Suggestions for good cheap Equalizer

Yup; good, cheap and fast.  Pick any two because you can't get all three.  

I found that getting rid of stranded copper cables reduced the harsh or bright artifacts in the highs with my solid state set up.  Cleaner, more focus without harshness.  But if you need an eq, I owned the Loki and found it to be faithful to the signal and an effective component.

I'll chime in here since I own the Black Ice Foz SS-X unit. I have found that with the right tube (for you, in my case a Golden Lion), impressive results can be had.High frequencies are more natural sounding and not etched. The bass can be adjusted with the bass control, although I do not know the frequency that it operates on maybe less than 100hz. This control is variable and not set at on/off. Yes, just like a bass control. There is an enhancement for soundstage width that I see as a valuable tool, and IT is variable as well. I like that. The unit will take up to 3 inputs, and there is a selectable LED display (I usually leave it off) which indicates the out of phase and L/R channel strength of the recording. At $400, it is worth a try.

As others have said, a cheap equalizer is not going to be absolutely transparent. But in a second system, maybe it doesn’t matter. Another issue is whether something like the Loki, with 4 fixed bands, might be easier to adjust than, say, a 1/3-octave (31-band) parametric. I owned a Cello Palette Preamp years ago, and it was a pleasure to tweak 6 knobs instead of the 62 sliders (31/ch) on the graphic EQ I owned for a while later on. Even six seemed like a lot at times.

To sum up, sometimes simplicity outweighs flexibility; and if possible, listen before committing.

The Loki is more than simply "4 fixed bands." The frequencies are simply centered at each band which then takes up neighboring frequencies well and predictably, and is very easy to implement. I own lots of pro rack gear assembled over decades and the Loki is quieter, has zero audible impact on the signal when it's switched out, and somehow it's design allows it to be utterly noiseless when switched in and out. Amazing, and so cheap it's almost free. I rarely use it as my system is fairly well sorted without any tone shaping gizmos (except sub levels tweaked here and there), but when needed the Loki gets it done.