J. River Media Center is one of the best choices for digital media playback on audiophile grade sound reproduction systems. One of its many useful features is the ability to use VST Plugins. These plugins allow the user to perform room correction, improve the sound quality of poorly mixed and mastered recordings, and many other valuable audio enhancements. Many VST plugins are available at little or no cost for non-commercial purposes (Over 90 Free VST Effects Plugins). Unfortunately, not all VST plugins are created equally, and high quality ones used in professional applications can be quite expensive. Audiophiles, however, don’t require the same level of sophistication and control as engineers, and in most cases the freely available plugins will improve your listening experience more than upgrading to more expensive components.

1. Plugins Vst Geq Graphic Equalizer Software
2. Plugins Vst Geq Graphic Equalizer Review
3. Plugins Vst Geq Graphic Equalizer Plugin

Listening to a well recorded and mixed piece of music can be a great pleasure, suffering through a thin or muddy one can result in never wanting to hear it again. One of the sad facts faced by audiophiles is that many of their favorite recordings before acquiring a quality sound system are quickly relegated to a dusty shelf because of poor playback quality. While VST plugins can’t fix these recordings, they can (in many cases) greatly improve them.

Beatassist – Equalizer Studio size 62 MB / 35 MB Equalizer Studio is a pack of 7 EQs. 2KQ (high-end exciter). 4BQ (4-band equalizer). 10BQ (10-band equalizer). HLQ (low/high shelf. EQ FREQUENCY VST Effects 364 Views READ MORE. So simple & easy, yet so versatile. 12 band graphic equalizer. +12/-12 dB gain per frequency. Adjustable band. 1208 GEQ by 1208 Audio - Graphic Equalizer Plugin VST VST3.

VST plugins are more than just playback enhancement tools. They can be used to permanently modify a recording when used with a WAV file editor such as Audacity.

Toned by LVC-Audio

The first plugin on our list is Toned by LVC-Audio. Toned is a specialized tone shaping plugin with analog modeling. It is designed primarily for use in the mastering process or on two-track audio busses. Toned uses two distinct equalization processes: a three-band tone-shaping matrix, and a specially designed high pass (HP) filter.

The three-band tone-shaping matrix uses a crossover-style filter bank of first-order filters (-6dB per octave). This type of equalization produces very gentle and broad filtering, with minimal alteration of phase. Very wide boosts and cuts can be accomplished while still sounding natural. This style of equalization also mimics some of the interactions between frequency bands that are commonly found in passive analog EQs and analog tone controls. The tone-shaping matrix can be applied to stereo channels, or specifically to the mid or side channel. Additionally, Toned can be switched to use a two-band matrix.

Plugins Vst Geq Graphic Equalizer Software

The HP filter is specifically designed for accurately adjusting the low/sub bass energy. The filter has selectable Q and roll-off. The scale of the HP controls is specific to low bass, and ranges from 10 Hz to 50 Hz (with accuracy to 0.01 Hz). Just like the tone controls, the HP filter can be applied to the stereo channels, or specifically target the mid or side channel.

Plugins Vst Geq Graphic Equalizer Review

Toned supplies the audiophile with a super tone control that can correct most poor recordings with the turn of a few knobs. It may be the only plugin you need.

Master Graphic Equalizer (Marvel GEQ) by Voxengo

The graphic equalizer included with J. River Media Center isn’t the best, but you can easily add the Marvel GEQ from Voxengo to achieve professional quality results.

Marvel GEQ is a linear-phase 16-band graphic equalizer AU and VST plugin with multi-channel operation support (supporting up to 8 input/output channels, audio host application-dependent) for professional music production applications. Marvel GEQ offers extensive internal channel routing capabilities, and supports mid/side channel processing.

Marvel GEQ allows audio engineers and musicians to apply quick EQ shape adjustments, both to audio tracks and full mixes. The linear-phase filtering offered by Marvel GEQ is suitable for equalization tasks where high quality and excellent sonic character are a must. It can be downloaded from Voxengo for free.

Mid-Side Transcoder (MSED) by Voxengo

For $3,995 you could purchase a BSG qøl Signal Completion Stage.

