This sold me on a KT. Dang. It’s not as good as the Pultec, but it completely blew my mind how good the KT sounded. Wow. I’m truly impressed. I don’t have the thousands of dollars to spend on the Pultec, but I can get a KT. Thank you for this video.
Its interesting because I got a KT and hated it, and was comparing it to another Pultec copy. I wonder if my unit was bad as it sounds in the right ballpark here.
Stay FAR AWAY from KT!!! We havve a Tube tech PE-1b and a PE-1c and even though they cost around €3600-3700 it is still not on the pultec eqp-1 level so how would the KT come close for 200ish bucks hahahahaha Even the Puig plug was better than KT. Save the money and if you cant afford a Tube Tech or for ex a AudioScape or ProReplicas which all sound great then buy the $29 plugin before the Klark crap.
Very thoughtful approach to this comparison. I came here because of another reviewer who literally put a sledgehammer into the klark on his lawn because the superficial settings (1:1) didn't match. which also describes his blunt and thoughtless comparison. So, kudos to you, sir.
That is an insane low amount of subscribers for such a high quality and informative channel. Predicting this will change massively in the near future (subscribed not unexpectedly)
I love using my EQP-KT. It's on my 'Kick In' channel, in my home drum studio. The recording chain for the channel is : Audix D6 - Alctron MP73X2 - EQP-KT. I upgraded the valve on the KT, and it improved the overall kick tone immediately imo. More punch/body/presence, and no unwelcome murkiness/lack of detail etc..
The Klark is really fast and clean. I understand people could look at the heavy sound of the pulltec, extactly like a Neve vs an API, but, as a Neve owner, my preamp is enought, i prefer the low cost, the transparency of the Klark only :)
@@lightafluident.9950 Your opinion obviously, and you are entitled to it. You should let those of us with ears use them to make an informed decision from this well put together comparison video. YOU can spend YOUR money on whatever YOU want. No worries.
The Puigtech always adds up this little muddy 300Hz bump. The KT is incredible. I'll probably purchase a couple of them. Thanks for the review. Cheers from Canada
What a treat this channel is! Highly informative, honest and realistic and hilarious. I've two KT units on my mix bus and they do a terrific job. If you pop it open you'll be quite surprised at how good the build quality is. The machined front panel with the stops for the knobs is quite clever. From what I understand, the inductor is not the same as the original for the treble which has 6 real taps as opposed to the 4 on the KT. The KT fudges it a bit with caps and resistors to get all the available choices - same as on the Warm unit. Still insanely good for the money and a little goes a long way.
The KT holds amazing against the original Pultec, especially given the price tag. You'll hear many people saying different opinions on these EQs, but it's a personal taste. You either like how it sounds and works for what you're doing, or not.
I have the Warm and the KT and I feel the same about the KT. The KT I would not put on my master bus. The Warm I would. The KT is nice to have around for tracking though. But what I am doing is snagging up the used ones from guys that buy it, don't like it, and then are willing to let it go for the terrible offer I make them... lol then I will send them over to Revive Audio and end up with something a bit more useable.
Great comparison! I have a bunch of the KT (including a pair of EQP-KT's) stuff and like them. The Pultec was a slight bit sweeter than the KT but it is a very minor difference (certainly not worth the difference in cost). I have seen sites that say the KT sounds nothing like a Pultec. It is usually sites trying to sell a mod service. I get it they are trying to sell something, but it definitely is in the ballpark. The plugin sounded very different. I didn't hear that difference as much on the guitar and rhodes samples, but it was still there.
I've never seen a youtube channel with such an incredible post-production work. Guys, you're sick! Wait, only 1.8k followers, it's an after-effect youtube joke, lol that will go up for sure... Oh and for this video, Klark Teknik is really impressive for the price just like the products from its mother company Behringer that clearly makes sick synths sometimes better than the originals. The klark teknik when very well, on the Rhodes and the vocals the Pultec was better but it's not a huge difference. The Pultec price is about 50 klark teknik. Oh and we don't talk about the waves, waves was ok 20 years ago when we got nothing just coming out from Atari era... Now it's just garbage well-marketed... I think I will get some klark teknik...
Thanks Nelson, we’re glad you enjoy our videos! The KT stuff is great if you’re on a budget. It sounds alright and does the job. There is a market for the cheap stuff, the same as there is definitely a market for the expensive stuff! We definitely recommend getting KT stuff to try hardware if you haven’t before, or even if you just want a selection of kit for not a lot of money.
I find the Waves EQP emulation particularly impressive, just dripping with character. It is a go-to for me in many applications, notably drums. I struggle to think of any EQ plug-in more satisfying with so little effort.
@@jsvydhb I tested this unit, and you get what you pay for. It's a rack filler, nothing more. If you fart in a bag you get the same result. Garbage unit, save the money and buy something better.
@@TommyNation That doesn't match what the audio examples in this video showed us. Pultec's were better, but it was almost there and way better than the plugin. Amazing bang for buck.... Also tube swapping might make it much, much closer.....f*** the feel of the knobs....
There is a certain loss of absolute clarity in the Waves plugin a bit too warm and thick in the lower mid range and upper bass, the KT is a bit too crisp, but sounds ok, but the clear leader is the original - which is pretty sleek. For those who have the money, just get the original. By the way that vocal lead and background was on the money, interesting vocalist, superbly recorded.
This video has me questioning what's wrong with youtube's algorithm. Epic video guys. 1st time watcher. Very awesome!!! Love the humor, production value, and information. Very entertaining and informative. Going to have to find out about G.R.A.C.E. Liked and subscribed! I even slapped that bell notification (haha).
Thanks for watching, and thank you for subscribing! There’s a follow-up episode to the Grace thing, it should be the next video that was uploaded after this one! We have an LA-2A review on the way, we’re filming that at the moment in between filming the current videos reviewing the new Mac Mini M1 - one video was released only this morning and there’s another on its way for tonight! Enjoy!
