The ‘Range’ knob controls globally the range (Q factor) of the three EQ bands.
The default value (1) is based on the original hardware units, with broad ranges and very gentle EQ curves.
You can then switch the knob to the left, expanding the range dramatically and achieving very broad EQ ranges, with curves overlapping.
You have to press the ‘Stepped Controls’ button.
By default, ‘Stepped Controls’ is ON.
It means that you’re only able to move the controls to predetermined values.
To restore the behavior where you can define any value for these parameters, simply press the ‘Stepped Controls’ button to turn it OFF.
That is what the Auto Gain button is for.
‘Auto Gain’ compensates for changes in volume due to the EQing by balancing the Output level to be similar to the Input level.
Simply pressing this button should solve your imbalance issue.
To keep the ‘true-to-original- experience, the Visualizer is not displayed by default.
To open it, simply press the Visualizer button located on the right side of the Upper Toolbar.
Using the left buttons, you can choose to display or not the Input and the Output signal, but also the Left and Right stereo channels.
Left channel will be displayed in bright green and be labeled as L, and the right channel will be displayed in brick orange and be labeled as R.
Präsenz (Presence) is where you control the main equalization band.
This is a Bell Band with a very soft curve, with controls for the Frequency on the left and controls on the right for Gain.
The left knob controls the center frequency of the band, with a range going from 300 Hz to 8 kHz.
The right knob controls the amount of boost or attenuation of the main EQ band.
That’s why this band only goes from -8 dB to 8dB, with 0 being the default value.
This is the low-cut frequency/high-pass filter:
The filter is off by default, and once activated, its range goes from 20 Hz up to 320 Hz.
This filter cuts the lower frequencies, helping with getting rid of parasite and unwanted low frequencies.
It can contribute to a clearer audio output and can lower the overall output volume without perceived influence in the loudness.
By using the Low Shelf Frequency switch:
The values you can select are predetermined, meaning that you can only select between 50 Hz, 100 Hz and 300 Hz.
By default, the LF band is set to 300 Hz.
By using the Low Shelf Gain knob.
By default, the gain is set at 0 (no boost or attenuation) and can vary from -15dB to 15dB.
The gain knob allows for continuous values, but you can stick with the original behavior by turning the ‘Stepped Controls’ button ON.
By using the High Shelf Gain knob.
Just like the Low Shelf Gain knob, the gain is set at 0 by default, and can vary from -15dB to 15 dB.
Likewise, the gain knob allows for continuous values, but you can stick with the original behavior by turning the ‘Stepped Controls’ button ON.
By using the High Shelf frequency switch:
For this switch, the frequencies are not continuous, and you can only choose between 5kHz, 10 kHz and 30 kHz.
By default, the HF band is set to 5 kHz.
By using the dedicated knob:
The Low-Pass/High Cut filter cuts the higher frequencies, preventing unwanted high frequencies from influencing the audio.
It can contribute to a softer and more pleasant audio output without compromising the final result.
The range starts at 1.4 kHz and goes up to 22kHz.
Like most of the other knobs, you have the possibility to choose between continuous values or predetermined values.
You can choose the latter option by turning the ‘Stepped Controls’ button ON.
By default, ‘Link Channels’ is ON.
It means that each channel values follow the other channel values.
To unlink the channels just click the ‘Link Channels’ button, and ‘Link Channels’ button will turn OFF.
When ‘Link Channels’ is OFF, each channel becomes independent, allowing each channel to have different values.
By using the Mid/side mode switch:
In Mid/Side mode, the controls corresponding to the Left will affect the Mid channel, while the controls corresponding to the Right will affect the Side channel.
Please note that for M/S to work properly, you may want to unlink the channels.
The Mid Channel is the center of the stereo image, while the Side channel is the edges of the stereo image.
A boost in the Mid channel will make the sound more “mono”, while a boost in the Side channel will give the impression of a more spacious (wider) stereo sound.
“Charakter” changes the color of the sounds played in the SITRAL-295.
On ‘Original’, it emulates the natural THD behavior of the original vintage EQ units.
While ‘Alternativ’ is a slightly different version of the same behavior, with a stronger saturation of the low frequencies when they are at a high level.
By default, the switch is positioned on ‘Original’.
Try it for yourself and enjoy the colors.