the pleasure to use.”
Dr. Fred Bashour, Pro Audio Review
“The bottom line: For mission critical EQ applications where transparency is a paramount necessity, the NSEQ-2 is king. Prepare to be thrilled.”
Michael Cooper, Mix Magazine , Feature Review
"You've heard of the mythical 'straight wire with gain.' Well, the NSEQ-2 is as close to an analog 'straight wire with gain' as I have heard in 27 years of audiophile and professional engineering work."
Bob Katz, Chief Engineer, Digital Domain Mastering, Florida
"You've made a believer of me, and redefined the concept of "neutral" Eq. The clarity and transparency of your EQs is much greater than the AD/DA converted DAT sources that comprise the bulk of our work today. It's truly a breakthrough product, and redefines clean, neutral tonal control in the analog domain."
Dave Davis, QCA Mastering / Ultrainteractive.
