Hello,

New to the analog realm, did some research, tested some Overloud and Softube plugins, mind blowing stuff. It's very difficult to discover analog plugins, they are buried deep into the catalogs. Would love to discover all the legendary emulations.

Really like the UAD catalog and wanted to give it a try but I'm too poor for that. (Hello R2R!!)

Any suggestions will be highly appreciated.

 

Last edited: Mar 24, 2024

I think it's worth figuring out what it is that you like about analog EQs before downloading a hundred of them and not really liking any for reasons that remain shrouded in mystery.

If it's 'just' the gentle curves of 'musical' EQs, then you can have those right now in your digital EQ - flatten your Qs to levels that seem very unreasonable. Maybe look at a bunch of vintage EQ curves and save those as presets.

If it's something else (noise/saturation/crosstalk/component tolerances/whatever), consider looking further into analog EQs (or just into saturation really).

That being said, practically every channel strip and console has an 'analog' EQ section. Maybe start with the brainworx stuff? They made emus of pretty much every popular console. Easier than collecting a bunch of EQ sections from 40 different brands.

 

Vintage vibe and colorization. True I can put a saturator at the of the chain and get somewhat similar effect but in my humble opinion the potential of the analog emulating software is enormous. Plus I don't like digital UI, I like analog UI more.

Thank you for the Brainworks suggestion. Gonna look at their catalog. Your help is highly appreciated.

 

I don't really use a lot of analogue eq plugins, the only one i use regularly are uad's pultec, maybe it's because the controls make no fucking sense and i'm forced to hear what it's doing, idk. And there's tons of alternatives too, i think rule-tec is the closest one in terms of curves if you want to try that one.

I have other favourites but none that i've used so consistently

 

There are some great analogs EQ out there. As xorome said, you'd need to figure out first what are your specific needs, as they are all quite different and have different uses.

Just to name the ones I've used the most:

• Kazrog True 252 - a parametric EQ, it has some nice harmonics and it's easy to use. I don't usually need a parametric EQ, but if I needed one I'd probably use this one.

• Arturia PRE TridA / Softube Trident A-Range - very wide and soft curves, great for general tonal shaping.

• Some Neve emulation. People like NoiseAsh Need 533, and it's really nice. You can even choose the kind of harmonics you prefer, so it fits nicely with your question. There's also Plugin Alliance Lindell 80, which includes a compressor and a preamp for saturation, and even Arturia PRE 1973. They're great for a first mix on individual tracks.

• brainworx consoles are indeed great. You could alternatively try an SSL emulation (SSL Native Channel Strip 2 is the best, IMO, but it's also quite clean), the rest of the Lindell series (50/API and 69/Helios) or even, getting more obscure, the Avalon VT-747SP or the recent MDN sidecar. They will all give some very subtle saturation to the mix and they're great when used together in a lot of tracks or busses.

• Pulsar Audio Pulsar Massive is a beast. The low shelf creates LOTS of harmonics and you even get two transformer emulation to add some more. It's a weird plugin that I use a lot but don't quite understand yet, but it's amazing as for bus/mixing EQ.

That said, many would agree that, despite all their bugs and workflow issues, the Acustica Audio emulations are among the best analog EQ plugins you can find. They're confusing to install, there are tons of products and they all have weirdly abstract names, so the learning curve is steep; but they usually have something that sounds just spot on.

I use their Brown, Coffee, Gold, Opal, Sand, Scarlet, Titanium and Water in most of my projects; and both their UI and their sound are the most "analog" you can get in the digital realm.

 

Last edited: Mar 24, 2024

Reainsert.

 

Lkjb luftikus

*edit
I just dont like the name

Note: dont use VST2, use VST3/ AU instead. VST2 had bug with stereo image on my tested

 

Last edited: Mar 24, 2024

some on my mix template :

0) All channels
- Brainworx SSL J EQ - THE channel EQ for me. I use it on every channel
- Boz Digital The Hoser 2 - this and Pro-Q3/Kirchoff are my go-to (hotkey) for now lately whenever I needed an "EQ" and extra bands. Super smooth broad stroke EQ with super low CPU needed. I think I have around 30-40 instances running in a single mix. Highly recommended!

1) Snare
- Kush Electra DSP - it's clean tight sounding curve
- PSP Audioware E27 - same as above but with some transformer sat + 28kHz boost that always work

2) Kicks
- Oveloud GEM EQP - Low end color,
- IK Multimedia EQ-PG - kick scooping
- Acustica CoffeeThePun - low end color, tighter, brighter than the EQP. One of the best sounding free EQ plugin. FREE!

3) Air Boosting
- Waves Manny Marroquin EQ - only use the highest band bell for air boosting. It's clean and clear. Other Air EQ i like are shelves.
- IKJB Luftikus - love it more than the Maag. Free. Highly recommended!
- Maag EQ4 -sometimes I use, sometimes I don't
- RRS EQ3 - another Maag/NTI style EQ, it's dirty, all 3 above are clean EQs this one is the only Air EQ with saturation. I use to create high end harmonics for dull tracks that lacks it, can be real harsh real quick but work wonderfully on the right track.

4) Guitar
- Waves Kramer HLS - nasty midrange that I like, it's nasty sounding EQ, but works great with distorted guitar.
- IK Multimedia EQ-PG - tone shaping versatility, mostly midrange tweaking

5) Bass
- Softube Tube-Tech Equalizers MKII - sweet tube sat color and it's smooth on the bass high end (technically hi-mid freq range)
- Softube Summit Audio EQF-100 - It has some weird low bump that I like sound nice with its tube sat for the DI track

6) Keys / Synths
- Wavesfactory Spectre - not really an EQ but I use it like an EQ for synth, super wide range tonal controls

7) Busses/Stereo
- Vertigo VSE-2 or VSE-4 - still experimenting, but I like it.
- Brainworx 2098 - old favourite, bad small GUI, I think I like the shelf curves and the notches option.
- Dangerous Audio BAX - smooth filtering, clean

I use preamp plugins a lot, so I don't need much saturation from EQ, what I need from EQ is the specific tonal shaping curve. Each EQ I selected has a known freq that will work for me. So maybe this could give you an idea to try and test them out for yourself and see if you like it.

