Do you use EQ plugins with your DAW? If not, this article about the Best Equalizer VST Plugins is going to be a huge help.
Let’s start off explaining how EQ works and where you can use it to make your instruments sounds better together. An equalizer plugin can assist in both mixing and mastering of music production. A good EQ plugin allows for instruments, vocals or other sound effects “stay in their lane” in your mix. This allows you to layer multiple sounds while they all have their own set amount of breathing room. This is an essential plugin that all producers should have.
We’ll save the basics of EQing your tracks to another article and go over some of our favorite free and paid EQ plugins.
If you’re new to the world of VSTs and plugins, please check out our VST Plugins Guide to get up to speed with how they can really take your music to the next level.
Best Free EQ VST Plugin
TDR VOS SlickEQ
TDR VOS SlickEQ is a mixing/mastering equalizer designed for ease of use, musical flexibility and impeccable sound.
TDR VOS SlickEQ utilizes three (and a half) filter-bands arranged in a classic Low/Mid/High semi-parametric layout for fast and intuitive access to four distinct EQ modes, each representing a set of distinct EQ curves and behaviors.
An elaborate auto gain option automatically compensates for changes of perceived loudness during EQ operation.
Key specs and features
- Intuitive, yet flexible semi parametric EQ layout
- Modern user interface with outstanding usability and ergonomics
- Carefully designed 64bit “delta” multi-rate structure
- Three EQ bands with additional 18dB/Oct high-pass filter
- Four distinct EQ models: “American”, “British”, “German” and “Soviet” with optional non-linearity
- Five output stages: “Linear”, “Silky”, “Mellow”, “Deep” and “Toasted”
- Advanced saturation algorithms by VoS (“Stateful saturation”)
- Highly effective and musically pleasing loudness compensated auto gain control
- Stereo and sum/difference processing options
- Tool-bar with undo/redo, A/B, advanced preset management and more
Best Paid EQ VST Plugin
FabFilter Pro-Q 3
From the FabFilter Website:
Pro-Q 3 offers everything that a demanding engineer could wish for: top-quality linear phase operation in addition to the zero latency and unique Natural Phase modes, smooth dynamic EQ, per-band mid/side processing, full surround support (up to Dolby Atmos 7.1.2), an intelligent solo feature, optional Auto Gain and a built-in, fully customizable spectrum analyzer.
FabFilter Pro-Q 3 is designed to help you achieve your sound in the quickest way possible. Via the large interactive EQ display, you can create bands where you need them, enable dynamic EQ for any band, and select and edit multiple bands at once.
- Highest possible sound quality
- Up to 24 EQ bands
- Optional Dynamic EQ mode for all bands (Bell and Shelf shapes), using any slope setting and with perfect analog matching, with optional external side chain triggering
- Gorgeous Retina interface with large interactive EQ display, multi-band selection and editing for maximum ease of use and efficiency
- Ultra-steep ‘Brickwall’ slope setting for LP and HP filters
- Full surround support (up to Dolby Atmos 7.1.2) with intelligent speaker selection
- External spectrum visualization from any other Pro-Q 3 instance, including collision detection
- Per-band mid/side or left/right processing, so you can EQ the mid, side, left or right signals separately
- Operates in zero latency mode, linear phase mode with adjustable latency or the unique Natural Phase mode
- Flat Tilt filter shape, a flat tilting correction curve over the whole audible frequency spectrum
- Spectrum Grab: just grab and adjust a peak in the real-time spectrum analyzer right away!
- Different interface sizes and additional Full Screen mode
