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Designed and created by Cranborne Audio, the Carnaby 500 offers a different approach to equalization compared to classic parametric equalizers. Here, analog equalization is not limited to a gain curve: it exploits harmonic saturation as a sculpting tool. The result: you get the familiar feel of an EQ while enjoying a more "alive" and denser sensation, particularly effective on sources that require presence without harshness.
The Cranborne Audio Carnaby 500 is aimed at producers, sound engineers, and home studio users equipped with a Series 500 rack who seek an equalizer capable of going beyond transparent processing. It excels at enhancing a recording, adding definition to stems, or bringing a more organic signature to a bus or mix.
Thanks to its level control and visual feedback via LEDs, it can stay in a clean and controlled zone or shift towards more pronounced saturation for character effects. It is a relevant tool for vocals, guitars, synths, drums, and "flat" sources that benefit from thickening without losing definition.
The Carnaby 500 is a 3-band parametric harmonic EQ: it uses an analog equalization circuit based on harmonic saturation to boost and cut frequency content. This approach allows reinforcing a range while adding a sense of density and texture, or attenuating a range with a more natural impression than a simple cut, depending on the setting and saturation level.
The LO-Shelving and HI-Shelving bands are parametric with Cut/Boost up to +/-10 dB, ideal for grounding lows, cleaning up intrusive areas, or restoring air and energy in the highs. The MID band is parametric with Cut/Boost of +/-10 dB and a fixed Q factor, a choice oriented towards speed: quickly target a key area and work it without getting lost in too many variables.
The input and output levels offer up to +/-20 dB: an essential lever to choose between "tight" harmonic saturation (more drive) or cleaner equalization effects (more conservative gain staging). The LO, MID, and HI LED indicators display the saturation level per band, helping maintain consistency from one source to another and quickly dial in the desired character, even in dense mix contexts.
For stereo processing, two adjacent Carnaby 500 units can be linked without extra cables thanks to OptoSync. If your modules are not adjacent, a 3.5 mm mini-jack allows connection between modules. The automatic circuit calibration ensures perfectly aligned stereo settings, a key point when working on a bus, stereo stem, or full mix.
The detented front panel controls provide a precise operating feel and facilitate setting recall. This is a concrete advantage during sessions: quickly find a balance point, compare EQ variants, and maintain consistency across multiple tracks or stems.