 

Yeah, I completely agree with you on Pultec, just tried the Softube variant and actually had to pay attention to the what knob does what. Pretty confusing. But Alas! UAD remains out of reach.

Thank you for the NoiseAsh suggestion, will be sure to check it out.

 

Thank you for this extensive detailed list. Every time I look for something and Kazrog name comes up, just checked their catalog, not like waves or acustica with 100's of plugins still they make good stuff. Will check out their graphic EQ.

Trident A-range is phenomenally musical sounding EQ. This is the kind of stuff that warrants instant buy. I haven't come across many plugins but what little I have tested, haven't found a more musical EQ yet. I prefer Softube over Arturia any day of the week, Arturia has like 100's of files and folders just to install one plugin. I like to keep things tidy. UAD also has a emulation of this EQ, we'll see about that. Really keen to try their stuff.

Thank you for Lindell, just looked at their products. UI seems nice, will be sure to try them out.

I never could make any Pulsar plugin work. It's always something with them starting with GPU and ending with everything else. They need better coders.

I was reading the Acustica thread about the R2R rlz and got interested but reading about the resource consumption many users complained put me off. But I believe you, they have a lot of hype, it can't be for nothing. Also, like the UI of many of their plugins. Feels like working with real hardware units.

Thank you again for this detailed post with awesome suggestion, it has been of great help.

 

Wow! Just tested it and sounds very good for a free plugin, on par with premium paid plugins. The only drawback is that the frequencies are fixed, only if developer gives the option to set the custom frequencies for the bands it has.

Anyways, thank you for taking interest in my thread, your input is highly appreciated.

 

For analog EQ, I go down a bit of an unusual path... I just use softube bass amps (no cabs in front). It doesn’t distort the sound like a guitar amp, and it has more character than your typical analog EQs.

 

I'll do like @Stevie Dude and tell about the ones that i actually use on my template, more informative than just an random opinion about an Eq without context.

0) All channels
Nothing across all channels to emulate a console behaviour. I treat my busses as sidecars so i will have the same EQ section across all channels of each group which is:
-All low drums (kick, snare, congas, toms, etc): Waves API 550-A (tight eq and love the bandpass filter for drums. Solves almost everything in a very musical way)
-All high drums (cymbals, shakers, sticks, overheads): Softube Trident-A Range (my favorite Top End shimmer)
-All bass: Waves SSL 4000E (low bell is amazing for carving space for kickdrum and the low mids are my favorite)
-All the remaning (Vox, Music, FX, etc): bx_console SSL 9000J (opens the mix in a very nice way)



1) Snare
Nomad Factory - All Tech Eqs 2 - Nice body and control of boxiness and top end. Also love the filters

2) Kicks
Overloud EQ84 - Gives a rubberish vibe on my kicks that i love. With the 550 eqs is just the combo.

3) Air Boosting
Acustica Diamond EQ - Be Careful with the preamp, it can make the top end harsh real quick
Maag 4: Only use if i think i can benefit from the band interaction on other frequencies.
Acustica Audio Snow: the most organic top end i've heard on a plugin so far. Hard to describe

4) Guitar
- Waves Kramer HLS - nasty midrange that I like, it's nasty sounding EQ, but works great with distorted guitar. (leave it like stevie)
- Bx_console focusrite - my favorite for acoustic guitars. All bands work beautiful.

5) Bass
Acustica Audio - Aquamarine Eq - Use the Shadowhills Steel preamp and Cut or boost the 40 hz to balance overall sub information with a nice color

6) Keys / Synths
- Bx_console Amek 9099 - it has a shimering midrange that glows really nice with synths.

7) Busses/Stereo
- Softube - Chandler Curve Bender - Love the character of the cuts and boost on this eq. Love to control the top end on this one, generally cutting.
- Softube Tube-Tech Channel - Generally im going for the EQP1A section but i can dig the midrange if needed.
- Dangerous Audio BAX - Can cut a ton of bass without loosing punch. M/S mode can do amazing things on the mid range and top end.

 

Last edited: Mar 24, 2024

luftikus is the best. and it's free.

 

Anyway,, im just curious want to knows whats the sounds is like and cpu usage on mac for VMR 1/2

 

Last edited: Mar 25, 2024

Ignite Amps PTEq-X, Analog Obession Rare, and Kiive Audio Warmy EP1A V2.

All 3 of these Pultec emulations are completely free, and INCREDIBLY fire.

 

It is good but it should also be noted that it is completely clean/transparent. No added harmonics or color or anything, except noise if "Analog" is enabled

 

I think, just like with distortion plugins or tools in general, it doesn't make a lot of sense to test through hundreds of EQs. I would advise you to find out what you actually need before you start testing. That is much more efficient.

Example: I needed an EQ with a saturating input/output stage, fixed frequency bands, wide curves and an extended frequency range to quickly, easily and replicably compensate for the muffled and unsaturated sound of some dynamic microphones such as the SM7B. So I tested a few EQs that met the criteria and ended up with the E27. Case closed. Back to work. Life goes on.

 

Some bros are really out there using 20 different EQ plugins for project huh, thats really scary. My fav "analog" EQ would be Massive, it's the only emulation I use and it usually goes in my masterchain