frei:raum - Magic EQ?

[plexuss]

Hello to everyone.

I just bought frei:raum to use it in Logic Pro X, and I can't see any preset in it.

Is it normal ?

Julien

It doesnt appear to have a preset manager. I am on Logic too. But I think this applies to everyone because it doesn't have a preset library feature built into it. you can use the logic plugin preset feature however to save presets from it. keep in mind that it will not save the state of smart filters. I am told it will in the upcoming v2.

[Julien Unison]

Ok Plexuss, thank you for the info

[jens]

Indeed! And often at a high cpu cost. But I would never separate from my FabFilters, Zynaptiqs or Sonible frei:raum, for that matter, as the creativity they bring to my table is just so musical, I consider them instruments in their own right. That’s how high my praise reaches.

Off topic, outside of the GUI, I find FabFilter to be run-of-the-mill but on the high quality side. I don't think FabFilter doesn anything astounding with their plugins, save for the decay EQ in Pro-R. I do enjoy my FF plugins but they are pretty straightforward. On the other hand, for things like compressors, EQ, gates, de-essers etc, check out Eiosis or DMG - their products push those run-of-the-mill tools into the realm of futuristic leading edge. FF gets a lot of hype but I think its because their GUIs are futuristic (and high in usability) but they aren't futuristic in terms of features and functions.

Sorry, but there is really nothing "run-of-the-mill" about both Saturn and Timeless - those are the two I own, so I can't really speak about the others, but I assume they are similarly revolutionary function-wise.

[plexuss]

Indeed! And often at a high cpu cost. But I would never separate from my FabFilters, Zynaptiqs or Sonible frei:raum, for that matter, as the creativity they bring to my table is just so musical, I consider them instruments in their own right. That’s how high my praise reaches.

Off topic, outside of the GUI, I find FabFilter to be run-of-the-mill but on the high quality side. I don't think FabFilter doesn anything astounding with their plugins, save for the decay EQ in Pro-R. I do enjoy my FF plugins but they are pretty straightforward. On the other hand, for things like compressors, EQ, gates, de-essers etc, check out Eiosis or DMG - their products push those run-of-the-mill tools into the realm of futuristic leading edge. FF gets a lot of hype but I think its because their GUIs are futuristic (and high in usability) but they aren't futuristic in terms of features and functions.

Sorry, but there is really nothing "run-of-the-mill" about both Saturn and Timeless - those are the two I own, so I can't really speak about the others, but I assume they are similarly revolutionary function-wise.

You are right. I was thinking about Q2 and MB. My mistake. Timeless, Saturn and Volcano are pretty leading edge stuff. Even Pro-R is for both its algorithms and features. Q2 and MB are pretty straightforward tools with really nice GUIs and workflow but don't really do anything leading edge in terms of audio. I can't speak about their gate and de-esser as I don't have those. Thanks for correcting me, I was not being fair.

[pixel85]

I haven`t done any real mastering work with frei:raum yet where I so far use UAD Massive Passive and MassenburgEQ.

Well... be careful with it because it's not really and EQ. The Smart EQ is and does the usual attempted resonance filtering thing. However that may not be needed on a track if its mixed well so Smart EQ will have limited use for mastering unless your tracks need to be cleaned up. I suppose this could be useful for those mastering a stereo pre-master stem from a client that provides a poor mix. but if you do your own mixing, its best to get the pre-master free of unintended resonances at the mix stage.

Yep from my first experiments on master buss i must say that it didn't do anything that could be perceived as noticeable change. I need to find older projects with mediocre/bad tracks to test it there.

[nicksohn]

I've tested Smart EQ part intensively.
It makes white noise into pink-ish noise.
I think it is match EQ like the one fabfilter pro-Q2 have.
So I tried Pro-Q2 with pink noise side chain input, But the result is quiet different. Maybe I have to try more intensively, but I have not enough time now.
And also I noticed It affects the stereo image, I don't know why..
I can not decide whether I'll go for it for not for now.

[Caine123]

I've tested Smart EQ part intensively.
It makes white noise into pink-ish noise.
I think it is match EQ like the one fabfilter pro-Q2 have.
So I tried Pro-Q2 with pink noise side chain input, But the result is quiet different. Maybe I have to try more intensively, but I have not enough time now.
And also I noticed It affects the stereo image, I don't know why..
I can not decide whether I'll go for it for not for now.

really? wow, changing the stereo image is really bad! i need to test it, they are VERY responsive, good would be if you could forward those infos!

