Best EQ plugin on Mac?

Studio Audio Units and VST3
1

Any recommendations for the best sounding EQ plugin on Mac? I’ll just use it for 2 band EQ (low bass boost, slight HF roll-off), nothing complicated. I’m now using the Apple parametric EQ AU that comes standard on Mac (a Garageband/Logic DAW control), surprised to find that it seems to degrade overall sound quality more than the 64 bit parametric EQ on Roon for example. Thanks!

2

I am happy with Voxengo’s. E. g.: https://www.voxengo.com/product/primeeq/

1 Like
3

Please disregard my question. Today I found more information on Garageband about AUNBandEQ filters and settings, then revised my settings on Audirvana to match my EQ settings on Roon. SQ is now fine (as one would expect for an EQ plugin used on Logic Pro X, a pro studio quality DAW).

4

Would you please let us know how it is done?
Thanks,

5

Sure, can you be more specific about what you’d like to know or what problem you may be having?
FYI I’m not using that plug-in anymore, replaced it with Dirac digital room correction (DRC) on a miniDSP SHD Studio. It’s made a great improvement in SQ, surprising actually.
cheers, Tom

6

Try Flux: Stereo Tool v3-x64. It’s a free download and works very well in Mac Catalina for PCM files. Audirvana 3.2 and 3.5 do not support DSD files in AU (AudioUnits). If you want to use the plugin for DSD then you will have to convert such files to PCM first (Preferences>Audio System>Native DSD Capability - then select DSD to PCM from the dropdown). Flux: Stereo Tool v3-x64 makes no noticeable difference to the high quality sound Audirvana is renowned for as far as I can tell.

7

Hi Tom,
could you tell me where you found the information about AUNBandEQ filters?

8

Sure, I found AUNBandEQ tech info in the online Apple GarageBand docs, also in the Logic Pro docs. - cheers, Tom

9

Hm, I found no mention of AUNBandEQ in any of the online docs, and only glancing mention of Audio Units, nothing even close to reference or technical information. Would you still have the link by any chance?

10

Garageband v10 manual:
https://help.apple.com/garageband/mac/10.3/#/gbnd56ab9fca
tab: Use Smart Controls -> Use the EQ effect

11

Thanks Tom,
yes, I’ve seen that one, but it doesn’t have the information I’m after. It basically just tells you how to move the dots around. It’s also not mentioning the AUNBandEQ. It is quite possible that that’s what GB is using, although it has 16 bands, not 8.

I’ve started another thread asking for the information I’d like, but nobody seems to know…

12

good idea. last fall I did find detailed info specific to AUNBandEQ, but never saved the link and couldn’t find it again after you asked. maybe Apple support can give you a documentation link?