i have the following issue: when mastering and A/Bing my master with my reference tracks i often find that my high mids and top end are not as present as in the reference tracks. but when i boost the respective high mid/top end frequency range(s) (i can hear the frequency ranges are the right ones and can also clearly identify them visually in a frequency spectrum analyzer) i always find that my master will sound (too) harsh. i think my stock EQ is the culpid and therefor wanted to ask you if you can recommand an EQ plugin with a really silky/not harsh high mids/top end sound?

 

Often when i need some more highs on my master i tend to grap the GEM Dopamine and put it on the Noise Stressor settings 30-50% wet - that just sounds godly.

 

An equalizer doesn't do this. It merely raises frequency bands up or down relative to the input. It will only sound harsh if you push those frequencies, or pull the ones around them down (subtractive EQ). There are a lot of other more likely reasons you are hearing harshness in one playback and not the other. Some of the newer software does smart eq compression, and Smart Reverb is amazing in the way it cleans things up no matter what you listen on.

 

Last edited: Nov 3, 2020

You can try the Pultec emulation by Softube, Tube-Tech. Sounds really sweet in the high freqs.

 

I know, it's weird, but I am doing most of the sweet EQ changes with Waves RenEQ. Silkiest is very subjective. I usually like to try what I used to use in real hardware in the studios that let me in when I was a teenager intern. The usual suspects one can dream about: Pulse Tecnologies, Chandler, Manley, Summit Audio, Harrison, API, Neve etc. etc. I mean they are silky in a way.. and there's tons more. Millennia, Avalon Design, SSL .. I know people who would say SSL is silky as well. True dat.

 

As usual, try this from Acustica Audio (I think they should start sponsoring me...):
- Ruby
- Purple
- Titanium and or Aquamarine

 

the trick is to high cut things to give everything their spot in the mix boost till it's sexy. cut at 18k w/ dangerous on the bus, boost @ 18k
it's mainly theoretical imagine what i'm trying to explain

 

Gullfoss?

 

Flux Pure Eq? Seems to be very transparent, clean.
Balance Mastering Magpha, Spread Focus!
Acon equalize maybe
TDR SlickEQ all, DMG Equilibrium.

And already mentioned above/below:
PSP E27
Wavesfactory Spectre (try different modes, quality, characters etc).
Kush Clariphonic.
MAAG Eq

Try all of them!

 

Last edited: Nov 3, 2020

https://www.alessandroboschi.eu/html/alexb/S432_eq.htm

 

Well if I want "silk" in my top end I reach for (tube-like) saturation. In my opinion, An EQ alone won't add "silk". But buzzwords like silk are different things for different people.

 

You could also try 'normal' saturation or something like Wavesfactory Spectre.

 

You should perhaps go and see if there is a problem in the mix rather than trying to improve the master.

Concerning the Eq, for the high end, i recommande you to try the Pultec, PSP E27, Maag EQ, Kush Audio Clariphonic...

 

Last edited: Nov 3, 2020

... or parallel compressed treble

 

It makes no sense to amplify the high frequencies with an equalizer if there are few high frequencies. They need to be saturated with saturation, exciters, etc.

1.wavesfactory spectre
2.waves vitamin
3. GEM Dopamine

then you can already raise the upper frequencies with equalizers, which are intended for this:

MAAG EQ4;
kush audio clariphonic

 

Lowering the bass and kick levels instead of boosting the highs maybe?

 

use SoundToys: Sie eq
and u will never like any other eq ever again for a while haha

 

My suspicion is that your problem is actually in the mix, because an EQ only boosts what's already there. Maybe check your limiters first? When you lose all transients, you lose the "sparkly" high end, too, so all you can do with an EQ is boost the smeared highs and that doesn't sound nice. Try EQing tracks before limiting them, and try EQing after limiting, to hear what I mean.

 

MAAG EQ Air Band 40k boost. Also Hall Reverb and some tape emulators can add that high top you might be hearing.

 

For me personally, my go to mastering EQs are
Gullfoss
MaagEQ4
Amek200
Pultec Emulations