“BSG Technologies has developed a method of retrieving sonic information from audio signals that provides a realistic and complete rendering of the original acoustic event. . . . Instead of ‘adding’ a host of processing techniques intended to create ‘effects,’ we have simply found a way to extract information already present in recordings, but otherwise hidden in conventional reproduction. Our technology enables complete capture, transmission, and reproduction of such information, including elements that, until now, have remained hidden and buried in electronics, and unavailable to the listener. The result is an audio experience with fullness and richness beyond comparison and one which carries essentially all the dynamic, tonal, and spatial content of a real sonic event. . . . We call it ‘qøl(tm).'”

Or, you could download MSED and increase the side level control to between 0.8 and 1.2, and achieve very similar results.

MSED is a professional audio encoder-decoder AU and VST plugin for mid-side processing which is able to encode (split) the incoming stereo signal into two components: mid-side pair, and vice versa: decode mid-side signal pair into stereo signal. It is also able to work in the “inline” mode with the ability to adjust mid and side channels’ gain and panning without the need of using two plugin instances in sequence. MSED can be used to flip the phase of the mid and side channels by 180 degrees, and swap the stereo channels, and to extract the mid or side channel.

Ambio.one: Ambiophonics Processor

What is Ambiophonics? According to the Ambiophonic Institute: “Ambiophonic programs and components eliminate localization distortion and stereo loudspeaker crosstalk to produce front/rear sound stages (180°/360°), and deliver the high fidelity one ascribes to normal everyday hearing. Loudspeaker binaural (in contrast to the stereo loudspeaker triangle) generates an unprecedented sense of depth, clarity and presence. Also, in the absence of stereo crosstalk, comb filtering and central low-bass energy doubling are eliminated making truly flat acoustic response possible.”

Audiophiles may be more familiar with Bob Carver’s Sonic Holography or Polk Audio’s Stereo Dimensional Array than Ambiophonics, but all of these technologies produce similar results. While the Carver and Polk technologies use normal speaker positioning, true Ambiophonics requires the speakers to be much closer together. You can, however, get good results without moving your speakers.

Ambio.one features a highly customizeable crosstalk-cancellation solution based on the RACE algorithm developed by the Ambiophonic Institute. It can be used to process regular 2-channel stereo material for Ambiophonic listening.

Ambio.one is a great plugin to play around with and see what results you can obtain.

Give these plugins a try and let us know what you think about the results, or if you would like to recommend additional plugins chime in below.

BEST FREE VST EQUALIZERS

FREE EQUALIZER VST PLUGINSGeist vst plugin.

MEqualizer by Melda Production (Windows and Mac)

If you are new to mixing it can sometimes be of help to have an equalizer that gives you a visual representation to the changes you make in sound. MEqualizer by Melda Production comes in handy here. First of all it is a very well sounding free VST equalizer. It has six bands to tweak and for each band you can choose between 7 filter types.

MEqualizer can be used in a more clean mode but it also allows you to dial in tube saturation and harmonics to your taste through which it will function more as a vintage or analog sounding equalizer.

It comes with a spectrum analyzer and a sonogram and even has an auto-listening option which enables you to zoom in on a certain band. To top it all off you can use it in several modes including mid or side mode and of course in left + right mode for normal use on stereo or mono tracks.

MEqualizer even has it own limiter build in. A very versatile equalizer indeed.

MEqualizer comes as a part of the MfreeEffectsBundle that includes several other nice free VST plugins.

SlickEQ by VOS TDR (Windows and Mac)

SlickEQ is one of the best free VST equalizers out there. It has three bands plus a high pass filter.

While the mid band is a bell curve you get the choice between shelf and bell filter for the low and high band.

You also have the choise of four different filter curve slopes: British, American, German, and Soviet – inspired by hardware consoles from the respective countries (at least the first three).

SlickEQ is very smooth. You can push it pretty far in the high frequency area without any harshness.

Should you desire a subtle saturation you can dial that in by pressing the EQSat button and choose your calibration type in the outstage section where you also get to choose whether you want automatic gain ajustment or not.

SlickEQ can function either as a stereo or mono equalizer or you can use it in either mid or side mode. You can chain two instances of the SlickEQ and thereby double the amount of bands to tweak or set one in mid and the other in side mode and thereby having a very nice m/s eq.

This free VST EQ plugin is highly recommended and should you desire extra options the commercial Gentlemen’s Edition is very affordable.

