The A-Designs HAMMER 2 is one of their most celebrated equaliser designs, delivering rich, musical tone shaping that excels both on mix outputs and during tracking. This dual-mono, three-band valve equaliser enhances audio simply by being in the signal path, thanks to its clever circuit that preserves musical second-order tube harmonics while rejecting unwanted noise. Whether it’s adding shimmer to vocals, enhancing instrument clarity, or bringing cohesive character to a full mix, the HAMMER 2 offers sonic finesse with near-impossible-to-make-it-sound-bad usability. Its robust design invites bold EQ moves without fear of harshness or instability.
Operating the HAMMER 2 is intuitive. Each channel covers a frequency range from 30Hz to 40kHz and is equipped with six detented rotary controls: three stepped frequency selectors (Lo, Mid, Hi) and corresponding continuously variable gain knobs offering up to ±12dB of boost or cut. The frequency bands are designed to overlap for smooth tonal transitions across the spectrum. Each channel also includes toggle switches for EQ In/Out, plus high-pass and low-pass filters at 84Hz and 8kHz respectively, allowing engineers to handle utility EQ tasks while still utilising the unit’s main tone-shaping capabilities. Designed for broad tonal strokes, the HAMMER 2 features a floating Q that dynamically adjusts based on the gain setting and the frequency and dynamics of the signal.
This adaptive Q behaviour is central to the HAMMER 2’s uniquely musical performance. Its natural, responsive interaction with programme material makes it forgiving yet powerful. Internally, the HAMMER 2 features two carefully selected 12AT7 valves and a custom toroidal power transformer, delivering consistent, low-noise operation with a warm sonic footprint.
Visually, the HAMMER 2 mirrors the aesthetic of its companion compressor, the A-Designs NAIL, with a black custom-milled faceplate, aluminium knobs, a rugged Carling toggle switch, and a distinctive blue jewel power indicator. It pairs vintage visual appeal with solid build quality.
The HAMMER 2 stands out as a truly musical equaliser, just as effective on individual channels as it is across buses and full mixes. Its design offers far more than the sum of its parts, making it an essential addition to any studio rack. Quite simply, no audio toolkit is complete without a Hammer.
Features
- World-class, three-band, dual-mono tube/hybrid equalizer.
- Designed to sound highly musical for larger EQ functions typically found on expensive mastering.
- Smooth, super-fidelity EQ, suitable for very high-end applications.
- Beautiful-sounding broad EQ-shaping across several octaves with no adverse effect on tone.
- Clean and airy high end.
- Warmth, transparency, and quality sound.
- Detened boost and cut controls.
- Fixed frequency settings with highly musical overlapping bands and floating ”Q”.
- Low-cut and high-cut filters and bypass.
- Transformer-less 12AT7 output tubes.
- Custom-milled aluminum knobs and faceplate with EQ in/out, low-cut, and high-cut toggle switches.
- Heavy-duty Carling power toggle switch.