It would have been nice to have dry tracks on the comparisons too. That would have shown the real effect over the instruments ;) other than that it’s a superb video and I’m very tempted getting the KT one :-)
KT looks and sounds like a great mod platform. The top seems to be nice, the bottom lacks the punch you'd expect from a eqp1a but I wouldn't kick it out the rack for that, understanding its performance is key, again I'd be interested in seeing what kind of mods can be done to better balance the tone shape. The KT is practically just the cost of a new chassis, so any tinkering is likely worth a go. Haven't seen the guts of it but that's my initial response to the excellent video. Subscribed ✌️🎶🎶
I don't know if I prefer the KT because I've already ordered two, but I'm impressed. Of course the Pultec has a slightly more vintage vibe, a little softer and rounder, but I really love the KT. It's a perfect mix of modern and vintage to my ears, and would certainly gain some mojo adding some NOS matched tubes. Im thrilled.
SMG’s Glen did a review where he HATED the KT and destroyed it with a hammer...at that point I owned 4....now I own 6 of the KT’s! For the money, the KT’s are the audio industry’s best value buy.
I have used all this gear and it's really just preference. I love old Tube gear, but it really just gives it a warmer low-fi sound. Their are so many ways to do this for a lot less than the originals. I Klark keep more the a sparkle top end. The original has a smoother distortion curve. In most thick mixes, any one of these options work!
Great singing! It’s been my understanding the LF Boost and Atten controls have dramatically different BW. This, in conjunction with a natural rolloff at lowest freqs, results in a musical and complex curve we’ve all been emulating subconsciously using 2 or more bands of parametric EQ for a long time. The Pultec method is ingeniously simple to set by comparison, which is why I love using it. You’’re video production (script, editing) is just mindblowing lately. It is much appreciated.
I gotta say the Klark Teknik sounds amazingly well. I'd be hard pressed to tell it apart from the original. The Waves plugin, however, did not impress me at all. The drum section was especially revealing. Thanks for this comparison!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my EQP-KTs! Absolute stellar bit of 'kit' as you Brits like to say. For a serious home hobby recordist such as myself , this last few years of quality budget HW gear from manufacturers like KT (Behringer) and the like is an absolute godsend! Just happened to come across your channel while surfing - SUBBED! Excellent content you provide here SIr. Thanks. I'm also just silly enough to really enjoy your little forays into comic madness as I learn something. Loved my visit to London and your country a few years back. My ancestry is all there. As soon as we get this stupid C19 behind us, the wife and I will be dropping by again soon. CHEERS!
Thanks for the extremely well put together VS. video demoing out these products! You are making some of the best videos for audio gear of this type clearly demonstrating your passion and experience with the craft. Much appreciated!
And the Rhodes revealed some major differences between all four. otoh, the guitar part living in 200-900 Hz was virtually pointless - not much there for a hi-low EQ to chew on! :D
The pultec has a quality that you can’t necessarily hear but you can feel (on the bass) The Klark seems great for the money. I’ll probably get one. Any EQ is better than none.
Great Channel. Great review too. Ordered my KT unit from Sweetwater yesterday. Can't wait to get it! And I also "Liked" the video, subscribed and hit the bell to support this channel!
@@huntergalloway3944 Super happy with my purchase. I use one on the kick for tracking and then use the pair for mastering. I love how subtly you can EQ things with it. Very different than using a plugin parametric EQ which allows much greater increases or cuts. I performed some measurements with it using REW to better understand the EQ curves. There's a slight dip in the upper frequencies. They're very quiet. Being able to twist actual knobs to get the sound you're looking for is a joy! Since then I've purchased a KT-76 that I use on bass and have a 2A-KT on back order that I'll use on guitar.
for me the plugin si like looking through your bathroom glass after a hot shower. The og pultec is like taking a shower outside with a view on the ocean.. tons of depth and a clarity that is pretty stunning.. the klark is very nice too but is still a lot less open and clear than the og but still quite remarkable for the price tag.
Wow...First of all that Rhodes sounds great !! 2nd, and what was so very telling in that part through my focal cms50s : Both plugins sounded too mids-y. The KT has quite an intrusive distortion smearing the balance and transients from about 1k all the way down. I think I'm leaning towards a pair of the 500-series real deal next(transistorized) , and keep saving up. Just an idea: Although we've heard these files in other viddys of yours, it would have still been very helpful to refer to the recorded bypass at least once for each instrument's part. Thanks again :D
Honestly, all of these sounds so close that it seems it is more the engineer than the gear. The KT did have a little more hype in the high frequency range, but , still totally usable.
The KlarkTeknik sounded really flat on the drums, the OG and the VST sounded much nicer. For every other instrument, I actually preferred the KlarkTeknik to both of the others. For £199 you really cannot go wrong. Really nice demo!
fantastic job! My favorite comparison video in a long time, I’m about to head in to your channel after this and I really hope to find more like this! If not please make more
I bought the KT before i watched this Video, but now you have a new Subscriber, i love the KT. ok the original is a bit sound better and cleaner in my Opinion, but KT is amazing
Is no one going to mention how much soul the vocalist had?! Great video and very well done. In general I felt like the pultec performed the best as it had the most focus in the low end, plenty of air and space created in the top end, and all without affecting the midrange negatively. The KT was on average about 90%, in my subjective opinion, the tone of the pultech. It felt a bit lack luster in the low end compared to the pultech/plug-in on the drums and bass but I felt the KT did well on the high end of the Hz spectrum but did appear to weaken the midrange slightly. For the price though, the KT cannot be beat. I own one and recently bought another. I personally find the KT to be a useful tool that can be used on nearly every instrument and have positive return on tone. Now that I own two I'm excited to try it in a stereo context and on the master bus. I also would like to swap out tubes. I have seen videos by SMG, who i generally like content wise, that state tubes do not affect tone (specifically in the context of metal guitar) but in my experience with my mesa stiletto ace and vox ac15 I noticed a difference in the quality of tone and gain structure when changing the pre amp tubes for matching tung-sols new production. What are your thoughts on tube swaps on out board gear such as equalizers, pre amps and of the like?Do you believe there are tonal differences between different tubes?Thank you for your work and yall earned a sub from the Old West of the United States.
