Rupert Neve Designs Portico 551 Inductor EQ for 500-Series

The Rupert Neve Designs 551 inductor EQ is a single-channel 500 series EQ with 3-band inspired by Rupert Neve’s classic designs. 

The Rupert Neve Designs uses custom-wound inductors and Class-A gain blocks and transformers to bring the larger-than-life sound of vintage designs with the thick midrange, powerful lows and silky smooth high frequencies. 

Classic Neve EQ Sound 

The 551 inductor based EQ uses 3-band inspired by Rupert Neve’s favourite vintage eq designs but includes modern appointments to suit more modern workflows. 

The Low-Frequency band offers a choice of four frequencies (35, 60, 100 and 220 Hz) which offer a creamy resonant bass response. It may be used in peak or shelf mode and provides an incredibly punchy, creamy and rich low end full of girth. 

The parametric mid band lets you dial in the perfect tone bringing your vocals forward in a mix and adding the ideal sweetening. Its proportional Q design offers particularly effective focusing on the problematic frequencies. Its centre frequencies (200 Hz, 350Hz, 700 Hz 1.5KHz, 3kHz, 6kHz) covers a wide range of applications that will suit most applications. A selectable MF HiQ button lets you switch to narrow Q for more surgical frequency carving. 

The High-frequency band uses a hybrid approach combining modern and vintage designs. By blending inductor circuits and capacitor-based topologies, the 551 delivers the silky smooth tone of vintage EQs with the level of control required by modern producers and engineers. It offers a choice of 8kHz or 16 kHz at the press of a button and can be used as peak or shelf modes.

All three bands offer a +/- 15 dB of gain, allowing for deep sculpting of the sound. A fixed 80Hz high pass filter with 12dB/oct slope is also included

Furthermore, a low-feedback, class-A electronics similar to its predecessors, safeguards from low-level artefacts and harshness. In the 551 this circuit has been updated with modern techniques and components. 

Inductor EQ

The 551 uses inductors which use wires wound around a coil to provide a form of frequency-dependent resistance. When they saturate, they produce musical harmonics that give a track a smooth and polished sound. 

These properties translate into fatter, harmonically rich lows while the highs can be boosted without ever sounding harsh.

Inductors were already used by Rupert Neve in some of his most legendary designs such as the ‘1073’, ‘1081’ and ‘1084’. 

In the 551, Rupert Neve Designs uses custom-tapped inductors to delivery the vibrance, punch and personality associated with his classic designs.

Designed for the 500 Series

The 551 takes on the circuit found on the Shelford Channel channel strip adapted to the low voltages provided by the 500 series format. A 500 Series rack is necessary for powering the module. 

During this adaptation process, the team experimented with different transformers and circuit designs to achieve the same presence and sweetness found in the Portico series. Placed side by side, the 500-series modules are indistinguishable from the 19” racks except for a slightly lowered headroom. 

The 551 also uses single-sided circuitry as well as transformer-balanced inputs and outputs which server to enhance the sonic qualities of most audio sources. This EQ provides the perfect blend of modern purity with the character and soul of vintage units. 

This EQ delivers a performance of the highest calibre and is the perfect addition in any home studio or professional setting.