16 different EQ plugins

Today the market for VSTeq plugins is saturated and prices have dropped a lot since a company could sell their SSL bundle for over $3000. The marked for new 5 band equalizers is practically gone. Volkswagen navigation update download.

Our Picks For Top 3 Free EQ VST Plugins. With all of that said, grabbing all 17 plugins wouldn’t do you any harm, but we want to break down our top 3 picks! DDMF Colour EQ Review. In our top spot, we have Colour EQ by DDMF. This plugin brings so many features that you would expect from pay to use plugins but all for FREE! Our Picks For Top 3 Free EQ VST Plugins. With all of that said, grabbing all 17 plugins wouldn’t do you any harm, but we want to break down our top 3 picks! DDMF Colour EQ Review. In our top spot, we have Colour EQ by DDMF. This plugin brings so many features that you would expect from pay to use plugins.

The number of DAW users is higher than ever but that also goes for the number of developers bursting out products.
The value of music has fallen and so has the music production gear used to make it.

Today the market for VST eq plugins is saturated and prices have dropped a lot since a company could sell their SSL bundle for over $3000. The marked for new 5 band equalizers is practically gone. The number of DAW users is higher than ever but that also goes for the number of developers bursting out products. Size 1.73 MB / 1.87 MB / 3.39 MB / 3.39 MB Luftikus is a digital adaption to ananalog EQ with fext half-octave bands and additional high frequency boost. As an improvement to the hardware it allows. The free VST vocal effects plugin gives you the ability to control reverb parameters (pre-delay, space, time, and width), damping (low and high), EQ (lows, mids, and highs), and output gain (both reverb and dry). “TDR NOVA is a parallel dynamic equalizer. Appearing in the familiar layout of a parametric equalizer, each band also includes a full featured dynamics section allowing the processor to cover an. Best VST Plugins for 2020: FabFilter Pro-Q 3. Understanding how to EQ sounds with an equalizer is an essential skill for producers. The built-in equalizer in your DAW will definitely get the job done, but many producers prefer FabFilter‘s famous Pro-Q 3. Linear phase mode, natural phase mode, mid/side processing, and dynamic EQ are a few of.

Emulating old analog hardware has been popular and is probably still selling.

This article is about software equalizers and we take a look at 16 of them grouped by following styles

• Solid State Logic
  • SSL Native tools based on the famous large console from the late '80s and forward
• Neve
  • The fat analog op amp sound from the '70s will always be modern
• Pultec
  • An all-valve design with cut and boost on the same bands for different curves
• Modern
  • Clean digital software rewriting the take on a user-friendly plugin with a good sound

SSL style

SSL like equalizers are equalizers emulating analog equalizers from the 80's console.

• SSL Native Channelstrip V6
• Metric Halo Channelstrip 3
• Waves 4000
• Native Instruments Solid Series

Neve style

A series of equalizers emulating some of the classic designs by Rupert Neve

• Scheps 73
• VEQ4
• Stillwell Audio 1973

Modern digital style

Modern digital equalizers developed with optimized GUI and multiple bands.

• Izotope Inc EQs
• SSL X-EQ
• Fabfilter eqs

Pultec style

An old analog Valve based design giving unique features and sound

• IK Multimedia EQP 1A
• Nomadfactory AS Pulse

the plugins

Modern eqs with no emulation

Moderne digital plugins that do not try to sound like any old gear has the highest versatility and best GUI options compared to the more or less faithful emulations. Companies like Izotope Inc and SSL have good modern equalizers with a user-friendly GUI.

Fabfilter Pro Q 2 and 3

This has become very popular for its interface and features. Clearly an inspiration for other developers.

• Multiband up to 24 bands
• Mouse scroll Wheel features
• Single-band listen mode
• New and clever GUI

Izoptope inc Neutron (version 2 and 3)

Izotopes extensive channel strips with multiple bands

The plugin is known for its new technology masking feature that connects instances in a network where you can see analysis from other instances as information.

SSL X-EQ

/best-free-vst-congas.html. SSL X-EQ and SSL X-EQ2 is a modern multiband plugin like the Fabfilters. High-quality processing with an SSL sound.