The Waves emulation sounded the best in the drums, other than that it sounded ever so slightly less "lively" than the hardware counterparts. Original Pultec seems to have smoother highs, but I think you can adjust the Klark Teknik to sound more similar. I don't hear any benefit of having a tube eq over a solid state. There doesn't seem to be any coloring.. Even order harmonics added. Am I missing something? I am listening on studio monitors. Perhaps it's the ever so slight "liveliness" that is the hardware tubes?
I nearly pissed myself laughing at the opening of the rack at 2:00. You, sir, have received a rare and oft lusted after thumbs up 👍🏻 as well as a new subscriber!
I could modify the KT to get as close as possible to the sound quality of the EQP-1A. Of course, it is required to adjust the sound quality while replacing the 60s NOS transformers, vacuum tube,s resistors, capacitors and wiring materials.
question, I noticed heard the harsher highs on the guitar with the KT, but also noticed it looked like there wasn't any cut at the 20k like the others.... am I smoking something or did you not roll the top off on KT?
Yeah, it’s really easy to push the KT too hard, and then it sounds like w**k whereas the real deal can do no wrong, but used sensibly it really can sound great. And yep, the Waves has a horrible mid-range honk and general nastiness to it that really showed up in this test. Thanks for watching! KT-2A/LA-2A shootout coming this week!
It’s kinda funny but I got the kt-2a and instantly thought it was great. I saw your video where you got one and it was faulty. I bought the eq-pt and it was faulty out of the box. I watched a couple reviews bashing it and then came and saw this one. I think the QC is a bigger issue for these new Klark units than anything else. If you get a good one for the money they are a steal. We shouldn’t pretend they are better than other clones though. Are they better than software well maybe but definitely more intuitive to use.
@@PresentDayProduction Id suggest La2a shootout, comparing silver bullet vs ssl fusion, some med level mic comparisons (rode vs cheaper neumann), comparing preamps of some interfaces ( RME VS APOGEE)
Damnit, now I want a pultec. I am sure the KT has its uses and has great purpose in adding a little sheen. But when that Pultec is engaged on the vocal it blows my mind. :'-)
Im extremely sleepy right now and I just wanted to watch a quick comparison between the real pultec vs the klark teknik one....but goddamit what an intro! I felt watching a documentary haha amazing video
Love your work guys. Very well done. I do understand the musical approach but when you happen to have not just one but two Pultecs and the KT it would have been fancy to have some measurements and pink noise shenanigans done to see (who listens anyway these days?!?) if there are huge differences. As you mentioned even the pultecs didn't sound exactly alike so it would have been fun to see the individualies of each unit. And yes, kittens for the win. I use them myself occasionly in my videos to boost the attention span.
I ordered a pair of the klark tekniks. Only one turned up and it was dead, I hadn't realised behringer owned them until that point. I cancelled the order straight away. All other behringer stuff I've used for any length of time has stopped working pretty quickly. Decided to wait it out for a better option instead of wasting money
Sorry to hear that, Richard. Yeah, KT are part of Music Group now (basically Behringer) along with a few other companies they’ve gobbled up such as Midas. We’ve recently ordered the KT76, EQP and KT2A, and have just had the new Dimension D turn up. They’ve all worked flawlessly I have to say, but maybe their quality control isn’t quote what it should be? Looks like you still get what you pay for.... have a look at the Tegeler Audio units - they’re all built by hand by a ‘proper’ company in Germany and sound incredible!
I'll tell you: Pultec wins almost everyone, Puig won the Guitar. I would need to hear the bypass versions to evaluate KT, altough sometimes they sounded decent.
Thank you for this comparison! It’s very valuable before investing money in hardware! Here’s what I’ve heard: Drums: The Waves sounded terrible. All loose and unfocused. The Pultec was the best sounding with a focused and punchy low end. The KT was very close to the Pultec albeit a bit more closed up in the low end. Bass: the Pultec was fatter in the low end. GTR: The Pultec smoothed some harshness a little more than the KT but sounded very close. Rhodes: I didn’t hear a huge difference between the two hardware units. But a little more silky when the Pultec was engaged.
The Pulse and KT and nearly indistinguishable. Amazing. Ive owned a pair of the KT's and I used them for mastering many times. The top end on them sounds VERY good. The top is the only range where you can hear a slight more openness with the KT
I would definitely use them For mastering bus aswell, some People are opposed to it, i say if you don’t over push them, they would be fine for mastering bus.
you can hear those fresh kt parts at work on the low end, the waves plugin is slightly harsh but captures quite a good emu of the original. if you enjoy the sound of the aged components in a historically remarkable the original is the one to be had, with the tubes and vintage transformers. but if you're broke and wanna have a taste that kt is no joke.
Amusing end. I admit, the Klark did better, than I'd have expected and since a vintage unit is and will stay out of my reach, yeah maybe, why not. Sounded quite good. The difference on the vocals was obvious, but also not bad.
@QLYDE Replacing the tubes is also what I was thinking about. Although I would first use it thoroughly with the stock ones, to be able to tell the difference afterwards.
QLYDE Thanks for the kind words! We’ve got an LA-2A shootout in the works, with vintage originals, and loads more planned, so watch this space! Thanks again, glad you’re enjoying the vids 👍
Very great video and finally a real comparison not comparing 2 different and uncomparable things but tryin' to reach a similar sound from something that is not a pultec. So, in conclusion. Will you recommend this for someone that have an home studio, or maybe spend more mpney for a better clone?
We’re glad you enjoyed the song! It is also featured on our 1176 comparison video and was written purposefully for these comparisons. The entire track is played on the 1176 video at the start and end! Other than that, it’s not currently available anywhere else
Nice video. Only suggestion, let us hear the whole mix with each EQ. Thanks. the KT sounds pretty good. Also came here after Glen Frickers video and I was screaming at the screen USE YOUR EARS TO SET IT. Dont just use the same settings.
Exactly, after all, this is a "program equalizer" I have an original one with the API 2520 op amps, and just got the KT. Curious to put them against each other.
The unit he had must have been broken, because mine sound fantastic. I watched his video and really scratched my head at that one. It absolutely killls the waves plugin which always has thia weird hazy, smeared mid range to me. Love my klarks.
