MOTUnation.com

I actually had given up on IK Mulitmedia, but then they do something like this:

http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/trmastereq432/

Oh my, what a beauty. This is the best sounding EQ plug-in I have ever put on a master bus.

Check out this video which compares the hardware and plug-in. Yes, no doubt the hardware sounds better, but the plug-in is not that far off, and with a little more tweaking... Okay, you might not get in the same house, but you can get in the same neighborhood if not right next door, and for a whole lot less money.



You have to put up with Ik's Custom Shop to demo it, but I tell you this EQ is worth it. Wow!

Interesting. The hardware unit is ever so slightly warmer and fatter sounding.

Yes, and there's something in the highs that I can't quite explain. The hardware is more fluid and slippery (which works nicely with that track) where the plug is a bit serrated. But anyway, it's close enough for horseshoes, mastering EQs and steak knives.

Truly, I have found this EQ a complete joy to use. What amazes me is how quickly I can get the results I want. That's unusual for me.

Dan Worley wrote:Yes, and there's something in the highs that I can't quite explain. The hardware is more fluid and slippery (which works nicely with that track) where the plug is a bit serrated. But anyway, it's close enough for horseshoes, mastering EQs and steak knives.

Truly, I have found this EQ a complete joy to use. What amazes me is how quickly I can get the results I want. That's unusual for me.

In this spoiled age of bundles and being a beta guy, I rarely pay 150 for a plug in so the price is a bit high in some ways. I agree with your comment about the highs and that was from listening on a little mac book. The highs aren;t quite as smooth. But that is an area this plug could still shine in.
My mastering guy is a grammy winning guy and I have gone to him for yrs. There is always a certain pristine quality to the highs from his work and if this unit imparts that, it could be really cool yet, also, the question of cumulative effect must be asked?
What happens if I add those pristine highs on sub tracks, plus a touch on the master bus before mastering. Or, add them to sub tracks and not the master bus before mastering. Too much of a good thing?..hmm. I would definitely start thinking of it on a lead vocal, among other things. Are there limits to the free trial version?

No limitations except that you have to have Custom Shop open when you run the plug. I think the demo is for 14 days. It used to be 10 days and it may still say that in places, but I think they increased it to 14 days. Not 100% sure about that.

I've only used it as a final mastering EQ, so I can't speak to how it might work out as a track or sub-buss EQ. I'm sure in some cases it could be just what's needed. But as you said, it could be too much of a good thing if overdone. You also have to consider CPU usage.

If you close your eyes and listen the difference dissolves away. I just did this, and when it sounded 'thin' and plasticky it was the hardware, and when it sounded thick, it was also the hardware. Besides super tiny variances in EQing it IMO wasn't anything that I would be willing to pay 20K usd for.

Michael Canavan wrote:If you close your eyes and listen the difference dissolves away. I just did this, and when it sounded 'thin' and plasticky it was the hardware, and when it sounded thick, it was also the hardware. Besides super tiny variances in EQing it IMO wasn't anything that I would be willing to pay 20K usd for.

I did try that before I posted, Michael. I was able to get it right each time but one when I guessed it was the plug but it was the hardware. This was on my studio monitors and sub. The low end really gives it away. If the plug was boosted another dB at 60 Hz it would have been much harder to tell. I was going to see how I would do playing it back on different systems, but by then I pretty much knew which parts were which, so that's no fair. Of course, this is just one song, things may be much different on other material.

Hey, I would love to have the hardware, but I think $149 for the plug-in will have to do me.

I can't get enough of this plug. I really have to resist the urge to go back over some older masters.

(In the voice of James T. Kirk),
"We... must... move... forward..."