I want to know what EQ plugins you use so I can follow like a sheep.
Please comment on why you love or hate this or that one or what this one is good for etc.
Here's my full list (I can only put 10 in the poll I'll try to switch out the least popular as people start voting):
ZynEq
Distrho - 3 band Eq
Distrho port - EQuinox
FIL - 4 band parametric
steve harris’s dj eq
steve harris’s multiband eq
Pere Rafols Soler - eq1/4/6/10q
linuxdsp eq500
linuxdsp peq-2a
linuxdsp black eq
linuxdsp af2-10
C* eq
Calf equalizer
leet equalizer
vcd peaking eq
TAP Eq
Zam eq2
Mixbus Eq
If I missed any be sure to let me know!
p.s. thanks to whoever fixed the polls in this forum. And I don't mean like FIXED the polls
I always find myself reaching for Fons eq, C* or Calf eq but here is what I've found using almost all of them:
Fons Eq (same code as FIL) and C* : This are interpolated so no clicks or pops with automation or changing parameters
Pere Rafols Soler - eq1/4/6/10q and ZamEq2 : These have an Orfanidis peak filter that means that the peak filter do not suffer from deformation reaching nyquist frequency (this is specially useful at lower sampling rates)
Calf eq : It's gigant!! Git versions are insane (soft bypass, interpolated filters, graphical manipulation, spectral analysis, mid-side mode for every filter, etc)
Steve harris’s multiband eq : I believe that this is the only one that is linear phase (FIR), so good for mastering or anything that you want to affect cleanly
No matter what you use you can get result almost with all of them. All of what I mentioned above has no meaning if you don't know what you are doing so experience is always more important that the tool itself
Just trying out the git version of Calf's, it's very impressive. I thought with mid/side ability you would be able to set high pass (for example) to each channel but it seems you can only process either the mid or the side with each band.
I like the FIL, TAP, Steve Harris' and C* but by themselves they don't have shelves or high pass filters which I prefer to have. Steve Harris has some nice stand alone filters and I sometimes use these but I like to do all my eq work with one plugin.
The EQ10Q is very nice, I like the gui but I didn't feel very comfortable using it when I tried it recently, dragging the dials felt a bit hit or miss somehow and didn't respond how I would expect. Maybe I just need to play with it to get used to it though.
I haven't tried any of the LinuxDSP ones but I really like what I see of them and I am planning to try them soon, the new one with the analyser looks incredible. I've never been keen on channel strip EQs like the 500 series but I do like the idea of not having an analyser or graph curve, I think it's actually a better way to use EQ if you're forces to listen to what you're doing more than looking.
Never tried the leet one but will look in to it.
vcd peaking eq - I'm not finding anything on this, anyone have a link?
Zam is one I've been using quite a bit recently, I really like it . I love that it has shelves and it seems to sound good.
Never tried Mixbus Eq.
I think Calf is going to be my main one from now on, but I'll see how it goes using a gui, maybe I'll fall back on the LADSPA ones again.
For me it is hands down the Mixbus EQ. Both the built in channel strip eq and the xt eq plugin are superb quality. I never fail getting a fantastic sound with them alone.
For carving out super precise EQ I would use linuxdsp EQ, but I don't have it Instead the Calf 12band has to suffice.
Of the EQs i've tried (calf, TAP, EQ10, BlackEQ Steve harris Multiband,) the one that seems most reliable and easy to use is BlackEQ. I've got to try the others though. I really liked the calf EQ but it did give me some weird sounds when I got crazy with it. The TAP EQ is nice too but I like GUI's. EQ10 is great but, like the calf, when I have a steep curve it sometimes gets wonky.
Looks like I was incorrect about Steve Harris ones not having shelves, apparently the "Triple Band Parametric with Shelves" does. I still miss high pass though.
I always use a dedicated HPF plugin. Invada is my goto. It seems transparent enough. Funny because I don't even think of HPF as a part of EQ, I just do it to each track by default.
Please bear in mind I'm posting here as an end-user not a maintainer..
I think Calf, Nekofilter, and the recent improvements to the EQ10 really exemplify what Open Source developers doing this in their spare time are capable of at their best. I have to be honest I personally see a marked difference in both the sound quality, user interfaces and CPU utilization as well as top shelf professional features in the linuxDSP EQ's regardless of platform, There is no doubt in my mind that any of the EQ's in the poll list could be used and create a good result in the hands of an experienced DAW user however the very reasonable cost of the linuxDSP EQ's are giving both professional code to the user and a professional developer who has years of both hardware and software experience on classic studio-grade equipment which make them a great value and a preferred choice in my book.
Please don't misunderstand me, the fact that the FLOSS choices are so good WITHOUT the benefit of their developers having several years of full time work in professional circles make them more impressive yet!
Instead the Calf 12band has to suffice.