@@PresentDayProduction @Tecno I don't mind being the one to point out that Glenn is a very strongly opinionated person. I would not expect him to give something a fair chance if he had previously made a decision about it in his mind. I like his channel for tips on metal production, but I don't trust his opinion. There are things he says that are just completely and provably incorrect.
@@AdamSpade You never know what an audio guy truly is doing behind the scenes, never trust anyone 100% I could say I'm getting a tone out of a 50 dollar 15 watt guitar amp because of a 1k mic and that you need to buy that mic, even though I'm secretly using the signal from my 3k tube amp head.
I had this trash unit and struggled to resell it to a pawn shop that I hate for $50. I dont regret it, because the unit in the best case adds very little, avg case does nothing at all, or worst case sounds like anus. Perhaps I also had a bad unit like this glen guy, but I surely won't be regressing to get burned by kt again..
The Klark Teknik and the Pultec are surprisingly close I think. In some cases the high end on the Pultec was still a bit more impressive I think, on the snare I noticed it the most. The Pultec just sounds more brilliant in a way. I was most surprised to actually see how much of a gap there was between the Plugin and the Hardware Units. Tbh I don't know if the Waves plugin is a good emulation or not, but never having heard a direct comparison on the Pultec between Plugin and Hardware I was really surprised. The plugin sounded not even close, the high end was just bad in comparison. But considering the price, the Klark Teknik really looks like a steal. The comparison to the Plugin was actually more useful to me because those two are actually similar in price.
I was quite surprised how close the KT unit got to the real Pultec. The plugin? Hmm, ok, but there was a mid-range honk I always felt I need to EQ out, and you’re right - it didn’t have that lovely smooth top end of the real deal. You could do no wrong with the real Pultec, but the plugin (and the KT to some extent) could get very harsh very quickly
This sold me on a KT. Dang. It’s not as good as the Pultec, but it completely blew my mind how good the KT sounded. Wow. I’m truly impressed. I don’t have the thousands of dollars to spend on the Pultec, but I can get a KT. Thank you for this video.
Its interesting because I got a KT and hated it, and was comparing it to another Pultec copy. I wonder if my unit was bad as it sounds in the right ballpark here.
Was it defective? So many mixed reviews
After seing a null test on the KT, I'll stay away. Audioscape is the one to go with.
Stay FAR AWAY from KT!!!
We havve a Tube tech PE-1b and a PE-1c and even though they cost around €3600-3700 it is still not on the pultec eqp-1 level so how would the KT come close for 200ish bucks hahahahaha
Even the Puig plug was better than KT. Save the money and if you cant afford a Tube Tech or for ex a AudioScape or ProReplicas which all sound great then buy the $29 plugin before the Klark crap.
@@bradnewsom6058 i hate it too, i have two :/ there is nothing worse than half assed sound not completely there
Very thoughtful approach to this comparison. I came here because of another reviewer who literally put a sledgehammer into the klark on his lawn because the superficial settings (1:1) didn't match. which also describes his blunt and thoughtless comparison. So, kudos to you, sir.
That is an insane low amount of subscribers for such a high quality and informative channel. Predicting this will change massively in the near future (subscribed not unexpectedly)
Thank you, Robert! We appreciate your compliments, and thank you for subscribing! If you feel like sharing our videos, we'd really appreciate that :)
It's because of the shitty interruptions all the time and a shitty waste of time ending of the video.
erand droory - all your 4 subscribers agree with you.
@@eranddroory9987 Get a life bro. Jesus... full of hate or what?
This guy is helping me a lot.
I love using my EQP-KT. It's on my 'Kick In' channel, in my home drum studio. The recording chain for the channel is : Audix D6 - Alctron MP73X2 - EQP-KT. I upgraded the valve on the KT, and it improved the overall kick tone immediately imo. More punch/body/presence, and no unwelcome murkiness/lack of detail etc..
I predict that this will become one of the most important audio channels in die NEAR future. Keep up your excellent work, guys.
Thank you Jan!
The Klark is really fast and clean. I understand people could look at the heavy sound of the pulltec, extactly like a Neve vs an API, but, as a Neve owner, my preamp is enought, i prefer the low cost, the transparency of the Klark only :)
@@lightafluident.9950 Your opinion obviously, and you are entitled to it. You should let those of us with ears use them to make an informed decision from this well put together comparison video. YOU can spend YOUR money on whatever YOU want. No worries.
totally agree.
What’s this comment section for again?
The Puigtech always adds up this little muddy 300Hz bump. The KT is incredible. I'll probably purchase a couple of them. Thanks for the review. Cheers from Canada
What a treat this channel is!
Highly informative, honest and realistic and hilarious.
I've two KT units on my mix bus and they do a terrific job. If you pop it open you'll be quite surprised at how good the build quality is. The machined front panel with the stops for the knobs is quite clever.
From what I understand, the inductor is not the same as the original for the treble which has 6 real taps as opposed to the 4 on the KT. The KT fudges it a bit with caps and resistors to get all the available choices - same as on the Warm unit. Still insanely good for the money and a little goes a long way.
if someone eventually decide to change the inductor it could be possible?
The KT holds amazing against the original Pultec, especially given the price tag. You'll hear many people saying different opinions on these EQs, but it's a personal taste. You either like how it sounds and works for what you're doing, or not.
For £200 this KT is not bad at all. I wouldn't use it for my master bus tbh, but for single tracks such as kicks, bass, guitars absolutely.
I have the Warm and the KT and I feel the same about the KT. The KT I would not put on my master bus. The Warm I would. The KT is nice to have around for tracking though. But what I am doing is snagging up the used ones from guys that buy it, don't like it, and then are willing to let it go for the terrible offer I make them... lol then I will send them over to Revive Audio and end up with something a bit more useable.
I just watched an entire AVID ad for you because your channel is incredible and you need a ZILLION more subscribers!!
That’s amazing! Thanks for doing that! We’re glad you love our channel! We appreciate you watching :)
Protip, you only have to watch the first 30 sec or half of the ad, whichever comes first, for it to count!
Great comparison! I have a bunch of the KT (including a pair of EQP-KT's) stuff and like them.
The Pultec was a slight bit sweeter than the KT but it is a very minor difference (certainly not worth the difference in cost).
