i would say stock eq in studio one.. there is no such thing as this is better.. if it sounds good to YOU

 

Hello, noob question here:
what makes an EQ a mastering EQ?

 

Marketing ?

 

Subtlety, flexibility and high quality.

 

I don't think there's any serious definition, but I'd expect linear phase to be an option in a mastering EQ.

 

i have tried over the years so many plugins but i realised less is more.. i have tried audio ease, soft tube, crysonic and more and i must say many of them are really useless.. they LOOK better than stock plugins yes.. but believing very expensive waves plugins is sucess mixing? no

 

Something that doesn't go to eleven and smear your stereo image.

 

For highs try
DDMF 6144
Kush Clariphonic
PA LTL Silver Bullet
PSP E27
Apqualizr 2!
Slate Fresh Air
Crave EQ2
kirchhoff eq
equilibrium
TDR
MAAT eqs
Pulsar Modular MDN...
Pulsar audio eqs
Kazrog avalon's eq section
Kazrog Eq
Luftikus, PA MAAG
Vertigo gyrator eqs, saturators exciters
Wavesfactory spectre
Exciters a la audiothing,
And all mentioned above)

 

Last edited: Sep 9, 2024 at 8:05 PM

Also, cutting some mud and boominess in lowmids gives some breath, air, unmasks highs.
Deharsh slightly highmids as well

 

Plenty of good options mentioned here already. I would add these from acustica :

Cherry
Big Ceil
Erin
indigo
Magenta

 

I think there's a difference between "better" (or "smoothest") and "favorite"

I don't think you can tell the difference (in a mastering context) between your DAW's stock EQ and a super expensive high-end EQ so... yeah, what would be the point? I reckon you're better off spending your time studying and researching about EQs, especially given what you described in your post. But, anyways

My favorite master EQ rn is Michelangelo (remember, "favorite" is not "best", I could probably replicate it using stock plugins as well).

 

EQs are EQs, (At least for VSTs) They all do the same. Frequency, dB (or dB/oct), and Q. And they sound the same, if there aren't added any distortion, saturation or noises.

 

What if your mix need a cut? Do you know what mastering is about?

Just a reminder: mastering while mixing null mastering.

 

Last edited: Sep 9, 2024 at 8:58 PM

In hardware world :

1. Mastering Grade EQ has (ideally) almost flat/linear frequency response usually more than 20kHz and some even go up to the supersonic 40-50kHz and more and still flat and goes down to 5-10Hz on the low end. So they practically have more "effective range" to work, and ideally provide more accuracy on the highest and lowest end. Non-mastering EQs, has high-end early roll off as early as 10kHz (ie. 1073) for some vintages and the frequency response are not guaranteed to be flat with high tolerance of variation from unit to unit. Mastering grade usually has smaller range for the tolerance because 100% flat is clearly impossible. Left/Right channel also matched as close as possible down to tubes pairing and wire length, again for linear response.

2. Almost flat/linear input and output stage, usually specially design transformers and high quality selected parts. Modern design removes transformer altogether and advertised as "transformerless" design with balanced input/output in order to give user the option to keep the signal path as clean as possible. Not all, some mastering EQ keep this for "character" or "boxtone" purpose, especially the older design or maybe the quality standard didn't exist back then and the flaw in design turns out to be a good thing.

3. Low noise and THD. Some Mastering EQ even operates at higher voltage (ie. SPL) to minimize the noise, crosstalk and THD. High quality parts also contributes to this, the wires used inside are high quality to minimize the microphonic noise (vibration due to conversion). Power supply and distribution units too for some. Should explain the price.

5. Stepped controls for easy recall.

6. Smaller range (min and max total boost/cut) and increment value (as low as 0.5db per step) compared to the non-mastering unit.

For point 1,2,3 in digital world, for that goal and purpose (linear response), any digital EQ ever beat all hardware mastering EQs just like that, by doing exactly nothing.

 

Some Eq's that sound really "musical"

Kazrog True 252
Softube Trident A range, arturia also makes this model but installing their softwares to test is a mess.
Overloud W495

They are all very musical but the Trident really cracks the low end. Kazrog has a little air and Overloud is just well balanced.