Recording - September 2016 - 42

...where we bring you follow-up articles
with application hints and upgrade news
about gear already reviewed in Recording

&

A-Designs Hammer 2 EQ
by Paul Vnuk Jr.

A-Designs is an audio company based in West Hills, CA, run by Peter Montessi.
Last year in our August 2015 issue we looked at their Pacifica-based Ventura channel strip. This month we are returning to a piece first reviewed by Justin Peacock
back in January of 2009-the HM2EQ Hammer EQ. It's gone on to become a wellknown 2-bus studio staple, but was recently discontinued. I was excited to try the
new version, renamed the Hammer 2.
Many times, when a company updates a long-loved piece, it can be cause for concern. "Does it sound different?" "Did they remove my favorite features?" "Is it more
expensive?". For the Hammer 2 EQ, the answer to all three questions is a firm "No!"
Everything that made the original Hammer so well liked remains the same, both functionally and sonically, plus the price remains the same. However, the Hammer 2 EQ
does have some significant additions that add to its power and versatility.
A better hammer
The Hammer, old and new, is a 2-channel/dual-mono tube equalizer with a pair
of matching channels that can be individually bypassed, but not linked. It's powered
by a large toroidal transformer and has balanced XLR I/O for each channel.
While it does use a pair of hand selected 12AT7 tubes, it is not a tube EQ in the
strictest classic sense. A-Designs calls it a hybrid tube/solid state EQ. It is a transformerless design that uses a unique IC-based filter circuit to filter out the odd harmonic content so only the even-order tube harmonics come through. In plain English,
this drastically reduces unwanted noise for a cleaner signal path.
What's new with the Hammer 2?
Just a casual look at the Hammer 2 reveals its two primary changes. First, its general look and design has been updated, complete with a new logo so that it visually
matches the look of both its companion compressor, the A-Designs HM2 Nail (which
I reviewed back in October 2011), and the company's EM-EQ2 "Pultec-style" solidstate EQ.
The second change is the addition of more frequency bands, including new switchable shelf choices. The Hammer 2 EQ is still a 3-band EQ, along with a set of fixed
high- and lowpass filters set at 84 Hz and 8 kHz respectively. On the original
Hammer, each band offered a choice of six frequencies on the high and low bands
and five on the mid band, using a "floating Q" design that self-adjusts based on the
frequency choice and how much it is boosted or cut.
The Hammer 2 EQ doubles the choices and each band uses a 12-position stepped
switch. Now the high and low bands each offer nine frequency choices with a peaking/
bell curve as well as the addition of three shelf frequency choices. The mid band gets a
full 12 bell choices. These are:
~ Low: 30, 50, 100, 150, 200, 300, 400, 470, 560 Hz + shelving at 30, 60,
125 Hz
~ Mid: 125, 175, 250, 500, 800 Hz, 1.2, 1.6, 2, 2.7, 3.3, 3.9, 4.7 kHz
~ High: 1.8, 2.5, 3.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 15, 20, 40 kHz + shelving 4.8, 12.5, 30 kHz
42

RECORDING SEPTEMBER 2016

You will notice that the high band
extends to 40 kHz in bell mode and 30
kHz in shelf mode; both of these are in
modern "air" territory.
Each band offers ±12 dB of boost or
attenuation, and when I mentioned above
that nothing functional had changed
between the two units... I lied. On the
original Hammer, the boost/cut controls
were continuous pots, and now they are
detented for better control and recall.
Further specs of the Hammer 2 EQ
include frequency response of -3 dB at
5 Hz and 40 kHz, noise floor of -94
dBm with 30 kHz bandwidth, and THD
under 0.08% at 1 kHz.
Get Hammered
Since my review of the HM2 Nail five
years ago, I can honestly say that I have
not done one mix without it on my 2bus. Given that, I have always been a
tad bummed that I was never able to
review the original Hammer to see how
the two paired together. Of course, that
wish left me pretty stoked to review the
second-generation unit now!
Just like the Nail, the Hammer 2 is
exceptionally clean and quiet. It has a
tube sound, but it is on the subtle hi-fi
side vs. the vintage flavored side. In his
review, the one word Justin seemed to
center on was "smooth" and I would
concur, but it is a smoothness of function
in how it effects the frequencies rather
than an aural rounding of the edges.
In fact, the highs on the Hammer 2 EQ
are anything but rounded; instead, they are
beautifully forward and airy when pushed.
The new 20 and 40 kHz bell and 30 kHz
shelf bands are quite adept at opening up
a 2-bus mix, as well as adding an openness to vocal takes, acoustic guitars, and