I have seen sites that say the KT sounds nothing like a Pultec. It is usually sites trying to sell a mod service. I get it they are trying to sell something, but it definitely is in the ballpark.
The plugin sounded very different. I didn't hear that difference as much on the guitar and rhodes samples, but it was still there.
I've never seen a youtube channel with such an incredible post-production work. Guys, you're sick! Wait, only 1.8k followers, it's an after-effect youtube joke, lol that will go up for sure... Oh and for this video, Klark Teknik is really impressive for the price just like the products from its mother company Behringer that clearly makes sick synths sometimes better than the originals. The klark teknik when very well, on the Rhodes and the vocals the Pultec was better but it's not a huge difference. The Pultec price is about 50 klark teknik. Oh and we don't talk about the waves, waves was ok 20 years ago when we got nothing just coming out from Atari era... Now it's just garbage well-marketed... I think I will get some klark teknik...
Thanks Nelson, we’re glad you enjoy our videos!
The KT stuff is great if you’re on a budget. It sounds alright and does the job. There is a market for the cheap stuff, the same as there is definitely a market for the expensive stuff!
We definitely recommend getting KT stuff to try hardware if you haven’t before, or even if you just want a selection of kit for not a lot of money.
I find the Waves EQP emulation particularly impressive, just dripping with character. It is a go-to for me in many applications, notably drums. I struggle to think of any EQ plug-in more satisfying with so little effort.
@@artysanmobile but the man said it was garbage! :P
You mean glenn DOESNT actually know what he’s talking about? Weird!
@@joeblow1229 Glenn gets on his own little tangents and pushes Agendas. He was not going to like the KT unit no matter how good it sounds.
Excellent comparison, well done! Thank you! Klark was better than I expected, better than the plugin.
Thanks for watching! Glad you enjoyed it. The KT unit is great!
The Klark is incredible for the money 😵
Yeah, incredible shit.
Yes
@@TommyNation because some video told you? It really does not sound like Sh*t bro, c,mon.....
@@jsvydhb I tested this unit, and you get what you pay for. It's a rack filler, nothing more.
If you fart in a bag you get the same result.
Garbage unit, save the money and buy something better.
@@TommyNation That doesn't match what the audio examples in this video showed us. Pultec's were better, but it was almost there and way better than the plugin. Amazing bang for buck.... Also tube swapping might make it much, much closer.....f*** the feel of the knobs....
There is a certain loss of absolute clarity in the Waves plugin a bit too warm and thick in the lower mid range and upper bass, the KT is a bit too crisp, but sounds ok, but the clear leader is the original - which is pretty sleek. For those who have the money, just get the original.
By the way that vocal lead and background was on the money, interesting vocalist, superbly recorded.
Best new Audio related channel out there no doubt!!!!!
This video has me questioning what's wrong with youtube's algorithm. Epic video guys. 1st time watcher. Very awesome!!! Love the humor, production value, and information. Very entertaining and informative. Going to have to find out about G.R.A.C.E. Liked and subscribed! I even slapped that bell notification (haha).
Thanks for watching, and thank you for subscribing! There’s a follow-up episode to the Grace thing, it should be the next video that was uploaded after this one!
We have an LA-2A review on the way, we’re filming that at the moment in between filming the current videos reviewing the new Mac Mini M1 - one video was released only this morning and there’s another on its way for tonight! Enjoy!
Have just bought a pair of KTs. Fabulous!
The Pultec has a little more air and sparkle than the KT. This video just sold a ton of KT units as they are very close. The plugin wasn't even close
He literally had to turn the high end down on the KT because it was too bright.
Its really funny to me how much closer the kt sounds to the original as opposed to the waves lol
Plug-ins are terrible lol
Waves is terrible
Disagree. Waves actually sounds better and is much more closer to the original
Exactly!!! I would say that kt is 2nd best! That really really blew me away!!!!!
@@mrdenson3101no for high maybe but for low frequencies the Klark is really good
It would have been nice to have dry tracks on the comparisons too. That would have shown the real effect over the instruments ;) other than that it’s a superb video and I’m very tempted getting the KT one :-)
KT looks and sounds like a great mod platform. The top seems to be nice, the bottom lacks the punch you'd expect from a eqp1a but I wouldn't kick it out the rack for that, understanding its performance is key, again I'd be interested in seeing what kind of mods can be done to better balance the tone shape. The KT is practically just the cost of a new chassis, so any tinkering is likely worth a go. Haven't seen the guts of it but that's my initial response to the excellent video. Subscribed ✌️🎶🎶
It’s just missing the interstage transformer…
@brianknight8195 can you mod that in??
The Pultec mojo was evident on the vocal track. The Klark was actually a nice surprise.
Yeah we were pleasantly surprised when we first tried it! For £199 it’s actually quite a nice EQ.
Really appreciate this video -- by far the best shootout featuring the EQP-KT. Think I'm about to finally pull the trigger and get one.... subscribed!
I don't know if I prefer the KT because I've already ordered two, but I'm impressed. Of course the Pultec has a slightly more vintage vibe, a little softer and rounder, but I really love the KT. It's a perfect mix of modern and vintage to my ears, and would certainly gain some mojo adding some NOS matched tubes. Im thrilled.
I wouldn’t change the tubes, the stocks sound fine. If you get mod tubes be sure to get spare stock tubes to.
SMG’s Glen did a review where he HATED the KT and destroyed it with a hammer...at that point I owned 4....now I own 6 of the KT’s! For the money, the KT’s are the audio industry’s best value buy.
Glen is definitely a little too excited sometimes. I have two of these, and I absolutely love them on my master buss.
Glen over aged creepy long haired old man
@@kevinlentz7604 hahaha 😁
Yeah he's pretty biased
On almost anything I just don't get him some times
Which tube would be a good swap?
@@arminemrulov6483i agree in one of
His videos he was complaining about his Neve mixing console, theres never satisfying that guy!
The best Pultec video I've seen. Excellent. Thank you.
10 seconds in i decided i will watch this to the end...what a wonderful production value you managed to get here....amazing :)
Thanks Sascha! And thank you for subscribing 😎 Lots more like this to come!
