Pricing and availability
We compare 600+ stores and found this item at 4 stores. Prices updated .
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Price
Average Price: $2,991
High-end/Boutique
$100
$501+
Price Tier
Budget
Standard
High-end
Price History
Based on price data from 3 merchants for "Pultec MEQ 5". Prices shown reflect NEW condition. Tracking began Apr 2, 2026.
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Description
Elevate your mixes with the Pultec MEQ 5, a revered midrange equalizer known for its iconic sound and reliability. This genuine Pultec unit is not just a nod to the past—it's a bridge to the extraordinary sonic future of your recordings. Crafted to perfection, it focuses on the critical frequency range between 200Hz and 7kHz, the sweet spot for vocals, guitars, and more. With its two bands of midrange boost and a single attenuation band, the MEQ 5 offers a simple yet powerful way to add that classic Pultec vibe to your tracks.
The MEQ 5 is celebrated for its ability to enhance the richness and detail of your audio, making it a must-have for any serious studio engineer or musician. Whether you're looking to give your vocals clarity or add body to your guitars, this equalizer provides an intuitive and musical approach to sound shaping. Its design merges the vintage character of the original Pultec units with modern reliability, ensuring you get both the legendary sound and the peace of mind for your setup.
Key Features:
- Single-channel, three-band midrange equalizer
- Focuses solely on 200Hz to 7kHz frequency range
- Two bands of midrange boost and one attenuation band
- Combines vintage Pultec character with modern design reliability
- Exceptionally low noise floor for pure sound quality
- Ideal for enhancing vocals, guitars, woodwinds, and midrange-centric audio
Product specs
| Type | Tube |
| Number of Channels | 1 |
| Tube | Yes |
| Bypass | Yes |
| Number of Bands | 3 |
| Boost/Cut Range | +10dB low-mid boost, +8dB high-mid boost, -10dB midrange attenuation |
| Freq Range Hi-Mid | 1.5kHz-5kHz |
| Freq Range Mid | 200Hz-7kHz |
| Freq Range Lo-Mid | 200Hz-1kHz |
| Inputs | 1 x XLR |
| Outputs | 1 x XLR |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz-20kHz |
| Rack Spaces | 2U |
| Height | 3.5" |
| Width | 19" |
FAQs
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What is the primary function of the Pultec MEQ-5 Tube Midrange Equalizer?
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The Pultec MEQ-5 is designed to shape midrange frequencies with two boost bands and one dip band, making it ideal for adding presence and punch to tracks while clearing out problematic midrange areas.
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How does the Pultec MEQ-5 enhance midrange frequencies?
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The Pultec MEQ-5 provides a boost/cut range of +10dB for low-mid, +8dB for high-mid boosts, and -10dB for midrange attenuation, allowing for precise control over midrange tonal shaping.
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What type of connectivity does the Pultec MEQ-5 offer?
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The Pultec MEQ-5 features 1 x XLR input and 1 x XLR output, ensuring compatibility with professional studio setups.
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Is the Pultec MEQ-5 suitable for use in a digital audio workstation?
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Yes, the Pultec MEQ-5 is an officially licensed emulation of the iconic midrange equalizer, providing vintage analog EQ magic and sonic versatility in a digital audio workstation environment.
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Can the Pultec MEQ-5 be used for vocals and guitars?
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Absolutely, the Pultec MEQ-5 offers unparalleled sonic richness and versatility, making it an excellent choice for enhancing vocals, guitars, and overall mixes.
Videos
Vintage King
Spitfire Recording on the Pultec MEQ 5 // Vintage King Audio
Spitfire Recording on the Pultec MEQ 5 // Vintage King Audio
Vintage King
Walkthough of the Pultec EQP-1A and MEQ-5 EQ Plugins
Aubrey Whitfield
Pultec MEQ-5 Equalizer Demonstration With Roland TB-303 Bassline
intromix
Reviews
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Pultec MEQ 5.
Use cases and applications
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Boosting 300 Hz and cutting 500 Hz on heavy rhythm guitars enhances their tonal balance without muddying the mix.
Source -
Cutting 200 Hz after boosting 100 Hz with a Pultec MEQ 5 is a popular technique for adding weight to tracks while avoiding muddiness.
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The Pultec MEQ 5 is often used on bass guitar to impart a warm tube EQ tone and is particularly effective for giving kick drums a focused low-end bump at 100 Hz.
Source -
The Pultec MEQ-5 was initially used to manage vocals in less-than-ideal recording situations, being particularly effective for orchestral material in radio broadcast settings.
Source
Comparisons
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The Massive Passive EQ, with its extensive control and frequency labeling, is often preferred over the Pultec MEQ 5 for its versatility in complex EQ tasks.
Source -
Unlike the EQP-1, which focused on high and low frequencies, the MEQ-5 was developed to address midrange frequencies, making it an essential pairing for full-range tonal control.
Source
Mods and upgrades
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Audioscape offers a hardware clone of the Pultec MEQ, providing a potentially more budget-friendly alternative to the original unit.
Source
Features and functionality
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The Pultec MEQ 5 is praised for its ability to effectively shape midrange frequencies, offering a unique tonal character that is difficult to replicate with digital plugins alone.
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The Pultec MEQ 5 is valued for its unique ability to boost and attenuate the same frequency simultaneously, creating resonant curves that enhance tonal shaping.
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The MEQ-5, designed for radio stations, specifically targets vocal processing, distinct from the EQP-1's focus on program material adjustment.
Source
Software and compatibility
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Users suggest turning off the analog emulation feature in the digital version to avoid introducing an unwanted noise floor, tailor settings, and improve overall sound clarity.
Source
User experience
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Some users prefer widening the bandwidth and setting it as a default to better utilize the EQ’s tonal shaping capabilities, especially when working with high and low frequencies.
Source
Build quality
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The Pultec units were originally designed with a simple RC circuit and a single inductor for top boost, enabling cost-effective production compared to other passive equalizers of the time.
Source
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Artist usage
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Genre Usage
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Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Pultec MEQ 5, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
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