Finally a DSP replacement for Fabfilter Pro-Q

[ronwasserman]

Using the demo....I'm sold.

http://dmgaudio.com/products_equality-aaxdsp.php

Only a 9 sample delay....YES!

[treason]

Thanks for the pointer to this. It is a great sounding EQ, and being AAX-DSP is awesome!

It's not quite as flexible as the FabFilter Pro Q2 - here are the top things I notice after playing with it for 30 minutes:

1. The AAX-DSP implementation of Equality does not have any Linear or Natural Phase Equivalents
2. 9 EQ bands (4 Bell EQ) compared to 24 flexible Bands in Pro Q2. In some cases, I've used more than the Equality's 4 available Bells in my Pro Q2 instances
3. UI is smaller - not that big of a deal, but I guess I got used to the size/look of the Q2. That's just familiarity which needs to set in.

I think the lacking of the Natural and Linear Phase modes in Equality's AAX-DSP implementation are the biggest issues. However, I suspect that this is a limitation of DSP and even an AAX-DSP Implementation of FabFilter's Pro Q2 in DSP would face the same limitation. That said, when I compared it to a 9 band (1 Shelf, 8 Bells) Natural Phase Q2 instanced on the Drum Bus compared to the DMGAudio Equality - it was 95% of the way there. That might be due to the fact that I had some additional clarity dialed into the highs with the Q2 using additional bell curves. Probably solved (I have not tried this yet) by a serial second instance of Equality to provide those additional Bells.

The only other issue is that FabFilter Pro Q was a gateway drug which had me purchase just about their entire catalog of plugs ... I really need a AAX-DSP replacement for Pro MB and Pro L ... any ideas?

Thanks again for this heads up!

[WorldStudios]

The metric halo multiband is my favourite one in dsp. Limiter? Sonnox.

[Eric Lambert]

Originally Posted by treason

1. The AAX-DSP implementation of Equality does not have any Linear or Natural Phase Equivalents

If not then it's certainly no "replacement" for Pro-Q. Natural Phase is one of its greatest features.

[ronwasserman]

Originally Posted by Eric Lambert

If not then it's certainly no "replacement" for Pro-Q. Natural Phase is one of its greatest features.

Interesting. I do very minimal eq and this sounds remarkably good to me regardless of the natural phase. I'm sure I'm not dealing with the same elements as you Eric.

BTW (for Treason) - The Avid Pro Limiter is pretty damn good. I have the Flux Pure Limiter as well....I know people swear by it, but I kind of prefer the Avid plug.

[BobbyDazzler]

Originally Posted by treason

2. 9 EQ bands (4 Bell EQ) compared to 24 flexible Bands in Pro Q2. In some cases, I've used more than the Equality's 4 available Bells in my Pro Q2 instances

Can't you right click on the shelf bands and they become bells?

[tamasdragon]

Right now it cannot be a replacement. First, I'm experiencing click and pops during manipulating the bands, second, it absolutely doesn't map on Eucon surfaces.

[Eric Lambert]

I also feel that it simply doesn't *sound* as good as Pro-Q.

[MixerGuy]

Originally Posted by WorldStudios

The metric halo multiband is my favourite one in dsp. Limiter? Sonnox.

interesting... i'll have to try these out.

[WorldStudios]

The question I replied to was for multiband compression in AAX DSP. The Metric Halo one is cool for "vibe", but the Avid Pro Multiband limiter is cleaner and softer. Probably better for a master buss, if you want something transparent.

The sonnox limiter is still my fave DSP limiter, but I use Invisible limiter, Elevate and Ozone 8 these days for the final limiting stage.

I always got horrible sounding things in that people had slammed Ozone on, so I always disregarded that one. But now I own v8. Used right, it is fantastic and it is my current go-to for the final stage. Soooo many options and choices. I love it!