User Guide

Renaissance Channel / User Guide

Filter Types

UT/PASS FILTERS

• A high-pass filter cuts all the frequencies below the cutoff point. A low-pass filter does just the opposite: it cuts

all frequencies above the cutoff frequency. The slope of the graph changes as Q is adjusted.

• In Renaissance Channel, bands 1 and 4 are third-order filters (equal to 18 dB/octave). When Q=1.0, the

slopes are indeed 18 dB/octave, as seen below.

SHELF FILTERS

A Shelf filter boosts or cuts above or below a specified frequency. Rather than rolling off to

infinity—as with pass filters—the shelf will roll off, or up to, the designated gain indicated in the

shelf and not go beyond this gain. The shelf filter’s cutoff frequency is located in the middle of

the slope.

Note a small dip (or bump, depending on the gain) just outside the shelf. This creates a smoother transition to the

shelf and provides some of the warmth associated with quality analog EQs.

RESONANT SHELF FILTERS

A resonant shelf uses cuts and boosts simultaneously to increase resonance at the cutoff point.

This behavior is found on certain sought-after analog filters (most notably, Pultec). There are two

main differences between resonant shelves and traditional shelves, such as those of the Q10:

• visibly obvious curves of the shelf

• adjustable Q of the shelf that shifts the steepness of the slope

Changing Q adjusts the angle of the slope going to the shelf. This yields the characteristic “bump” in the graph. The

overshoot/undershoot on the angle of the slope is quite important to the sound of these shelves.