Suggestions for 3rd party EQ and Compression?

[Popnfrsh24]

Hey there,

Well, I'm glad I waited this long to purchase....thanks to the $100 off sale I can say now that I am a Reason 10 owner! The thing I have noticed when mucking around with my demo trial is that the vocal EQ and compression is a bit lacking in my mind...I am probably just spoiled to Pro tools. One of the main ways I go about EQing stuff is that I get a super narrow Q value and boost it all the way, then sweep the frequency spectrum to find the harsh sounding stuff. Then I EQ that out. I was surprised to find that you can't get an extreme Q value out of the equalizer in the channel rack. Am I doing something wrong, or is this just a limitation? I guess maybe this is a software burden to program this in??

Also, with compressing vocals, I again am spoiled with Pro tools stock plugins and I use one of their visual compressors to go about my business. With reason, its not very visual and just a bunch of knobs either in the Mixer or with one of the rack extensions. I'm sure I can figure it out but again I guess I'm just stubborn.

So, does anyone know of any good 3rd party EQ and compressors I can slap into Reason 10 that might be more of what I am looking for? Maybe even some free ones or not so expensive ones? I found a youtube video of a guy slapping in a FabFilter Pro-Q 3 and then i saw the $180 price tag and quickly "noped" that. Thought you guys might have some wise advice!

Thanks,

Pop

[Loque]

MClass EQ can do the job your after. The SSL EQ is not surgical, its a music's EQ.

The SSL should work quite well on vocals. There are some leveling presets in the factory bank fx folder, that may hold what you are after.

For free stuff, check some VSTs like TDR Nova EQ, Molot compressor and the limiter.

I do not know the Protools compressors, but many tend to auto compensate gain reduction. For vocals, low attack, mid threshold, slow release, around 1:6 ratio and 3-6db gain boost on the output. All depends on the source material. Maybe I should now ask, what do you aim for if you use or want to use the compressor?

OH... And there are a few more compressors in Reason, like Scream4 tape compression, Pulverizer, MClass, Kong and this little ugly gray thing...

[FlowerSoldier]

The Synapse GQ-7 is fire. That's what I use for my surgical eq work. I know this thread is about compression though. Pulverizer is pretty good at what it does.

[guitfnky]

pretty much agree with everything Loque said...the channel EQ is modeled on an SSL channel strip, so the Q bandwidths are wider by design. the MClass EQ and comp devices should work well for you, if you’re happy with using stock devices. the MClass EQ can get pretty surgical.

[esselfortium]

I'm pretty fond of ColoringEQ for surgical EQ, and Leveler for evening out dynamic performances without introducing obvious compression artifacts.

[scratchnsnifff]

the top 3 are easily RP EQ, selig coloring eq, and the long time favorite by many synapse audios GQ-7

no order for any i love the RP eq and gq7

but for compressors make sure to download the free OTT compressor from XFER just google search and find it, i got it free from splice and its free everywhere.

for RE the kiloheartz compressor or the lectric panda dyn4 compressor.

[S1GNL]

There is also the great sounding 14:2 channel mixer EQ (compatible mode). No kidding. It’s a decent tilt/shelf type EQ. I’m still using it, although there are lots of EQs in my plugin folder.

[Wobbleburger]

I really like the Synapse GQ-7 and the Softtube FET. Fab Filter makes excellent stuff too. Pro Q is insane.

[PhillipOrdonez]

If you are set on third party stuff, then look at the melda free bundle. https://www.meldaproduction.com/MFreeFXBundle - Lots of free tools, maybe you like the compressor and eq but if you don't, you might like something else. From that bundle, I cannot live without this one: https://www.meldaproduction.com/MAnalyzer. Cannot say I've used the eq cause I got plenty nice EQ s with iZotope's and Nova and rack extensions like colouring EQ and the GQ 7, so I wouldn't know how flexible it is but I'd imagine it is a workhorse.

I wouldn't recommend OTT as a replacement for a workhorse compressor that adapts itself to various tasks. You want something like the one in Reason, or the one in the bundle here. They are meant to be used on a wide range of material and do a decent job, whilst specialized compressors are great when you know what you are doing and why you are doing it. By all means get OTT (which is an upwards compressor) but don't rely on it as your go to compressor in every case. It won't work. Use it sparingly!

[napynap]

There are some great suggestions listed already. Here's some other's that I use. In all cases, I waited for sales on the RE store (or VST's), which happen to coinside with many of the great holiday shopping sales in USA.

EQ:
LAB ONE Recordings: Red Queen 10 Band 3 Mode EQ
McDSP: E670 Equaliser

Compressors:
McDSP: C670, FRG-4RE, Moo Tube
Red Rock Sound: Cl-L1 Vintage

Waves (VST): CLA-2A, CLA-76

Audio interfaces also normally come with some type of included plugins. For example, my Focusrite audio interface came with Red 2 EQ and Red 3 compressor. Check your audio interface account for instructions.