Instead of daisy-chaining several separate filters, shelving EQs, and de-essers, Lil FrEQ packs all of those tools into one signal path: a high-pass filter, two shelves, four parametric bands, and a dynamic EQ section. Every one of the eight sections carries its own bypass switch independent of the master bypass, so any stage can be flipped in and out in a fraction of a second to hear exactly what it's doing to the signal.
Eight processing sections, each with its own bypass
The third-order high-pass filter offers eight preset frequencies from 30 to 330Hz, with a curve shaped so the band just above the cutoff point doesn't thin out the way it does on simpler filters. Two shelving sections behave like precision bass and treble controls, four full parametric bands (LF, Lo Mid, Hi Mid, HF) each get independent gain, frequency, and Q control, and THD on that parametric path stays below 0.0007% even at high signal levels. Because every stage has its own bypass, an engineer hears instantly whether a given move actually serves the mix, rather than judging the combined effect of several sections at once.
A de-esser you can move in the chain, not one bolted in place
The DS section combines tunable filters with a compressor-like circuit that controls excess high-frequency content — sibilants or sharp transients — and can be placed either before or after the EQ section depending on whether the problem needs catching before or after tonal shaping. The same circuit also works as a soft-knee high-frequency limiter, which in practice tames harsh vocal "s" sounds more gently than a typical de-esser reacting with a hard cut. A built-in instrument preamp on the front panel turns Lil FrEQ into a high-performance DI box for guitar or bass, so one unit handles both vocal EQ duties and instrument tracking in the same session.
KEY FEATURES
- Eight independent processing sections in a single signal path
- Third-order high-pass filter, eight frequencies from 30 to 330Hz
- Two shelving sections (bass and treble) built to a high performance standard
- Four full parametric bands (LF, Lo Mid, Hi Mid, HF)
- Dynamic EQ section (DS) for de-essing and soft high-frequency limiting
- Movable DS section position: before or after the EQ section
- Independent bypass switch for each of the eight sections
- Built-in instrument preamp/DI on the front panel
- Three outputs, including an isolated Class-A transformer output
- XLR and 1/4" inputs, DC coupled
- Hand-built in the USA
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
- Frequency response (transformerless output): 5Hz-140kHz
- Frequency response (transformer output): 10Hz-110kHz
- Dynamic range: 120dB (maximum output at 0.1% clipping to minimum output)
- Signal-to-noise ratio: greater than 110dB
- Distortion: 0.00056% to 0.005% depending on mode and settings
- DS section THD: below 0.005%
- Instrument preamp THD: below 0.0007%, 114dB dynamic range
- Time constants: attack approximately 0.5ms, fixed release 0.04s
- Power consumption: 15W max
- Chassis: 1U rack, 1.75" x 10" x 19"
