Dangerous Music BAX500 EQ – Transparent 500-Series Baxandall Equalizer for Mixing, Tracking and Mastering
The Dangerous Music BAX500 is a mastering-grade 500-series equalizer designed for engineers who want musical tone shaping without sacrificing clarity, depth, or phase accuracy. Based on the legendary Dangerous BAX EQ, the BAX500 delivers the same ultra-musical Baxandall shelving curves in a compact single-slot format, making it ideal for modern tracking, mixing, and mastering workflows.
Unlike surgical EQs that focus on narrow frequency bands, the BAX500 uses wide-band shelves that shape several octaves at once. This allows even small adjustments to create large, natural-sounding improvements. The result is an open top end, a grounded and solid low end, and a polished sense of dimension that makes mixes feel finished rather than processed.
The unit features high and low shelving bands combined with dedicated high-cut and low-cut filters to control frequency extremes that reduce headroom and compromise translation. Infrasonic rumble and ultrasonic interference are removed cleanly before they can affect compressors, converters, or your DAW, helping deliver tighter dynamics and more consistent playback across different systems.
With a gentle ±5 dB gain range, the BAX500 encourages fast, confident decisions that remain musical even when pushed. The filters operate at 12 dB per octave, providing smooth and organic control without introducing harshness or phase problems. A relay-controlled hard-wired bypass allows true A/B comparison by completely removing the filters or the entire circuit from the signal path.
The signal path is DC-coupled up to the low-cut filter and avoids transformers and electrolytic capacitors, preserving low-frequency clarity, stereo imaging, and transient accuracy. Mastering-grade custom components are used throughout, and each unit is hand assembled in the USA to ensure consistent performance and sound quality.
The BAX500 is equally at home as a vocal EQ, an instrument sweetener for guitars, bass, synths, and drums, or as a stereo bus processor when used as a matched pair. It is also well suited for stem processing and mastering, where transparency and tonal balance are critical.
For engineers seeking a high-fidelity 500-series EQ that enhances depth, sheen, and weight without introducing coloration or fatigue, the Dangerous Music BAX500 stands out as a refined and professional solution.
Technical Specifications
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Format: 500-series module (single slot)
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EQ Type: Baxandall high and low shelving EQ
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Shelving gain range: ±5 dB
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Shelving behavior: Broad bandwidth shelves shaping several octaves
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Filters: High Cut and Low Cut frequency filters
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Filter slope: 12 dB per octave
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Bypass: Relay-controlled hard-wired bypass (filters and full circuit)
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Signal path: DC-coupled up to the Low Cut filter
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Components: Mastering-grade custom components
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Assembly: Hand assembled in the USA