SonEQ by Sonimus (Windows and Mac)

SonEQ is again one of those very nice free VST tools for digital audio work. You can control the input and output which gives you control over to what extend the eq should work with a clean or vintage sound. The harder you push it the more saturation you get – just like with an old analog mixing desk.

SonEQ has a both a high and a low pass filter. It enables you to do the ”Pultec Buttom End Trick” by boosting and cutting the same freqency in the low band area at the same time.

The mid band can be adjusted to a target frequency between 150 – 4000 Hz and gives you a choice between two q-settings.

The high band can control the frequency spectrum from a center point of either 6, 8, 12, or 15 Khz. For extra saturation use the drive section. A very nice free VST colouring eq!

RED EQ by Acustica Audio (Windows and Mac)

Red EQ by Acustica Audio is a simple yet very well sounding free VST equalizer. Acustica Audio use a form of convolution technique to “sample” the sound of hardware devices. Through this they are attempting to create plugins that are as close as possible to hardware in sound and function. Whether they are more successful in this attempt than developers that base their plugins on algorithms is a question of debate on many internet forums. What can be said here is that their RED EQ is a very good equalizer and definitely worth having in your tool box. It has three bands: low, mid, and high. While the mid band is a bell curve the low and the high bands are shelf EQs.

OCHRE EQ by Acustica Audio (Windows and Mac)

Ochre is another fine free VST EQ from Acustica Audio. It gives you three bands to play with: a low bandwhere you can choose between a centre frequency from 35 – 315 Hz, a mid band with a choice of centre freqency from 315 – 2.500 Hz, and finally a high band where you can chose a centre freqency between 2.500 and 22.000 Hz. Each band can be boosted or cut by up to 16 dB, and you can choose a Q between 0.5 and 4.0. Ochre also has a pre-amp stage that can be switched on for more “analog colour” or off for a cleaner sound. There is also an input gain control as well as an output gain control. Since the plugin acts much like a hardware device you can use these controls to feed the right amount of level to the plugin – and you can “drive” the input to get more colour. Like RED EQ from the same developer Ochre EQ maintains a sweet sound when you boost the high band.

Luftikus by lkjb (Windows and Mac)

Luftikus by lkjb is a very nice free VST EQ that works very much like the Maag EQ 4. It has six fixed bands: 10 Hz, 40 Hz, 160 Hz, 640 Hz, 2.5 kHz, and a high boost band / high shelf where you can choose between five different beginning points in the freqency spectrum (2.5, 5, 10, 20, and 40 kHz). Luftikus has an analog switch that will give you a little extra analog grit and colour. You can use Luftikus in normal mode ot you can switch on the mastering mode that will give you a stepped functionality for the first five frequency bands which comes in handy for mastering tasks. There is a trim for the output volume, or you can turn on the “keep gain” function so you won’t be fooled by differences in loudness when you tweak the equalizer. This is a high quality free VST EQ plugin and it is a valuable tool both for mixing and for mastering purposes.

ColourEQ by DDMF (Windows and Mac)

ColourEQ by DDMF is a very clean free VST eq. The name simply refers to the fact that you can choose between different colours for the GUI. It comes with five bands of ”super parametric” peaking filters, which means that there is one more parameter in addition to the traditional gain/width/frequency set that can influence the curve shape. In other words you can adjust the eq curves in ways that is not possible with a regular graphic equalizer. Further features include: a low cut filter, adjustable GUI colours, freely resizable window size, internal 64 bit processing and low CPU usage.

IIEQ by DDMF (Windows and Mac)

The IIEQ is a fully parametric 10-band free VST equalizer. The 1st and the 10th band are low and high shelf filters, respectively; all other bands are peak filters. Individual bands can be switched on and off. IIEQ comes with different GUIs of which some are available only in 32-bit. If you need an EQ with many bands IIEQ will meet your demands and on top of that it has a very nice sound.

Marvel GEQ by Voxengo (Windows and Mac)

Plugins Vst Geq Graphic Equalizer Plugin

Should you need a linear phase eq for mastering purposes Voxengo Marvel GEQ (graphic equalizer) is an exellent free VST. It is simple to use with its 16 fixed bands, and it gives you the choice of tweaking the mid channel and the channel individually. Marvel GEQ offers extensive internal channel routing capabilities. A very nice free VST from Voxengo – a company that has quite a few free VST plugins on their website. Check them out.