Im definitely going to buy one of these Klarks. Sounds fantastic and super affordable
well that's me sold on the kt. Thomann here i come. great review fella.
one of the best youtube videos I´ve ever seen ... such pleasure! You guys are great. Thanks :D
I have used all this gear and it's really just preference. I love old Tube gear, but it really just gives it a warmer low-fi sound. Their are so many ways to do this for a lot less than the originals. I Klark keep more the a sparkle top end. The original has a smoother distortion curve. In most thick mixes, any one of these options work!
This is what I was thinking as well
Great demo ! How is that vocalist not a big star, stunning
One of my favourite favourite bands tho!
@@ericjuu8885 can u plz tell me whats that song name or band name . love that man singing
The song was written for this video, it was produced by us. It’s not on any streaming services
@@PresentDayProduction great song ! hope it can be hear on streaming someday !
Great singing!
It’s been my understanding the LF Boost and Atten controls have dramatically different BW. This, in conjunction with a natural rolloff at lowest freqs, results in a musical and complex curve we’ve all been emulating subconsciously using 2 or more bands of parametric EQ for a long time. The Pultec method is ingeniously simple to set by comparison, which is why I love using it.
You’’re video production (script, editing) is just mindblowing lately. It is much appreciated.
This channel is so underrated!!
I gotta say the Klark Teknik sounds amazingly well. I'd be hard pressed to tell it apart from the original. The Waves plugin, however, did not impress me at all. The drum section was especially revealing. Thanks for this comparison!
Ive got to agree- such a shame the Klark Teknik stuff gets slated on YT.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my EQP-KTs! Absolute stellar bit of 'kit' as you Brits like to say.
For a serious home hobby recordist such as myself , this last few years of quality budget HW gear from manufacturers like KT (Behringer) and the like is an absolute godsend!
Just happened to come across your channel while surfing - SUBBED! Excellent content you provide here SIr. Thanks.
I'm also just silly enough to really enjoy your little forays into comic madness as I learn something.
Loved my visit to London and your country a few years back. My ancestry is all there.
As soon as we get this stupid C19 behind us, the wife and I will be dropping by again soon.
CHEERS!
Thank you for your kind words! Let’s us know when you’re coming over and we’ll get the kettle on! Enjoy the EQP’s, they’re SO good for the money!
Thanks for the extremely well put together VS. video demoing out these products! You are making some of the best videos for audio gear of this type clearly demonstrating your passion and experience with the craft. Much appreciated!
Thank you Owen! That’s very kind of you to comment, thanks for watching and for your kind words 😎
This channel is AWESOME! Where have you been hiding? What an unreal shoot-out!
Pultec stands out so much on lead vocals! Can’t compare it!
And the Rhodes revealed some major differences between all four.
otoh, the guitar part living in 200-900 Hz was virtually pointless - not much there for a hi-low EQ to chew on! :D
The pultec has a quality that you can’t necessarily hear but you can feel (on the bass) The Klark seems great for the money. I’ll probably get one. Any EQ is better than none.
Great Channel. Great review too. Ordered my KT unit from Sweetwater yesterday. Can't wait to get it! And I also "Liked" the video, subscribed and hit the bell to support this channel!
Thanks for your support! Glad you enjoyed the video Daniel!
How have you gotten on with the KT unit? I’m looking into a pair myself
@@huntergalloway3944 Super happy with my purchase. I use one on the kick for tracking and then use the pair for mastering. I love how subtly you can EQ things with it. Very different than using a plugin parametric EQ which allows much greater increases or cuts. I performed some measurements with it using REW to better understand the EQ curves. There's a slight dip in the upper frequencies. They're very quiet. Being able to twist actual knobs to get the sound you're looking for is a joy! Since then I've purchased a KT-76 that I use on bass and have a 2A-KT on back order that I'll use on guitar.
This episodes got me binging all your videos so well edited and funny lol
for me the plugin si like looking through your bathroom glass after a hot shower. The og pultec is like taking a shower outside with a view on the ocean.. tons of depth and a clarity that is pretty stunning.. the klark is very nice too but is still a lot less open and clear than the og but still quite remarkable for the price tag.
Nice analogy! I’m not taking a Pultec into the shower though 🤣 Thanks for watching!
@@PresentDayProduction the important thing is just that you are taking a shower every few days at least. :)
Wow...First of all that Rhodes sounds great !!
2nd, and what was so very telling in that part through my focal cms50s :
Both plugins sounded too mids-y. The KT has quite an intrusive distortion smearing the balance and transients from about 1k all the way down. I think I'm leaning towards a pair of the 500-series real deal next(transistorized) , and keep saving up.
Just an idea: Although we've heard these files in other viddys of yours, it would have still been very helpful to refer to the recorded bypass
at least once for each instrument's part.
Thanks again :D
Honestly, all of these sounds so close that it seems it is more the engineer than the gear.
The KT did have a little more hype in the high frequency range, but , still totally usable.
Sold on the KT going to get a pair for my mix bus!
Great video - I thoroughly enjoyed your production! Sidenote: The bandwidth control only affects the HF section fyi.
The OG has this warmth in the high end it just adds to everything
Klark is quite impressive. It takes a tiny bit of upper mids out, but still much closer to the original than the plugin which is simply boxy.
The KlarkTeknik sounded really flat on the drums, the OG and the VST sounded much nicer. For every other instrument, I actually preferred the KlarkTeknik to both of the others. For £199 you really cannot go wrong. Really nice demo!
It's a bit shiny in a modern way still subtle. The actual Puig made the harmonics shine.
fantastic job!
My favorite comparison video in a long time, I’m about to head in to your channel after this and I really hope to find more like this!
If not please make more
What you've proven is great mixing technique and performances make good music. They all sound good.
I bought the KT before i watched this Video, but now you have a new Subscriber, i love the KT. ok the original is a bit sound better and cleaner in my Opinion, but KT is amazing
Thanks to This Video I SHUT DOWN THE COMPUTER FOR THE NIGHT AND PICKED UP MY ACOUSTIC GUITAR AND WROTE MUSIC.
