...is the Massive Passive worth 3 times the price of the EQ 2 in a good project studio?

The EQ on the Ivory 5013 is in terms of frequencies and facilities is virtually the same as an EQ-2. The differences lie in the amount of valve stages and the type of power transformer used to run the valve stages. The Ivory runs the valves at 150v and has a valve stage just before and just after the EQ stage of each channel. The EQ-2 has valve stages in each of the parametric EQ stages and also a valve stage before and after the EQ section, 6 valve stages per channel. The valves run at 250v on the EQ-2. The difference the amount of valves and voltage plays is an important part of the sound character between the two units. With the higher voltage you get a cleaner signal with better signal to noise figures. The extra valves allow valve warmth to be achieved in the gain stages of each EQ section as well as in the preamp section. If you put the Ivory 5013 next to the EQ-2 and listen, the Ivory has a slighter dirtier, grainier quality whereas the EQ-2 has more clarity and body to it's sound. The difference is subtle but there is a classier quality about the EQ-2. The EQ-2 also has our high quality mic preamps (the Ivory 5013 does not have mic pres), sweepable high and low pass filters on each channel, the on switch for each EQ filter keeps the circuit cleaner if these are not used and also the ability to gang the left and right channels for very accurate stereo EQ'ing. The EQ-2 has been used to master many albums and was used to track and master the last Bond movie at Air studios. The Ivory 5013 has the "Fat" switch that adds a gentle high and low boost and also the option to fit our DO-2 24-bit digital AD card. Let me know if you need any further information.

Best Regards,

Phil Darke
TL Audio