Source Audio EQ2 Review
Our Verdict and Review Summary
There's a ton of nuance and small adjustments that you can make, which is super easy with the digital interface. Even if you don't mess with the factory presets, the manual changes will give you a ton of runway. This is one of my favorite EQ pedals to-date.
I usually don't get this much mileage out of an EQ pedal, but the EQ2 really kept me busy. For one thing, it has 10 EQ bands, where I'm used to seven or even five. To be honest, I did so much tinkering with the manual settings that I didn't really even get into the presets.
There are four banks that are listed as "presets" on the front of the pedal. But note, they're different than the eight factory sounds that are selected via the silver knob and interface. They're both called "presets" which is a bit confusing.
For a couple seconds I got the two mixed.
At any rate, this is a very high-end and highly functional EQ pedal, perhaps the most versatile I've ever tested.
It's close to $300 (check the price guide for updated numbers), which easily outpaces something like the Boss GE-7. But you get what you pay for with Source Audio pedals, and this EQ is definitely superior to anything I've ever tried.
No complaints, but feel free to read on if you want more details.
Read more: Best guitar pedals overall
Comparison Table
You can compare the EQ2 with several other similar EQ pedals. Though note that the EQ2 is the most expensive here.
EQ | Name | Rate | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Source Audio EQ2 | 94.8 | |
 | MXR M108S | n/a | |
 | Boss GE-7 | n/a | |
 | Behringer EQ700 | n/a |
Compare More Pedals
We have a lot more pedals in our database, so you can search for them here and add to the comparison table. Our database is being added to on a regular basis.
For most of our product reviews we take our own photos, in-house. Thank goodness for portrait mode. For those interested in using these photos, that is completely fine with us as long as you give us credit and don't claim the work as your own. Simply linking to guitarchalk.com near the photo is totally fine.
Here's the proof. I held the pedal in my hand and tested it. Other photos on this pages are original as well.
Review Card
IDEAL FOR: Any style, advanced tone shaping, recording, and performances with electric or acoustic guitar.
TONE
96
CONTROL
97
VERSATILITY
98
PRICE/VALUE
88
- Incredibly versatile
- Digital interface is really helpful for subtle dialing
- Four onboard presets
- Extremes of dB range are very usable
- Great for recording
- Works well with clean and distorted tones
- You have to push down and turn the silver control knob to change bands, which isn't ideal.
- Expensive, no doubt.
Source Audio EQ2 Price Guide
Prices updated Mon, September 25th, 2023.
Sweetwater Pricing
Price Alert
Price History
Price History for Source Audio EQ2 Programmable Equalizer Pedal
Statistics
| Current Price | $289.00 | September 25, 2023 |
| Highest Price | $289.00 | August 7, 2023 |
| Lowest Price | $289.00 | August 7, 2023 |
Last price changes
| $289.00 | August 7, 2023 |
Tone and Flexibility
Obviously an EQ pedal's tone "quality" is going to be almost entirely dependent on the gear surrounding it. I used a G&L electric guitar and a Boss Katana 50 amp, which I intentionally wanted to be a simpler setup.
Used this amp for testing.
And this guitar.
But the biggest perk of the EQ2 is flexibility. With other EQ pedals I often felt like the changes I made didn't have a ton of consequence. But with the ES2, even the smaller tweaks were really usable and significant.
In my demo video, I covered all 10 bands for both a clean and distorted tones.
This EQ style reminded me a lot of the parametric EQ on the Allen & Heath mixers (that's what we use at church). The digital changes can be really subtle if you want, allowing for more specific tweaking than you get with physical sliders.
I'm not opposed to sliders, but when they're small enough to fit on a pedal they can be harder to use.
I think it's better to have them digitized.
Digital sliders move in small and subtle increments, better for dialing in more specificity.
Anyone who follows Guitar Chalk knows I'm a fan of the lower tones, so I found myself adding some bottom and then trying to balance things out with higher midrange. I got a lot of usable sounds, but also some mud.
I think it's better to have your EQ pedal digitized. The EQ2 just gives you a lot more subtlety to work with.
Functionality and Control
Source Audio did something a bit odd with the control scheme. It's one silver knob (aside from the output control), which is split up as follows:
- Turning without pushing down changes between onboard presets
- Pushing down and turning at the same time changes the EQ band when making manual adjustments
Selecting the EQ band you want to change is a bit awkward.
I explored the presets a little bit (there are only eight), but I'd much rather set everything manually, one band at a time. So I didn't like having to push the knob down and turn, just because it felt a lot more awkward. It's possible I'm totally missing something here, but I would have switched it: Turn without pushing for band selection and then push/turn for preset selection.
Something like: Push once to change bands, then turn knob to adjust.
You can see me sort of struggling with this in my demo video. I'd try to go one over but end up going two and then having to go back.
That's just a small complaint, but a complaint nonetheless.
Output has its own control which is simple and easy enough. The four storable presets can be selected by pressing a single button and saved by holding it down.
There are also four onboard banks (also called presets) that allow you to save settings. The output control is highlighted on the right of the pedal's front panel.
No complaints there.
I didn't really even need the factory presets, but they are easier to select than manually switching between bands.
Value and ideal fit
For some people the EQ2 is going to be cost-prohibitive. It's certainly not for beginners and is going to be best suited for guitar players that perform or record in some formal capacity.
There's some added value if you don't have a lot of tone customization options elsewhere.
For example, if you run an acoustic guitar straight into a PA system, or an electric guitar that uses a tube amp with one channel and a limited EQ scheme.
So it's expensive, but in the right situation it's worth the investment.
Even if you already have some rig flexibility, the EQ2 it's a great add.
Ideal for
- Rig flexibility/nuanced tone customization
- Rigs with limited amp-based control or single channel
- Acoustic guitars going straight to a PA system
- Recording and performing
Review Wrap Up and Questions
This is one of the best EQ pedals I've ever had in my hands, which doesn't mean it beats everything out there. It's just based on my experience, so I can at least give you firsthand feedback.
Part of the flexibility is just the number of bands. A 10-band EQ lets you get really specific, so I think if you go for the higher number of bands, you'll be spending more and getting a more advanced pedal.
That's definitely what we see in the EQ2.
If you're looking for something simpler and cheaper, drop down to the Boss or even Behringer EQ pedals.
But for a higher-end, pro-level solution, the EQ2 would be my top recommendation for the time being.
An easy editor's choice.
Drop questions and comments below if you have them.
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Written by Bobby Kittleberger on Effects & Reviews
Written by GC Editorial on Effects & Price Guides
Turning the knob allows you to select the range you the bands, push turn allows you to select the bands. And it 4 presets not 3. Push and turn is only ackward when moving from one end of the range to the other. Other than that it’s fantastic!
Hey, thanks for the correction and the insight Olando! Article corrected.