The klark Teknik is amazing for the price, thanks for the review
That little bit of harshness is going to add up once it is is on everyone of your tracks. That’s why I’m saving for a new Pultec.
the KT is really a great unit for the money.
Can I ask why 2 Pultec units were used instead of 1?🤔 So it's mono unit Vs mono unit, or am I misundersting the setup?
The waves plugin sounded very flat sounding,lifeless but both hardware Eqs added more character to the vocals and the instruments
Is no one going to mention how much soul the vocalist had?! Great video and very well done. In general I felt like the pultec performed the best as it had the most focus in the low end, plenty of air and space created in the top end, and all without affecting the midrange negatively. The KT was on average about 90%, in my subjective opinion, the tone of the pultech. It felt a bit lack luster in the low end compared to the pultech/plug-in on the drums and bass but I felt the KT did well on the high end of the Hz spectrum but did appear to weaken the midrange slightly. For the price though, the KT cannot be beat. I own one and recently bought another. I personally find the KT to be a useful tool that can be used on nearly every instrument and have positive return on tone. Now that I own two I'm excited to try it in a stereo context and on the master bus. I also would like to swap out tubes. I have seen videos by SMG, who i generally like content wise, that state tubes do not affect tone (specifically in the context of metal guitar) but in my experience with my mesa stiletto ace and vox ac15 I noticed a difference in the quality of tone and gain structure when changing the pre amp tubes for matching tung-sols new production. What are your thoughts on tube swaps on out board gear such as equalizers, pre amps and of the like?Do you believe there are tonal differences between different tubes?Thank you for your work and yall earned a sub from the Old West of the United States.
Clip starts at 15:30.
The Waves emulation sounded the best in the drums, other than that it sounded ever so slightly less "lively" than the hardware counterparts. Original Pultec seems to have smoother highs, but I think you can adjust the Klark Teknik to sound more similar. I don't hear any benefit of having a tube eq over a solid state. There doesn't seem to be any coloring.. Even order harmonics added. Am I missing something? I am listening on studio monitors. Perhaps it's the ever so slight "liveliness" that is the hardware tubes?
I nearly pissed myself laughing at the opening of the rack at 2:00. You, sir, have received a rare and oft lusted after thumbs up 👍🏻 as well as a new subscriber!
I could modify the KT to get as close as possible to the sound quality of the EQP-1A. Of course, it is required to adjust the sound quality while replacing the 60s NOS transformers, vacuum tube,s resistors, capacitors and wiring materials.
I just bought two of the KT units on a ridiculously low priced sale. It's going to be amazing having those on hand.
question, I noticed heard the harsher highs on the guitar with the KT, but also noticed it looked like there wasn't any cut at the 20k like the others.... am I smoking something or did you not roll the top off on KT?
Woah! Didn't expect this: just the plug-in sucked. The Klark is pretty good!
Yeah, it’s really easy to push the KT too hard, and then it sounds like w**k whereas the real deal can do no wrong, but used sensibly it really can sound great. And yep, the Waves has a horrible mid-range honk and general nastiness to it that really showed up in this test. Thanks for watching! KT-2A/LA-2A shootout coming this week!
It’s kinda funny but I got the kt-2a and instantly thought it was great. I saw your video where you got one and it was faulty. I bought the eq-pt and it was faulty out of the box. I watched a couple reviews bashing it and then came and saw this one. I think the QC is a bigger issue for these new Klark units than anything else. If you get a good one for the money they are a steal. We shouldn’t pretend they are better than other clones though. Are they better than software well maybe but definitely more intuitive to use.
This channel is amazing, entertaining and informative, thank you for your time.
That’s very kind, thank you! Glad you’re enjoying it ❤️
@@PresentDayProduction Do you take video suggestions? I'd like to feature your channel on mine in the future as well.
Cryovile Yeah we’re up for anything!
@@PresentDayProduction Id suggest La2a shootout, comparing silver bullet vs ssl fusion, some med level mic comparisons (rode vs cheaper neumann), comparing preamps of some interfaces ( RME VS APOGEE)
Damnit, now I want a pultec. I am sure the KT has its uses and has great purpose in adding a little sheen. But when that Pultec is engaged on the vocal it blows my mind. :'-)
first Original Pultec, then the Klark, then waves. I t would be nice to have see the UAD, and the Rultec. thanks guys for this video
Im extremely sleepy right now and I just wanted to watch a quick comparison between the real pultec vs the klark teknik one....but goddamit what an intro! I felt watching a documentary haha amazing video
WOW .. I am really impressed with the Klark and the Waves. But I love the analog vibe. The "hiss" you get. But the Klark ..WOW! Impressive!
Yeah that KT is great for the money! Thanks for watching ❤️
Awesome channel, glad to have come across it.
I'm only on the third minute of this video and have laughed out-loud many times already. I enjoy little funny details like these!
Love your work guys. Very well done. I do understand the musical approach but when you happen to have not just one but two Pultecs and the KT it would have been fancy to have some measurements and pink noise shenanigans done to see (who listens anyway these days?!?) if there are huge differences. As you mentioned even the pultecs didn't sound exactly alike so it would have been fun to see the individualies of each unit.
And yes, kittens for the win. I use them myself occasionly in my videos to boost the attention span.
Cats? On UA-cam?? Who'd have guessed LOL
And yes of course my guy is gonna be on mine ;
I ordered a pair of the klark tekniks. Only one turned up and it was dead, I hadn't realised behringer owned them until that point. I cancelled the order straight away. All other behringer stuff I've used for any length of time has stopped working pretty quickly. Decided to wait it out for a better option instead of wasting money
Sorry to hear that, Richard. Yeah, KT are part of Music Group now (basically Behringer) along with a few other companies they’ve gobbled up such as Midas. We’ve recently ordered the KT76, EQP and KT2A, and have just had the new Dimension D turn up. They’ve all worked flawlessly I have to say, but maybe their quality control isn’t quote what it should be? Looks like you still get what you pay for.... have a look at the Tegeler Audio units - they’re all built by hand by a ‘proper’ company in Germany and sound incredible!