The new Version 2 has a unique band parameter pop-up controller where you easily control most band parameters.

SSL X-EQ 2 has a small but well laid out gui and icons pop-up

Cubase Frequency

Frequency is a good versatile equalizer plugin build into Cubase DAW from version 10 Professional.

This is actually all you need in Cubase

• 8 bands
  • Stereo and MS
  • Linear option
  • Auto listen mode for isolating a band but not quite as elegant as others
• Frequency to note on the keyboard

Like a lot of other Steinberg interfaces it is a bit clumsy but the audio processing results are still good

Neve style eqs

This is a classic brand series defined by the selected fixed frequencies and the band widths

Waves VEQ4

Waves VEQ4 is a cpu lightweight plugin with 4 bands emulating old analog gear.

This plugin is suitable for a full mixer setup emulation an all channels analog rack.

Waves Scheps 73

Scheps 73 is a plugin designed with Andrew Scheps. A high quality tool with distinct analog features emulating the original hardware.

A good emulation but a pretty cpu heavy plugin that might need track freeze if used on multi channels. Use it on the important channels.

Waves API 550B

The 550B plugin is a faithfull emulation of the old 500 format discrete 4 band hardware version by API. With overlapping frequencies the 4 bands is very versatile.

An old plugin but it still has a 550B sound and a low cpu usage/latency for a full 48- or 64 channel mixer setup.

Pultec style eqs

A series of emulated valve equalizers with a unique analog design with cut and boost on the same bands.

IK Multimedia EQP 1A

An emulation of a classic valve unit in a different design. It has boost and cut on the same bands the can form musical curves.
It works well for deep bass work. A good plugin for bass drum deep bumps.

Nomad Factory AS Pulse EQ

It sounds fine but the GUI is a little less readable compared to the IK EQP 1A.

SSL style eqs

The SSL is a series of great tools with a certain sound that can do it all

SSL Native Channelstrip V6

SSL Channelstrip V6 is a great plugin that contains an emulation of the channelstrip from 4000 E and G series mixer sections. Sound close to the real console.

Metric Halo Channelstrip 3

An old but still good channelstrip with a SSL like sound with good performance. One of the most CPU efficient of the plugins mentioned here.

Waves SSL 4000

SSL 4000 e was probably the first SSL 4000 emulation done in software. A very cpu lightweight plugin but it has a little latency. The never CLA MixHub has even more of the SSL sound including preamp modeling.

Nomad Analog Studio Rack State EQ

A Nomad Factory version of an analog SSL E strip from the 80´s. The GUI is a bit small but it sounds good.
No VST3 support.

SSL 4000 Channelstrip E

An old plugin emulation of the SSL 4000 E and G. Very lightweight but also very old and overrun by others but if you already own this one, use it.
This tool has a bit of latency but very low cpu usage.

Native Instruments Solid EQ

This another bread and butter SSL design from Native Instruments. the GUI is a bit small on a large screen but it has the standard features and easy switch between e and g versions of the design. Zero-latency and a low CPU usage makes this a useful plugin for large projects.

CPU Usage

CPU usage and latency can sometimes be a factor in the process before final mixing. When composing a latency-free setup is much more playable than a setup with latency.

The following image is a screen dump with relative CPU usage comparing 16 equalizers and lower is better.

CPU usage and latency metering from Reaper Daw. Equalizers.
# FX is the number of insert VST plugins in the channel. PDC is Plugin Delay Compensation.

It is good to have a few very CPU lightweight options for composing and other pre-final mixing tasks. According to the CPU usage meter in the image above the Fabfilter equalizer is amazingly low and makes this a no brainer.

When to use what

In a practical reality, most software eqs can solve most tasks but some are better and easier than others. Fixed frequency bands might help the rookies or give a certain character.

There are in fact very few situations where you need to buy a certain plugin.

Plugin selection strategies

Different plugin strategies to go for:

• Stay with the build-in DAWs equalizers
  • All professional audio workstations are made with what you need for professional mixing
• Go for what you have
• Have at least one plugin in every category in the toolbox
• Ignore the analog emulation jungle and use one modern 'can do it all' plugin
• Whenever you are bored or stuck, buy a new plugin
  • This is a popular but expensive and emotional strategy. Not exactly advisable but too much is never enough

Conclusion

There is not a plugin mentioned in this article that you should not use. All of them have their use. The newer products are of cause the best in audio quality but also tend to be more most CPU requiring some of the older emulation plugins are still useable.

