Recording - December 2015 - 27

Kush Audio Electra DSP
$149; www.thehouseofkush.com

Back in March of 2014 I got to introduce
readers to the Electra, an Electrified
Transient Equalizer from Kush Audio. My
summary at the end of the review was,
"This is a first-class twist-and-turn sculpting
EQ," and "I have not met a source that I do
not like it on, period." Now, just shy of two
years later, my feelings have not changed.
The Electra is a 5-band EQ with high and
low shelving, 2 proportional-Q mid bands
(meaning the Q range narrows as the frequency is cut or boosted) and a highpass filter. It was designed and built by Gregory
Scott of Kush Audio and by gear guru Brad
McGowan.
Originally it was offered as a dual-channel
19" rackmount unit, or as a single-channel
500 Series module. Now it is also available
as a plug-in for your favorite DAW, which is
great news for me... In my original review, I
fantasized about what it would be like to
have 24 channels of these bad boys to mix
with, and now it is entirely possible!
The Electra DSP plug-in visually and functionally models the 500 Series vertical version. It can run in mono or stereo, but with
only one set of ganged controls for both
channels.
Like the hardware, it uses dual concentric
pots, with frequency on the outer ring and
gain/attenuation on the silver inner knob.

Each band has a throw of ±12 dB. The Low shelf is fixed, the
mids go from 30-730 Hz and 250 Hz-5.4 kHz, and the
high shelf is a gentle mastering style shelf with a range of
3.8-20 kHz. Each band offers a super wide frequency range
with plenty of overlap; this is what gives the Electra its elastic
frequency-bending qualities.
Greg is not big on mixing by numbers, and the EQ is
designed to be a "turn it, try it, tweak it" by ear device; it's
equally at home being boosted to extremes as it is making
big cuts. I use the Electra often to carve out electric guitars to
fit in a mix, to help massage vocals, and (my favorite use) on
my drum bus to EQ the sound of the kit as a whole, before
or often in lieu of individual kit piece EQ.
How does the plug-in compare to the hardware? In sideby-side tests, it's darn near spot on with frequency selection,
although the lows on the hardware are just a tad deeper. As
with many plug-ins, the hardware has a better and quicker
throw when it comes to boosting or cutting, but it is pretty
easy to match the two, with the exception on full ±12 dB
extremes.
All in all, however, I have no issues substituting the plug-in
for the hardware most of the time. My dream of a virtual console filled with Electra EQ on every channel is no longer just
a dream-it's a beautifully electra-fied reality!-PV

Metric Halo MH Dirty Delay
$179 (intro price $75); www.mhsecure.com

Part of the fun of the Buyer's Guide is finding cool little stocking stuffers. While this
plug-in can't literally be stuffed in a stocking, at $75 it still makes a great affordable
gift for the DAW user in your life! MH Dirty Delay by Metric Halo has become one
of my go-to delays, whether for simple slapback style vocal width, lifting guitar solos
out of the mix, or for full-on washy delay madness.

http://www.thehouseofkush.com http://www.mhsecure.com http://www.isoacoustics.com http://www.audioplusservices.com http://www.plurison.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - December 2015