That was the best shootout yet. Thank you
I watched the video and I dont think any of them sound 'bad' tbh. Even the plug-in sounds quite good. (at least on my monitors + headphones)
I'll tell you: Pultec wins almost everyone, Puig won the Guitar. I would need to hear the bypass versions to evaluate KT, altough sometimes they sounded decent.
Thank you for this comparison! It’s very valuable before investing money in hardware!
Here’s what I’ve heard:
Drums: The Waves sounded terrible. All loose and unfocused. The Pultec was the best sounding with a focused and punchy low end. The KT was very close to the Pultec albeit a bit more closed up in the low end.
Bass: the Pultec was fatter in the low end.
GTR: The Pultec smoothed some harshness a little more than the KT but sounded very close.
Rhodes: I didn’t hear a huge difference between the two hardware units. But a little more silky when the Pultec was engaged.
Excellent, thank you Sam!
The Pulse and KT and nearly indistinguishable. Amazing. Ive owned a pair of the KT's and I used them for mastering many times. The top end on them sounds VERY good. The top is the only range where you can hear a slight more openness with the KT
I would definitely use them
For mastering bus aswell, some
People are opposed to it, i say if you don’t over push them, they would be fine for mastering bus.
I think the waves puigtech has some type of compression on it, but the original pultec sounds the most passive.
Agreed, it's subtle harmonic distortion is nice but I'm not impressed. The KT is decent in comparison. Worth it.
you can hear those fresh kt parts at work on the low end, the waves plugin is slightly harsh but captures quite a good emu of the original. if you enjoy the sound of the aged components in a historically remarkable the original is the one to be had, with the tubes and vintage transformers. but if you're broke and wanna have a taste that kt is no joke.
Amusing end. I admit, the Klark did better, than I'd have expected and since a vintage unit is and will stay out of my reach, yeah maybe, why not. Sounded quite good. The difference on the vocals was obvious, but also not bad.
Thanks Peter! yeah, I was blown away by the KT unit for the price... £200 is insane! Needless to say we are keeping it!
@QLYDE The pricepoint is quite different here in Germany. In € the WA is 700,- and the KT is 222,-.
That's quite a huge difference :).
QLYDE we tried to get hold of a WA unit for the shootout but failed... next time, maybe!
@QLYDE Replacing the tubes is also what I was thinking about. Although I would first use it thoroughly with the stock ones, to be able to tell the difference afterwards.
QLYDE Thanks for the kind words! We’ve got an LA-2A shootout in the works, with vintage originals, and loads more planned, so watch this space! Thanks again, glad you’re enjoying the vids 👍
Wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. In some examples better than the plugin.
The END though..... wow!
Man this is such a great video. Tops, my dude. Subbed rn.
Thanks so much, we’re glad you enjoy our videos!
Very great video and finally a real comparison not comparing 2 different and uncomparable things but tryin' to reach a similar sound from something that is not a pultec. So, in conclusion. Will you recommend this for someone that have an home studio, or maybe spend more mpney for a better clone?
First vid I've seen from you guys. Subbed! Loved the ending btw.
where can I listen to the full track ? All this sounds really good !!!
We’re glad you enjoyed the song! It is also featured on our 1176 comparison video and was written purposefully for these comparisons. The entire track is played on the 1176 video at the start and end! Other than that, it’s not currently available anywhere else
@@PresentDayProduction oK thanks you're doing a very good job here ^^
Your humor just earned you a sub! 😆
Nice video. Only suggestion, let us hear the whole mix with each EQ. Thanks. the KT sounds pretty good. Also came here after Glen Frickers video and I was screaming at the screen USE YOUR EARS TO SET IT. Dont just use the same settings.
That's right, absolutely yes, that's exactly what i said too about the Glen Frickers video. 👂🏼
Exactly, after all, this is a "program equalizer" I have an original one with the API 2520 op amps, and just got the KT. Curious to put them against each other.
Would have loved to hear a full mix comparison
Imagine that. A comparison by matching SONICALLY as opposed to just matching the numbers.
Would this EQ be good for master bus or is it more of a channel EQ?
You guys are the best.
Spectresound just trashed this unit for literally know reason. It was sad 😞
Yeah, that was the WORST shootout I’ve ever seen! I love Glenn, but sheesh....
The unit he had must have been broken, because mine sound fantastic. I watched his video and really scratched my head at that one. It absolutely killls the waves plugin which always has thia weird hazy, smeared mid range to me. Love my klarks.
@@PresentDayProduction @Tecno I don't mind being the one to point out that Glenn is a very strongly opinionated person. I would not expect him to give something a fair chance if he had previously made a decision about it in his mind. I like his channel for tips on metal production, but I don't trust his opinion. There are things he says that are just completely and provably incorrect.
@@AdamSpade You never know what an audio guy truly is doing behind the scenes, never trust anyone 100% I could say I'm getting a tone out of a 50 dollar 15 watt guitar amp because of a 1k mic and that you need to buy that mic, even though I'm secretly using the signal from my 3k tube amp head.
I had this trash unit and struggled to resell it to a pawn shop that I hate for $50. I dont regret it, because the unit in the best case adds very little, avg case does nothing at all, or worst case sounds like anus. Perhaps I also had a bad unit like this glen guy, but I surely won't be regressing to get burned by kt again..
Is the Klark Teknik on its original tubes or have they been swapped yet?
The Klark Teknik and the Pultec are surprisingly close I think. In some cases the high end on the Pultec was still a bit more impressive I think, on the snare I noticed it the most. The Pultec just sounds more brilliant in a way. I was most surprised to actually see how much of a gap there was between the Plugin and the Hardware Units. Tbh I don't know if the Waves plugin is a good emulation or not, but never having heard a direct comparison on the Pultec between Plugin and Hardware I was really surprised. The plugin sounded not even close, the high end was just bad in comparison. But considering the price, the Klark Teknik really looks like a steal. The comparison to the Plugin was actually more useful to me because those two are actually similar in price.
I was quite surprised how close the KT unit got to the real Pultec. The plugin? Hmm, ok, but there was a mid-range honk I always felt I need to EQ out, and you’re right - it didn’t have that lovely smooth top end of the real deal. You could do no wrong with the real Pultec, but the plugin (and the KT to some extent) could get very harsh very quickly