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - September 2016

Contents
Recording - September 2016 - Intro
Recording - September 2016 - Cover1
Recording - September 2016 - Cover2
Recording - September 2016 - 1
Recording - September 2016 - 2
Recording - September 2016 - 3
Recording - September 2016 - 4
Recording - September 2016 - 5
Recording - September 2016 - Contents
Recording - September 2016 - 7
Recording - September 2016 - 8
Recording - September 2016 - 9
Recording - September 2016 - 10
Recording - September 2016 - 11
Recording - September 2016 - 12
Recording - September 2016 - 13
Recording - September 2016 - 14
Recording - September 2016 - 15
Recording - September 2016 - 16
Recording - September 2016 - 17
Recording - September 2016 - 18
Recording - September 2016 - 19
Recording - September 2016 - 20
Recording - September 2016 - 21
Recording - September 2016 - 22
Recording - September 2016 - 23
Recording - September 2016 - 24
Recording - September 2016 - 25
Recording - September 2016 - 26
Recording - September 2016 - 27
Recording - September 2016 - 28
Recording - September 2016 - 29
Recording - September 2016 - 30
Recording - September 2016 - 31
Recording - September 2016 - 32
Recording - September 2016 - 33
Recording - September 2016 - 34
Recording - September 2016 - 35
Recording - September 2016 - 36
Recording - September 2016 - 37
Recording - September 2016 - 38
Recording - September 2016 - 39
Recording - September 2016 - 40
Recording - September 2016 - 41
Recording - September 2016 - 42
Recording - September 2016 - 43
Recording - September 2016 - 44
Recording - September 2016 - 45
Recording - September 2016 - 46
Recording - September 2016 - 47
Recording - September 2016 - 48
Recording - September 2016 - 49
Recording - September 2016 - 50
Recording - September 2016 - 51
Recording - September 2016 - 52
Recording - September 2016 - 53
Recording - September 2016 - 54
Recording - September 2016 - 55
Recording - September 2016 - 56
Recording - September 2016 - 57
Recording - September 2016 - 58
Recording - September 2016 - 59
Recording - September 2016 - 60
Recording - September 2016 - 61
Recording - September 2016 - 62
Recording - September 2016 - 63
Recording - September 2016 - 64
Recording - September 2016 - 65
Recording - September 2016 - 66
Recording - September 2016 - 67
Recording - September 2016 - 68
Recording - September 2016 - 69
Recording - September 2016 - 70
Recording - September 2016 - 71
Recording - September 2016 - 72
Recording - September 2016 - Cover3
Recording - September 2016 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202404
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202403
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202402
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202401
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202312
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording-november-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202310
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202309
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202308
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202307
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202306
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202305
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202304
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202303
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202302
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202301
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202212
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202211
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202210
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202209
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202208
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202207
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202206
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202205
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202204
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202203
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202202
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202201
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202112
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202111
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202110
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202109
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202108
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202107
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202106
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202105
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202104
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202103
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202102
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202101
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202012
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202011
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202010
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202009
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202008
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202007
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202006
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_20205
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202003
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202002
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201911
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201908
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201907
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201906
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201811
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201602
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201601
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201507
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201505
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201504
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201503
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201502
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201101
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_200912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_200911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_200910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/nxtd
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com