[litzblitz]

Hey, this is kind of affordable for another couple hours and I really don't know if I like it.

I had it on a mix and while I really liked the clarity I got, I noticed lots of pumping on the whole mix.
Is it just me, or is that expected?

[plexuss]

Hey, this is kind of affordable for another couple hours and I really don't know if I like it.

I had it on a mix and while I really liked the clarity I got, I noticed lots of pumping on the whole mix.
Is it just me, or is that expected?

It very much depends on the source material. also you may not being using it optimally.

[litzblitz]

Hey, this is kind of affordable for another couple hours and I really don't know if I like it.

I had it on a mix and while I really liked the clarity I got, I noticed lots of pumping on the whole mix.
Is it just me, or is that expected?

It very much depends on the source material. also you may not being using it optimally.

Thank you.

Well, it's a pretty dense mix. I guess I want too much from section 2 and 3 in the plugin. Basically, as soon as it gets interesting for me it kinda pumps ... Fixing duties (creative style) on the master bus is what interests me the most. For my own mixing I am pretty sure I already have enough tools. (NovaGE, Pro-MB, TDR-flx, Waves stuff etc...)

Unfortunately it is really impossible for me now to test this and I am a bit reluctant to buy another plugin sitting unused in my folder... especially since I also have my eyes on the sonnox dyneq.

[plexuss]

Hey, this is kind of affordable for another couple hours and I really don't know if I like it.

I had it on a mix and while I really liked the clarity I got, I noticed lots of pumping on the whole mix.
Is it just me, or is that expected?

It very much depends on the source material. also you may not being using it optimally.

Thank you.

Well, it's a pretty dense mix. I guess I want too much from section 2 and 3 in the plugin. Basically, as soon as it gets interesting for me it kinda pumps ... Fixing duties (creative style) on the master bus is what interests me the most. For my own mixing I am pretty sure I already have enough tools. (NovaGE, Pro-MB, TDR-flx, Waves stuff etc...)

Unfortunately it is really impossible for me now to test this and I am a bit reluctant to buy another plugin sitting unused in my folder... especially since I also have my eyes on the sonnox dyneq.

Are you using it on the final stereo buss mix? I don't find frei:raum to be as useful as a mastering tool as it is a track mix tool. Unless you just subtly want to adjust a transient within a band globally. in general I find the more audio energy you pump into frei:raum the less effective it is. the issue may be that it tries to separate out the transients and inharmonics but the more dense the audio is the harder time it has making the differeniation.

[litzblitz]

Hey, this is kind of affordable for another couple hours and I really don't know if I like it.

I had it on a mix and while I really liked the clarity I got, I noticed lots of pumping on the whole mix.
Is it just me, or is that expected?

It very much depends on the source material. also you may not being using it optimally.

Thank you.

Well, it's a pretty dense mix. I guess I want too much from section 2 and 3 in the plugin. Basically, as soon as it gets interesting for me it kinda pumps ... Fixing duties (creative style) on the master bus is what interests me the most. For my own mixing I am pretty sure I already have enough tools. (NovaGE, Pro-MB, TDR-flx, Waves stuff etc...)

Unfortunately it is really impossible for me now to test this and I am a bit reluctant to buy another plugin sitting unused in my folder... especially since I also have my eyes on the sonnox dyneq.

Are you using it on the final stereo buss mix? I don't find frei:raum to be as useful as a mastering tool as it is a track mix tool. Unless you just subtly want to adjust a transient within a band globally. in general I find the more audio energy you pump into frei:raum the less effective it is. the issue may be that it tries to separate out the transients and inharmonics but the more dense the audio is the harder time it has making the differeniation.

Yes, on the stereo bus & thank you very much for your findings. I was looking for the transient capabilities on the 2bus. The track I tested has some mix issues, so it's not necessarily a bad tool for the task in general.

[Obvious561]

Really happy to have found this useful thread and to get this useful tool.

[dreamvoid]

I did some PlugIn-Doctor tests to see what smartEQ+ is doing. As some may remember I reported some audible change to sound quality, some where denying or not hearing it.
Where other EQs are showing nothing or barely visible THD, smartEQ+ goes very high, especially when processing is done. The flat result (lower pic) is also there when the plug in is in Bypass (!).

[MogwaiBoy]

Looks like a tonne of harmonic activity. -175db down is inconsequential but -100db should be noticeable. At least aliasing doesn't look like an issue?