KVR Audio

AC222 · Post by **AC222** » Mon Aug 18, 2014 3:16 am

Hi Everyone,

Curious to know what your favorite mastering eqs are in 2014. I'm thinking of adding to the collection. My favorite by far is Nice Eq by Cdsoundmaster. However, that is for broad strokes and I only use it for boosting highs. The cpu hit is enormous on that but it sounds fantastic for boosting. I also have MD3 but I don't find the eq section to the most convenient, having to change back and forth between bell and shelf filters and going through different menus all the time.

Would love to see your list and any comments on why you like them. I hear the IK Sontec emulation and the Elysia MuseEq are pretty sweet. Any thoughts on these or other recommendations?

AC222 · Post by **AC222** » Mon Aug 18, 2014 4:24 am

Ok. So went ahead and took advantage of Ik's killer summer promotion for 50% off gear credits. I went ahead and got 150 gear credits for $60 around $10 from jam points in my back pocket. So for around $50 I'm going to pull the trigger on this Sontec 432. The youtube comparison with the hardware was pretty impressive. I don't think that there will ever be a point where this bad boy eq will ever be cheaper so if you're on the fence might want to grab it while it's there.

blackflag · Post by **blackflag** » Mon Aug 18, 2014 5:18 am

I mostly use DMG Equilibrium.

http://www.dmgaudio.com/products_equilibrium.php

BDeep · Post by **BDeep** » Mon Aug 18, 2014 7:12 am

I stopped worrying about all kinds of EQs and just use Pro-Q for everything, it's clean and a joy to use. It doesn't do any fairy dust magic to audio, but I doubt any listener would notice

xtrax · Post by **xtrax** » Mon Aug 18, 2014 7:53 am

These three, and everyone sounds different for different situations.

Photosounder SplineEQ

Pro-Q

MasterEQ 432

wesleyt · Post by **wesleyt** » Mon Aug 18, 2014 8:32 am

I used Pro-Q for mastering before I got Equilibrium; it is still worthy.

I picked up IK's EQ 432 in the sale, along with those gorgeous Neve emulations. The 432 is phenomenal.

I recently got Mellowmuse's EQ3V, which has some nice qualities, but I miss that it doesn't have a mid/side mode.

SlickEQ GE is also worthy of consideration; it is certainly one of the most flexible EQs out there.

If I could only pick one clean and one character for mastering, it'd be Equilibrium and the 432.

djscorb · Post by **djscorb** » Mon Aug 18, 2014 9:14 am

DMG Equilibrium all the way and every day for mastering here.

Nothing comes close in terms of flexibility, configurability and sound to my ears.

The IK, Waves, UAD and other emulations don't really come that close to the hardware so for my money Equilibrium is streets ahead. I don't think I've used a single one of my other EQs since I first got my mits on the beta

Cheers

Scorb

DuX · Post by **DuX** » Mon Aug 18, 2014 1:44 pm

Pretty much the same here... Equilibrium, MasterEQ and TDR SlickEQ. Pretty much nothing else. I've been out of experimenting with different plugins for years now and I like it that way. They're not *that* different anyway.

lacandon · Post by **lacandon** » Mon Aug 18, 2014 2:06 pm

AC222 wrote:Hi Everyone,

Curious to know what your favorite mastering eqs are in 2014. I'm thinking of adding to the collection. My favorite by far is Nice Eq by Cdsoundmaster. However, that is for broad strokes and I only use it for boosting highs. The cpu hit is enormous on that but it sounds fantastic for boosting. I also have MD3 but I don't find the eq section to the most convenient, having to change back and forth between bell and shelf filters and going through different menus all the time.

Would love to see your list and any comments on why you like them. I hear the IK Sontec emulation and the Elysia MuseEq are pretty sweet. Any thoughts on these or other recommendations?

Hm the Museq is very wide sounding very clean eq but i guess is not for every master sometimes sounds way too gentle.The Sontec for me doesn't sounds good on everything..If u use Nebula there are plenty of eqs the Analog in the box Massive Passive for example.

Turello · Post by **Turello** » Mon Aug 18, 2014 2:25 pm

I rarely use an EQ in the master (because I don't know how to really use it so I rely on my perception of the frequency!) but when I do I use the Sonnox EQ or SSL X-EQ because I can see the envelope curves and also they have brutal HPF\LPF (usually 40hz-16\18khz) that i love...
... By the way, it would be nice if the TDR SlickEQ or Sonimus would us see the curves (it is my fault\defect but often I need to see them)

BDeep · Post by **BDeep** » Mon Aug 18, 2014 2:37 pm

Turello wrote:... By the way, it would be nice if the TDR SlickEQ or Sonimus would us see the curves (it is my fault\defect but often I need to see them)

Not your fault or defect at all. It comes from the idea that you should listen to what you're doing. I think you and I both agree that's more important than anything. But for some it has lead to a believe that therefor there shouldn't be a graphical curve at all. Fine is someone wants to work that way, but equally fine if you find them convenient, the technology is there and I think it can only help you to have a visual aid.

Turello · Post by **Turello** » Mon Aug 18, 2014 2:58 pm

Well, Yes, Especially when (for example) would fix\correct a ringing tone on snare or violin and need a thin band to cut...
It's too indispensable to Me!

PS: Forgive my f..ing english

dblock · Post by **dblock** » Mon Aug 18, 2014 4:14 pm

I bought Equillibrium a few months ago and use it on every project for mastering and love it. Best mastering EQ I ever had.
Before that I used Pro-Q. Now I use Pro-Q for the channels. Though I have other eq's, these are the two I use almost exclusively.

hibidy · Post by **hibidy** » Mon Aug 18, 2014 10:48 pm

I didn't get as good a deal as AC222 but I've got a few thing laying around (including the passive tube from NI) and I think the IK is great. Frankly I don't "master" very much but for around 70 or 80 usd it has something you can't put your finger on. It's clear and clean and you pretty much know what freqs you want to boost/cut anyways. I like to pull down around 400, boost the air and maybe boost the lows a little. Nothing major, I also don't really "know" what I'm doing other than just listening to take out a bit of the box.

electro · Post by **electro** » Tue Aug 19, 2014 12:06 am

Nobody is using the UAD Manley?

Your Favorite Mastering Eqs in 2014