Empress Effects Para EQ MKII
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Empress Effects
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A Reference Equalizer, Redesigned for Modern Pedalboards
The ParaEq MKII carries forward the spirit that made the original ParaEq successful: a musical, transparent parametric equalization usable in all situations, from surgical correction to sound design. Empress takes the formula further here with an even quieter circuit, a reduced size, and a wide margin of maneuver thanks to a high-voltage internal power supply (27 V). The result: you retain the natural tone of your guitar, bass, or electro-acoustic instrument while gaining control worthy of a mixing console channel strip.
Who and in What Situations Does the ParaEq MKII Make a Difference?
This EQ pedal is aimed equally at demanding guitarists, bassists, electro-acoustic musicians, keyboard players, and studios seeking a reliable and easy-to-use tool. In live settings, it helps you stand out better in the mix, tame an overly bright room, or regain clarity without touching the amp. In studio, it becomes a true Swiss Army knife: cleaning up invasive low-mids, emphasizing pick attack, or correcting a precise resonance on an acoustic.
Depending on your style, the ParaEq MKII can be subtle (blues, funk, pop, jazz) or very strategic (rock, metal, post-rock, ambient): a small dip where "it gets muddy," a targeted boost to make a solo sing, or a narrow cut to neutralize feedback. It's also formidable at the end of the chain to even out a pedalboard or at the very start to optimize the response of your overdrives, fuzzes, and distortions.
Controls, Modes, and Configuration: Maximum Flexibility Without Unnecessary Complexity
The ParaEq MKII offers 3 parametric bands with overlapping frequency ranges from one band to the next (ideal for precisely treating bass, mids, and treble without "dead zones"). Each band provides 15 dB of cut/boost and a bandwidth selector (wide, medium, narrow) to switch from very natural overall EQ to more surgical correction.
The Boost section delivers up to 30 dB of clean gain, footswitchable. It can be configured to operate linked to the EQ (handy if you cut frequencies and want to regain level) or independently (like a separate clean boost). Advanced configuration also allows choosing the bypass type: true bypass or buffered bypass, and setting the startup state according to your stage habits.
The connectivity, with 6.35mm Jack inputs/outputs on top, is designed to save space and facilitate wiring on a dense pedalboard while maintaining a short and clean signal path.
Sound Character
The character of the ParaEq MKII is clearly that of an ultra-transparent equalizer: it adjusts your frequency balance without crushing dynamics or "plasticizing" the sound. The internal headroom (27 V) provides a very comfortable headroom sensation: even with active pickups, upstream boosts, or synth signals, the pedal remains stable and hard to overload. In practice, the attack stays precise, the lows don't collapse, and the highs can be polished without becoming harsh.
This "organic yet precise" approach explains why the ParaEq MKII is appreciated by musicians seeking true studio quality on stage; among the cited users is notably Louis Wu. Whether your goal is to refine your basic tone, tame a problematic frequency, or add a clean boost to cut through the band, the ParaEq MKII does it with an immediate and very musical sense of control.
Technical specifications
| Effects | EQ | Type | sector |
| Technology | Analog | Use | electric guitar |
| Format | Pedal | Color | Blue |
| EQ | 3 channels | ||
| Signal path | fully analog | Switching | EQ and Boost configurable (linked or independent) |
| Input impedance | 1 megaohm | Bypass | true bypass or buffered bypass (configurable) |
| Output impedance | 100 ohms | Height (enclosure only) | 3.8 cm |
| Frequency response (-3 dB) | 22 Hz to 25 kHz | Height (including controls) | 6.35 cm |
| Total harmonic distortion | less than 0.05% | Length | 12.2 cm |
| Noise | greater than 107 dB | Width | 6.6 cm |
| Headroom | +30 dBu | Weight | 455 g |
| Equalizer | 3 parametric bands | Power supply | not included |
| Amplitude per band | 15 dB cut/boost | Required power supply | 9 V DC center negative |
| Bandwidth | 3 positions per band (wide, medium, narrow) | Current required | 300 mA |
| Boost | up to +30 dB | Power connector | 2.1 mm barrel connector |
Questions frequently asked
What frequencies can be adjusted with the Empress Effects Para Eq MKII?
The three parametric bands have overlapping frequency ranges to cover lows, mids, and highs without gaps. Each band provides ±15 dB of boost/cut and three bandwidth settings: wide, medium, or narrow.
Is the boost usable independently of the EQ?
The footswitchable boost delivers up to +30 dB of clean gain. Its operation can be set to be linked with the EQ or independent. The second setting allows using the boost without engaging the EQ controls.
What power supply is required for this pedal?
A 9 V DC center-negative power supply delivering 300 mA via a 2.1 mm barrel connector is required and not included.
Is this pedal suitable for bass or electro-acoustic guitar?
With a 1 megaohm input impedance and a +30 dBu headroom, it accepts guitar, bass, electro-acoustic instruments, and synthesizers mentioned in the description. The frequency response ranges from 22 Hz to 25 kHz at -3 dB.
What are the dimensions and connectivity of the ParaEq MKII?
The enclosure measures 12.2 cm long by 6.6 cm wide, with a height of 3.8 cm excluding controls, and weighs 455 g. The 6.35 mm Jack inputs and outputs are located on the top of the pedal.