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December 1st: 2020: after four very busy sales days, things are now back to normal. Thanks everyone for stopping by! Don’t forget to check out the new Comprezzore plugin, it’s the perfect time to explore its vast possibilities.

November 26th, 2020: Comprezzore v1.0.0 is here, and with it, the annual DDMF Black Friday sale! 40 percent off everything, even this brand new state-of-the-art compression plugin. It is not without sadness that, at the same time, we bid our farewell to NYCompressor, who has been a true companion for many years, but, no kidding, Comprezzore simply blows it out of the water. So enjoy this introductory offer a.k.a. Black Friday megasale!

November 19th, 2020: Envelope v1.1.1 has been released, with the whole internal engine rewritten from single (32 bit) to double (64 bit) audio precision, for even more clarity in your mixes. Now it’s slowly but surely time to start the countdown until BLACK FRIDAY: from coming Friday (that’s next week… the 27th!) all the way until the evening of the following (Cyber-)monday (the 30th), prices here at your trusted DDMF store will drop by 40 percent! This is one of the rare occasions to grab some of those fine audio plugins at a reduced price… so make sure to come back for the sale of the year!

August 5th, 2020: Plugindoctor v1.4.6 now enables you to directly see the difference between two loaded plugins. This feature has often been requested by Plugindoctor users and can make it more easy for you to match the settings of two different plugins as close as possible. As always, the new version is available in the login section. Stay healthy!

May 4th, 2020: it’s release time! Almost a year after the highly celebrated publishing of the first MagicDeathEye plugin, it is now time to present the “bigger brother” of Ian Sefchick’s first creation to the world: meet MagicDeathEyeStereo, a tube compressor with an integrated EQ circuit designed especially for all your mastering needs. We have taken everything we’ve learned from the first version and created a true emulation of what can only be described as a very fine piece of audio hardware. While similar in their overall signature sound, both products have their own dedicated areas of expertise: the “mono” version (well, not actually mono in plugin format) more on individual tracks, the stereo version to glue the whole mix together, with an even smoother compression curve, and lots of little goodies that will help you finalize your mix. Head over to the products or demo page to check out this brand new product! Owners of a Full Bundle/All Plugin Bundle or of a license for the “mono” MDE plugin will receive a 33 percent discount (details per email).

April 29th, 2020: The general Corona lockdown almost everywhere, with its lack of distractions, has actually led to some very productive weeks here so that the highly anticipated release of the “bigger” MagicDeathEye stereo compressor is now just around the corner! Stay tuned for more exciting news about this, and meanwhile, of course, stay safe and healthy!

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19th of October, 2019: Metaplugin v3.4 has been released. The new version now includes an internal bit bridge in “the other direction”: while you could already load old 32 bit plugins in 64 bit hosts, it turned out that there is a substantial number of users that want to keep using an older 32 bit DAW with new 64 bit plugins. With Metaplugin 3.4 this is now possible: load the 32 bit version of Metaplugin and start using 64 bit plugins in it!

28th of October, 2019: the Plugindoctor is now ready to examine two plugins at once! While the already built-in graph storage function was certainly very helpful when comparing the response of two different plugins, DDMF has received numerous requests to allow for simultaneous examination of two audio plugins at the same time. With today’s release of the new version 1.3, this feature has now been added to the Doctor! Download the latest version and start to compare any two audio plugins in real time. I’m sure this new option will deepen your understanding of the inner workings of your favourite audio algorithms even further.

2nd of June, 2019: a brand new plugin has entered the building: welcome MagicDeathEye, a collaboration between Ian Sefchick and DDMF. An ultrasmooth variable-mu tube compressor that has so far only been available in hardware format is now ready to be used in your DAW. It’s been quite a ride to emulate this baby, but the end result is well worth it!

