Helios 3 Band EQ Documentation

Copyright © 2011 Ian Thompson-Bell

Version 1.2 26th August 2012

Introduction

This document aims to encapsulate all the design and build documentation for the Helios 3
band EQ PCBs. This, and the 3 band Pultec design are on identically sized PCBs (125 by
73mm) each with 3 PCB mounting Grayhill switches in identical positions to simplify front
panel mounting.

Helios 3 Band EQ

The Helios 3 band EQ is based closely on the Helios Type 69 EQ which is said to be very
musical. The hi cut/boost is fixed at 10KHz but the attenuation is stepped for repeatability.
The lo cut is similarly fixed at 50Hz but the amount of cut is stepped ,again for
repeatability. The mid boost and cut is similar in operation to the Pultec 3 band. The lo
boost uses an inductor.

Helios Hi Boost/Cut

The component values for the fixed 10KHz hi boost/cut are shown in the table below.

10KHz boost/cut Rboost Cboost Ccut

2dB 56K 560pF 2n2
4dB 33K 1n 4n7
6dB 15K 1n5 6n8
8dB 8K2 2n2 10n
10dB 3K3 3n3 12n

Helios Mid Boost/Cut

This works in a similar way to the Pultec mid boost/cut but uses a VTB9042 inductor. The
range of frequencies is the same as the original Type 69 EQ with one added frequency at
the low end and another at the high end. The boost/cut switch (called Peak/Trough in the
original) is a DPDT switch marked S4 in the schematic. The connections to this switch are
from the PCB pads marked PTCOM, TRCOM, PT and TR which are also shown in green
on the V1.1 schematic.
The component values used are shown in the table below. The additional frequencies are
marked **.

Frequency L C
400 ** 0.6H 270n
700 0.6H 68n + 22n
1K 0.6H 33n + 10n
1K4 0.6H 22n
2K 0.2H 22n + 10n
2K8 0.2H 15n
3K5 0.2H 10n
4K5 0.2H 4n7 +1n5
6K 0.2H 3n3
16K ** 0.1H 1n

Helios Lo Cut

This provides up to 15dB cut at 50Hz. There is an error in the silk screen of the PCB
whereby the capacitor values for the Lo Cut are in reverse order. The actual component
values used and the silk screened values are shown in the table below..

50Hz Cut Ccut Actual Silk Screen Value

3dB 100n 22n
6dB 68n 33n
9dB 47n 47n
12dB 33n 68n
15dB 22n 100n
Helios Lo Boost

This uses a single inductance value of 10 Henries using a VTB9043 inductor. The range of
frequencies is the same as the original Helios plus an additional frequency of 30Hz. The
boost capacitor values used are shown in the table below.

Frequency Cboost
30 2u2
60 680n
120 180n
240 22n + 22n
400 15n
The schematic and PCB layout of the Helios 3 band EQ is shown below: