Here is the list of top mixing/mastering grade software equalizers (EQ plug-ins).
They provide either analog-emulated vintage quality with saturation and warmth up to surgical precise quality with cleanness and transparency
There are equalizers for mixing, mastering, post-production as well as equalizers sections emulated from "channels" for tracking/mixing.
As well as some dynamic equalizers are here, but there will be another topic dedicated to them (maybe).
This list will be constantly expanded/edited.

So:

Universal Audio UAD plug-ins:
Manley Massive Passive EQ Plug-in
Pultec Passive EQ Plug-in Collection (EQP-1A, MEQ-5, HLF-3C)
Massenburg DesignWorks MDWEQ5 Parametric EQ Plug-in
Neve 1081 / 1081SE / 31102 / 31102SE Classic Console EQ Plug-ins
Neve 1073 Preamp & EQ Plug-in Collection
API 550A Parametric EQ / API 560 Graphic EQ
Harrison 32C / 32C SE Channel EQ Plug-ins
Cambridge EQ Plug-in
Precision EQ Plug-in
Helios Type 69 EQ Plug-in
other UAD stuff (API/Neve/SSL/UA/channel strips with eqs etc.)

Acustica Audio's Nebula and Acqua Plugins
+ Libraries for Nebula by AlexB, CDSoundMaster, Henry Olonga etc. etc. etc.

DMGAudio EQuilibrium
DMGAudio EQuality
DMGAudio EQuick
FabFilter Pro-Q2
PSPaudioware PSP Neon HR2 / Neon STD2 / Neon MIX2
PSPaudioware PSP MasterQ2
PSPaudioware PSP NobleQ / NobleQex
PSPaudioware PSP ClassicQ
PSPaudioware PSP ConsoleQ
PSPaudioware PSP McQ
PSPaudioware PSP RetroQ
PSPaudioware PSP preQursor
Plugin Alliance: Brainworx bx_digital V2
Plugin Alliance: Brainworx bx_hybrid V2
Plugin Alliance: Brainworx bx_dynEQ V2
Plugin Alliance: Millenia NSEQ-2
Plugin Alliance: Elysia museq (mix/master versions)
Plugin Alliance: SPL Analog Code Passeq
Plugin Alliance: Maag EQ4 / Maag EQ2 (esp. for vocals)
Algorithmix Classic PEQ Blue
Algorithmix Linear Phase PEQ Red
Algorithmix Linear Phase PEQ Orange
Refined Audiometrics Laboratory / Acudora PLParEQ2
Waves API550a / API550b / API560
Waves PuigTec EQP-1A / PuigTec MEQ-5
Waves Linear Phase EQ
Waves Q10 Equalizer
Waves Renaissance Equalizer
Waves GEQ Graphic Equalizer
Waves H-EQ Hybrid Equalizer
Waves RS56 Passive EQ
Waves SSL G-Equalizer
Waves SSL E-Channel / SSL G-Channel (EQ section)
Waves V-EQ3
Waves V-EQ4
Waves Q-Clone (based on impulses from hardware EQs)
Waves REDD (Equalizer section)
Waves EMI TG12345 (Equalizer section)
Waves Scheps 73 (Equalizer section)
Waves Kramer HLS Channel (Equalizer section)
Waves Manny Marroquin EQ
Solid State Logic (SSL) X-EQ
iZotope Ozone 5-6 (Equalizer section)
iZotope Ozone 6 (Dynamic Equalizer section)
iZotope Alloy 2 (Equalizer section)
Sonible frei:raum
HOFA-Plugins IQ-Eq 2
Sonnox Oxford EQ
MeldaProduction MEqualizer
MeldaProduction MEqualizerLinearPhase
MeldaProduction MAutoEqualizer
MeldaProduction MFreeformAnalogEq
MeldaProduction MFreeformEqualizer
MeldaProduction MDynamicEq
MeldaProduction MAutoDynamicEq
MeldaProduction MBandPass
MeldaProduction MFilter
Voxengo CurveEQ
Voxengo GlissEQ
Voxengo HarmoniEQ
Voxengo Overtone GEQ
Voxengo Marvel GEQ
Eiosis AirEQ
IK Multimedia T-RackS CS 4: Master EQ 432
IK Multimedia T-RackS CS 4: Classic T-Racks Equalizer
IK Multimedia T-RackS CS 4: Linear Phase Equalizer
IK Multimedia T-RackS CS 4: Vintage Tube Program Equalizer
IK Multimedia T-RackS CS 4: EQ PA
IK Multimedia T-RackS CS 4: EQ PB
IK Multimedia T-RackS CS 4: EQ PG
IK Multimedia T-RackS CS 4: EQ 73
IK Multimedia T-RackS CS 4: EQ 81
IK Multimedia T-RackS CS 4: British Channel (Equalizer section)
IK Multimedia T-RackS CS 4: White Channel (Equalizer section)
Acon Digital Equalize
Tokyo Dawn Labs/Variety of Sound TDR VoS SlickEQ (Gentleman's Edition/Free Standard Edition)
Sonoris Parallel Equalizer
Sonoris Mastering Equalizer
Cockos ReaEQ
Cockos ReaFIR
AbbeyRoadPlugins TG12412 TONE, TG12414 FILTER
AbbeyRoadPlugins/Softube Brilliance Pack (RS127 Rack, RS127 Box, RS135)
Softube Tube-Tech PE 1C Mid-Range Equalizer
Softube Tube-Tech ME 1B "Pultec" Equalizer
Softube Summit Audio EQF-100 Full Range Equalizer
Softube Passive Equalizer
Softube Active Equalizer
Softube Focusing Equalizer
Softube Tonelux Tilt / Tonelux Tilt Live
Softube Trident A-Range
Slate Digital FG-S "Brit 4k" EQ
Slate Digital FG-N "Brit-N" EQ
Native Instruments/Softube Passive EQ
Native Instruments/Softube Enhanced EQ
Native Instruments Solid EQ
apulsoft apQualizr
FLUX Epure
Nugen SEQ-S
Sonalksis SV517 EQ / SV517mk2 EQ
Sound Radix SurferEQ
LiquidSonics Filtrate
Cakewalk LP-64
A.O.M. Factory A.O.M. tranQuilizr
112dB Redline Equalizer
DDMF LP10
DDMF IIEQPro
DDMF IIEQ
DDMF 6144
DDMF ColourEQ
DDMF DirectionalEQ
Photosounder SplineEQ
OvertoneDSP AF2-10 v2 (Graphic EQ with FFT)
OvertoneDSP EQ500 (Channel EQ)
OvertoneDSP PTC-2A (Vintage Pultec EQP1A emulation)
OvertoneDSP PTH-2A (Pultec EQH Style Program EQ)
ToneBoosters TB Equalizer
ToneBoosters TB FlX / TB FlX4 (Dynamic EQ)
ToneBoosters TB EZQ
Kuassa EVE-AT1
Kuassa EVE-AT4
Kuassa EVE-MP5
rs-met EngineersFilter (free - best filters ever, superior quality, a lot of filters up to extremely steepest)
rs-met EasyQ (free - high quality)
Sonimus Sweetone
Sonimus SonEQ Pro
Sonimus SonEQ Free
Boz Digital Labs equalizers
AIXcoustic Creations Electi-Q
SoniqWare PE-1 Linear Phase Parametric Equalizer
Variety Of Sound BaxterEQ (FREE, High Quality!)
Variety Of Sound BootEQ mkII (FREE, High Quality!)
Slim Slow Slider LinearPhaseGraphicEQ 2 (mixing edition / mastering edition) (FREE)
Blue Cat Audio equalizers
Focusrite RED 2
Focusrite Midnight EQ
Focusrite Scarlett EQ
Focusrite Saffire EQ
RNDigital FIREQ
RNDigital UNIQUELIZER
SKnote equalizers
URS (equalizers from their bundle)
Mellowmuse equalizers
Nomad Factory equalizers
TriTone Digital equalizers
Kjaerhus Classic EQ
Kjaerhus Golden Audio GEQ7
G-Sonique equalizers
J1000 equalizers (FREE)
eareckon PR-EQUA87
AuioTeknikk Equilibre (FREE)
Fnequalizer (FREE)
PreSonus EyeQ
Antress equalizers (FREE)
Sonic Timeworks Equalizer V-1
NCL Phase EQ (FREE)

Maybe later I will sort them as "mixing EQs", "mastering EQs", "clean", "analog-emulation" etc. Now just only list
Later I'm going to create Limiters/Maximizers, Compressors, Saturators/Exciters/Preamps, Analysers, etc.
It is useful for newbies and for us.

 

Wait, your post description says "must-haves".

You expect us to have all of these installed? (even though I probably have at one point or another)

Theres really like 6 types of eq's you need (and thats being generous a parametric is really the only one you need).
-Neve emulation
-SSL emulation
-Pultec emulation
-Fully Parametric
-linear phase Parametric
-dynamic

Maybe we categorize your list with the headings I mentioned (and maybe more).

 

Yes, I will try to classify them as I can.

 

@ Mild pump milk,

Here, I can only be agree with 'MYCbeats', because at my humble opinion, it will be more easily understandable by many Users, but also due to the exhaustive list you provided... *yes*

As an example :

For the 'Compressors' ('Expanders') :

* Analog (Emulation)
* Digital (purely Digital)
* FET
* Opto
* VCA
*...

The same can be applied for 'Equalizers' (by 'Type of EQ', 'Filters',... )

*yes* All tastes are in the nature !

But I must to confess that for some of the Plugins included, I'm agree that 'TC PowerCore' Card sounds even better than the 'UAD-1'... *yes* (my opinion ! *yes* )

 

I trust my ears not some made up list. My Go to is not even on the list. My fav. E.Q. is the Lindell PEX-500. However I doubt many of you have even heard of it unless you've seen one of the Hardware units in a Studio somewhere. IMHO it is better that most I've heard over the last 20+years and the VST version is cheap as hell compared to what else is out there

Hardware version


VST Version


SoS article on the company

 

@ Mykal,

I don't know your exact location... but if you're near Europa, and more exactly close to 'Switzerland' (the little European Country full of Banks, Cheese, Chocolate and Watches ! ), you could buy a 'Lindell Audio' Compressor. *yes*
Not exactly the 'PEX-500', the '7X-500' instead, but both are Great Hardware Units !



'Lindell Audio 7X-500' Compressor on 'olx.ch'

That price of CHF 200,-- equals about 190 Euros (as second hand).

 

Yo Studio 555. Shush!! You're giving away all the secrets.


I know this is off topic and sliding into Channel Strip territory but WTF maybe some other have never heard of it before. This is what I rock on my tracks and the VST only costs $ 250 bucks

 

@ Mykal,

Yes, it's impressive !

...and I feel that I come too late , because about "all the secrets", well, their Software counterparts were revealed within this Forum a few ago...

' LSR Audio New Plugins 'Series' announced...'

 

Start a google doc or something and I'll give you a hand.

 

So do you wanna help me?

 

I PM'd you the link to the doc

 

@ MYCbeats,

Great initiative ('Google Doc') !

Some 'Add-Ons' ('Info') have been made by myself... to check ! *yes*

 

cheers dude.

 

Work In Progress! During 3-5 days we will finish

 

Hey Mykal,
I've got a question about cpu used with this channel strip.
Let say for a descent 24 tracks, is it ok ? Or just to much in Cpu demanding ? I know it depends a lot of our gear but let say approximatively it's enough at least ;-)

Seems really interesting anyway, will gave it a try asap, and be back wth feedbacks 'cause I've owned Softube Summit Audio Grand Channel & Tube-Tech Classic Channel.

Cheers

 

Very well coded, I barely notice any REAL cpu usage on a typical project. I suggest you try the demo version


The Demo

 

The EQ list is being classified, a lot of changes every day. I am going to post the final version of document on May (possibly first week, now I have no enough time because of my usual work, but it will be released as soon as possible, don't worry guys).
It's being checked (new equalizers added, some of eqs has been removed, new classification columns in the tab, sorting by "quality and popularity" based on my opinion, other typos fixed etc.). The list will be always updated when new GOOD equalizers appear. Very bad EQs (extremely bad or very suspicious processing quality, eqs with a lot of digital aliasing, buggy-as-hell coded(some exceptions only)) as well as old'n'rare'n'forgotten stuff are not considered.
P.S. Thanks a lot of people for contribution!

molokosos

 

work in progress again, I'm back guys. Sorry for delay

 

Over the years, I have stopped downloading so many EQ's. I mainly only use 2 EQ's now. Equilibrium mainly, becuase it sounds good, and its low CPU, or if I need drastic filter cutoff Q's, I use Fabfilter ProQ 2. Occasionally I will use Vitamin from Waves for colored EQ to add a bit of character or grit, and If I need to do something really simple and cpu efficient I use Studio One's Pro EQ.

I have tried them all, even Nebula's stuff. ( I used to pay for Nebula) And was o nthe Nebula bandwagon back in the day. But today, there are EQ's that sound just as good as them, and I have found I can accomplish pretty much anything I need with the above 4, and even that is a little excessive, In my opinion. My opinion changes yearly though. Even monthly, daily.

 

Just a question out fo curiosity: Ignite Amps PTEq is not there because is bad or because is it too old?