4th of April, 2019: welcome v1.2.0 of Plugindoctor, now including a “Hammerstein” tab for in-depth harmonics analysis, plus the possibility to load a plugin and a hardware device at the same time for easier comparison… stay tuned for more great stuff coming from DDMF headquarters soon!

1st of January, 2019: New Year’s here, sale’s over! Thanks to everyone who joined the DDMF family or stocked up on their license packages. I’m sure you will all put your new toys to good use in 2019! All the best to everybody, take care, and stay tuned for loads of new developments from DDMF over the coming twelve months.

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28th of December, 2018: it’s on! 40 % off everything, here and in the Apple store… treat yourself to some nice end-of-the-year goodies and start 2019 on a high note! All the best to our old and new customers!

26th of December, 2018: Christmas is behind us, which means it’s almost time now for the annual DDMF End-of-the-Year sale! This year, you’ll have four days to shop ’til you drop, with an insane 40 percent reduction off everything, including all bundles. Just thinking about the price per plugin in a Full Bundle reduced by 40 percent brings tears to my eyes, but, alas, those are the rules, customer’s king here at DDMF headquarters. So if you’re looking to stock up on some of the finest audio software before the dawn of 2019, this is your chance!

31st of October, 2018: Metaplugin v3.2.0 has been released. This new version now has a total of 16 stereo output buses in the instrument version which should satisfy all requirements regarding multibus synth plugins like Kontakt etc. In addition, Metaplugin now uses 64 bit internal processing if your DAW supports this (VST/VST3/AAX only, AU might come later at some point). Just like for IIEQPro recently, RTAS has been discontinued for Metaplugin, due to the increasingly impossible task to provide the necessary backwards compatibility (mainly in the quickly evolving OSX environment). The previous 3.1.5 version will of course be kept available.

Classic Equalizer Vst Plugin

At the same time, Plugindoctor has been updated to v1.1.3. The new version features a sweep function in the “Harmonics” section for analysis of both the fundamental response and the THD as a function of frequency (giving more insight into the nonlinear behaviour of a plugin), and a waveshaping analysis tool in the “Oscillator” section. Of course, a few stability issues have also been ironed out. Already added in the previous update: scrolling and zooming using your mouse wheel (+Ctrl for zooming). Have fun!

19th of September, 2018: IIEQPro v3.4.0 is out! Featuring a brand new GUI designed by Pavel Zolin, VST3 support and a (theoretically) unlimited number of additional frequency spectrums in the multitrack section, this release will further solidify this EQ’s position among the very best of today’s software EQs. Bad news for RTAS users though: to keep up with the latest developments, IIEQPro is now the first in line of DDMF plugins for which RTAS support has been discontinued, and slowly but surely, the rest of the bunch will follow. Previous versions will remain available, of course, but to get your hand on the latest and greatest, this might be the time to finally update to AAX.

7th of June, 2018: Plugindoctor v1.0.8 has been released, now with hardware analysis support! Just attach a piece of outboard gear with send and return channel to your audio interface, select the corresponding in- and outputs in PD’s settings, and enjoy the same thorough analysis that so far has been only available for plugins. Additional new feature: more than one curve can be stored for easy comparison, and not only in linear analysis, but also in harmonic analysis mode.

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Since the early beginnings 2006 back in Amsterdam, DDMF strives to deliver nothing but the highest quality in audio software currently available to mankind. With a unique mix of a solid mathematical background and great musical intuition, DDMF plugins are being handbuilt in Freiburg, Southern Germany, using only the finest ingredients. All algorithms are thoroughly tested before they are allowed to become part of a DDMF plugin.
DDMF manufactures VST plugins, Audio Units, AAX plugins and RTAS plugins for all major hosts like Cubase, Pro Tools, Logic, Reaper, Fruityloops, Ableton Live, …, and sells them at the user-friendliest prices on the planet. Their best sellers are certainly the state-of-the-art equalizers and Metaplugin, a plugin chainer/VST-AU wrapper/VST-AAX or AU-AAX wrapper which can be used in so many ways it’s just not funny any more. A nice set of freeware plugins are also available. All sales are handled by Fastspring, one of the biggest online payment solution providers trusted by thousands of customers every day. All major credit cards and Paypal are accepted.