The M-EQ DRIVER is a Mid Booster & Drive pedal, based on a vintage Pultec® studio EQ. Still sought after today, these legendary passive EQs from the 1950s can be heard on thousands of hit records thanks to their highly musical, versatile EQ curves and the ability to overdrive their push-pull output stage. Rather than making an exact replica, Origin has chosen to reimagine this classic piece of studio gear as a guitar-oriented, compact pedal.
Craft the perfect mid boost, add some studio-inspired saturation or push the pedal’s valve-like output stage into fierce “cocked wah” distortion. With the addition of Origin's Adaptive Circuitry, the M-EQ DRIVER is always responsive and precise, with a character all of its own.
The original Pultec® studio EQs are renowned for having some of the most natural and musical EQ curves in existence, so Origin recreated the behaviour of this timeless, passive EQ and optimised it for electric guitar. To make sure you’re emphasising just the right part of your signal, the M-EQ DRIVER lets you choose between 0.8, 1.0 and 1.3 KCS mid boost frequencies (yes, they even kept the old “Kilocycles Per Second” label – Kilohertz in the present day).
Not only does this versatile mid boost guarantee compatibility with all kinds of guitars but, when pushed harder, can elicit a range of saturation from a classic “mid-hump” overdrive to ferocious, resonant distortion tones. Equipped with a transformer, this carefully developed circuit adds harmonic richness, while faithfully recreating the sonic footprint of an original vintage Pultec®.
Using the MID knob in conjunction with the DRIVE control lets you balance mid boost with overdrive, giving your clean or overdriven tones as much or as little mid-emphasis as you need.
To add something new to this classic design, Origin has equipped the M-EQ DRIVER with their Adaptive Circuitry, applied to the CUT control. Based on the High Frequency Attenuation band of a Pultec®, the CUT control progressively removes treble as it is increased. With the ADAPT switch engaged, this high-end roll-off is reduced as the pedal cleans up, allowing for a smooth transition from warm overdrive to bright clean tones by adjusting your guitar’s volume knob or playing dynamics.
