Eplex7 DSP has launched what it says is a brand new technology and style of equalisation, offering totally different sound results, in the Equelectrium EQA-1, a VST plugin equaliser with Sectio aurea technology.
The company says that most digital EQs produce harsh digital sound when boosting audio, compared to real analog equalisers.
That’s because analog equalisers are working with real electrical signals, whereas digital EQ is simply calculating changes on numbers. Many of the issues with a finished track is down to EQ, according to experienced mix and mastering engineers. Digital sounding transients and trebles, harshness, squared bass and artifacts are present instead of the desired colour and naturalness of analog EQ.
Developers claim they got the idea of a new way of equalisation by accident. They give many real-world examples of “equilibrium”, where especially critical systems and structures find a balance to cope with instabilities. Cut a long story short, the more extremes are created, the more problems and instabilities result.
We’ll paste the press release below, as there’s some interesting — if deep philosophical — reading which seems to have led to the creation of Equelectrium.
Features
- Section Aurea / Equelectrium technology inspired by Fibonacci/golden ratio and nature.
- Realistic emulation of analog circuits and components
- High frequency air band from 8 to 19kHz
- Bass frequency band from 40 to 350Hz
- Mid range frequency from 40 to 19kHz
- Cut/attenuate circuit with adjustable frequency from 70Hz to 8kHz
- 2nd Cut/attenuate circuit with adjustable frequency from 350Hz to 19kHz
- Input knob to control level
- Analog drive knob
- Output knob
- Preset manager (in full version)
Only available for Windows as VST. A trial version is available, full version is usually €89, currently €22.90 for first 100 customers.
Press Release
Here is the pertinent section form the press release overviewing the rationale behind the design.
After more than 17 years of constructing analog audio devices and coding DSP software we accidentally got the idea of new way of equalization.
To understand it better we would like to introduce you philosophy behind it.
When you look at universe, world, physics in detail you may recognize that many systems inuniverse works on similar principles and patterns. They have exact physical laws. After reading books of George Soros, who is very good academically educated modern philosopher (not just stock trader as many people think), we realized that many systems in nature, in society and not just in economy works on principles of “imaginary” co-called equilibrium.
For better understanding allow us few easy examples:
In nature when temperature in Summer is becoming too high “systems” in nature creates colder wind and or storm / rain to “stabilize” temperature in normal levels – equilibrium. This is caused by physical law. Cold air goes to place where hot air is and replace it. When the temperature of air is hotter then more steam is accumulated in atmosphere and more clouds are created – more dense clouds = bigger chance of rain. The temperature of this place is colder within few hours. When temperature of air is too high, usually strong storm is coming, hotter weather = stronger storm. When we warm-up global temperature too high with CO2 emissions etc. more and more anomalies can be recorded as more tornadoes, extreme swings of temperature, prolonged drought, heavy rain etc. It can be noticed by charts. The average world temperature is growing just a little but “volatility” of temperatures hot / cold swings is growing and swinging more. This means that nature tries to find balance (equilibrium) in many complex systems.
On similar principles works our body. While outer temperature is often in range from -10 to +37 Celsius degree, our inner temperature is in equilibrium usually from 35,8 °C to 37 °C. This is regulated and stabilized by many mechanisms inside our body (heating and cooling mechanisms) and similar mechanisms with pH of blood which must be 7,36 to 7,44 otherwise you may die. Similar systems works also in economy. When markets goes to irrational overpriced bubble too much over level of imaginary equilibrium, usually the system / bubble burst and create inverted extreme – economic recession which has stabilizing effect. Because overpriced assets / markets creates instability too – like too much public loans which may be unpaid in future, extreme prices of properties, unemployment rate so low that it is difficult to find people who would like to work hard and seriously etc.). After some time “system” goes back from recession to normal state – imaginary equilibrium. George Soros described this behavior also on social establishments and systems like communism which was over equilibrium for decades and then burst and created revolutions. Simply put, moving any system too much over imaginary equilibrium (normal state) up or down creates instability, also in music / mixing!
As one of best philosophers of all time who was searching for secrets / principles of life and universe Siddhartha Gautama known as Buddha said: “always try to find golden middle way” in everything. More extremes we create = more problems and instability are the results.
Famous mastering engineer Bob K. says in his book: “if you must equalize record during mastering more than (if we remember correct 3-4 dB) it must be remixed again. You should sent it back to mixing studio because it creates too much instability / disharmony in overall sound“.
Next important “pattern” in nature / universe is Fibonacci number or Fibonacci sequence (also known as Golden Ratio – Sectio Aurea) Fibonacci sequences appear in many biological settings such as branching of trees, an arrangement of leaves on a stem, the fruitlets of pineapple, the flowering of artichoke, an uncurling fern and the arrangement of pine cone and the family tree of honeybees.
Johannes Kepler pointed out the presence of the Fibonacci sequence in nature and using it to explain the (golden ratio-related) pentagonal form of some flowers. Field daisies most often have petals in counts of Fibonacci numbers. In 1754, Charles Bonnet discovered that the spiral phyllotaxis of plants were frequently expressed in Fibonacci number series.
Golden ratio technique was used in art, photography, architecture and music because it seems to be most natural for our brain.
For example photography composed in Golden ratio law is perceived as nicest / most aesthetical by people. It is decoded by our brains as most natural composition, probably because it is closest to natural patterns in nature / universe). Inspired by this knowledge we were experimenting with various new kind of algorithms.
After long time we created brand new dsp technique which draws from theory of equilibrium and Fibonacci / Sectio Aurea both in frequency and amplitude domain
This algorithm significantly removes disharmony in whole frequency range caused by equalization. It eliminates digital harshness – ugly digital transients and trebles, while the sound is boosting. The sound is more natural, trebles are softer less digital, transients are natural not sharp and artificial, bass is fat and round, similar to analog hardware equalization.
We also integrated many algorithms simulating real analog circuits based on our 17+ years of experiences with analog electronics and emulation of circuits / components in DSP. Various methods of analog emulation were used from capturing hardware to digital simulation of electronic circuits and components.
Probably you don’t hear significant difference from one EQ to another until record is mastered at high volume levels. Where all problems like harsh trebles, digital artifacts, ugly transients are boosted 5-10x in mastering or when you use eq on just one channel like drums, synth or piano. But problems are accumulated when inferior equalizer is used on 8-20 individual mixer channels and then mastered. You are probably thinking why my mix / master is not sounding so good, so sweet natural and pleasant on good hi-fi or in the club.
Try to remove all equalizers (and other mix processors) from the mix.
Use just EQUELECTRIUM EQA-1 plugin equalizer on every mixer channel (and master stereo bus if needed). Make mastering and compare significant difference on high quality hi-fi system like Bowers & Wilkins, Tannoy, KEF, PMC etc. (not classic near-field monitors which usually do not translate high frequencies, color and transients well because are designed for long work to remove ear fatigue).Do not worry with your mixes, do not spend tents of hours or weeks with them while still sounding digital, harsh and unpleasant.
Try new technologies and more comfortable ways.
