Best EQ for the Master Bus?

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mbfrancis
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09 Nov 2015

Lately I've been finding it most efficient to do some super subtle EQ moves on the master bus: usually low mid cut(s) and a hi shelf. In part this is because my ears suck so I'm consistent with under-representing the high end across tracks, but also it's an efficient way to address consistent issues in the low mids.

My question: for you serious mixers, what EQs are you using on the mix bus? Currently I'm just using M-Class, although I use Trident sometimes (no shelf, but hard for m to hear difference). Is there an RE you're using as a go to for subtle shaping on program material?
Producer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist. I make indie pop as Port Streets, 90s/shoegaze as Swooner, and Electro as Yours Mine.

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Tincture
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09 Nov 2015

Well your mixes always sound excellent to me Martin so maybe I'm not one to give advice but for me kuassa's MP5 is great on the master bus. Easy to dial in the low and high end. If you haven't tried it yet I'd give it a spin, I really like it. If you need to do any narrow cuts then maybe do them with the MClass but other than that the MP5 has everything I want.

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Majestik Monkey
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09 Nov 2015

I think i'll wait for Selig's input for a Masterful reply ' no pun intended ;)

I did buy 4 Dyne to do the job of subtle frequency cleaning across the spectrum !
but i am usually very careful about Pre Master_EQuing , like removing some of the obvious conflicts between Kick & Bass / The Heart beat ! i think if you can not get these two Big frequencies correct from the onset, you'l almost always hit some real trouble further up the road ....
i suppose what i am trying to say is / If the EQing isn't right Pre_Master_Mix ! My sound is Higly lightly to be F*CKIN SHIT :puf_bigsmile:
Last edited by Majestik Monkey on 09 Nov 2015, edited 2 times in total.

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dvdrtldg
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09 Nov 2015

Don't know if I'd call myself a "serious mixer" but I've moved from the Trident to the MP5

There's a good video demonstrating its capabilities on the Rack Extensionists Facebook page (tried to post it here but it's members only)

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mbfrancis
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09 Nov 2015

Haha, "serious" as in "you take mixing seriously," not necessarily are you a pro, but are you deliberate?

Seems like some love for the MP5, I'll see if it goes on sale.
Producer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist. I make indie pop as Port Streets, 90s/shoegaze as Swooner, and Electro as Yours Mine.

Ronin
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09 Nov 2015

dvdrtldg wrote:Don't know if I'd call myself a "serious mixer" but I've moved from the Trident to the MP5

There's a good video demonstrating its capabilities on the Rack Extensionists Facebook page (tried to post it here but it's members only)
After watching that video, i am hoping for a kuassa sale on black friday and i will buy the mp5, and possibly the other eqs also, as the bundle.

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normen
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09 Nov 2015

Generally I'd say for mastering you simply want a clean EQ that does its job as intended, M-Class is a great EQ for that purpose. For the typical relatively wide boosts/cuts in mastering its perfect. However, for the more special application of removing "singing" frequencies from your mix I'd definitely suggest getting the GQ-7 basically because no other EQ gives you as many high-q bands. Given the lack of a "match" type EQ in Reason this is the most typical thing I do for mastering, to get that last bit of loudness and the "cleaning" effect removing the singies has. Its a VERY flexible EQ built to do any job you can throw at it.

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selig
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09 Nov 2015

normen wrote:Generally I'd say for mastering you simply want a clean EQ that does its job as intended, M-Class is a great EQ for that purpose. For the typical relatively wide boosts/cuts in mastering its perfect. However, for the more special application of removing "singing" frequencies from your mix I'd definitely suggest getting the GQ-7 basically because no other EQ gives you as many high-q bands. Given the lack of a "match" type EQ in Reason this is the most typical thing I do for mastering, to get that last bit of loudness and the "cleaning" effect removing the singies has. Its a VERY flexible EQ built to do any job you can throw at it.
I second this, though I've not personally gotten into the "remove the singing frequencies" thing to date. But I'm also not going for the nth degree of loudness of "cleanness", and as I lack experience in this technique I'd rather leave it to the mastering pros if needed (though the guys I tend to use are more old school and don't seem to get into this degree of fine tuning).

As for the general EQ shaping on the master, I actually end up in Martins position quite often (yes, STILL!), and simply need to add a little bit more overall high end to my mixes. I prefer to err on the side of a dull but balanced mix because the fix is dirt simple - add a little high shelf!

The high shelf on the MClass EQ is actually quite versatile, with it's Q control giving you options with the shape of the shelf slope. BTW, the Trident is an "interactive" band EQ (don't know if there an official term for this), meaning that as you add more bands (even doing subtractive EQ) you will also affect the existing bands. While this can be cool for individual tracks, when fine tuning a mix it's probably the last thing you want from an EQ!

I've also used Pultec (and Pultec style plugins) for gentle overall mix EQ, if just for their simplicity - you can't easily get lost with these because there are so few choices to make. Either they work, or they don't! ;)
Selig Audio, LLC

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mbfrancis
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09 Nov 2015

Thanks, Selig - that makes me feel better that I'm not alone on the high end. :) I'm not looking to spend money just for the sake of it: seems like MClass is good for now, MP5 if it goes on sale. (You're right, Trident is smooth/sweet but a little unpredictable....now I know why!)
Producer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist. I make indie pop as Port Streets, 90s/shoegaze as Swooner, and Electro as Yours Mine.

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selig
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09 Nov 2015

mbfrancis wrote:Thanks, Selig - that makes me feel better that I'm not alone on the high end. :) I'm not looking to spend money just for the sake of it: seems like MClass is good for now, MP5 if it goes on sale. (You're right, Trident is smooth/sweet but a little unpredictable....now I know why!)
Interestingly, the frequency setting will affect other bands even if the gain of that band is left at 0 dB! Definitely more of an "inspirational" tool rather than a "surgical" one IMO.
:)
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mbfrancis
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09 Nov 2015

selig wrote:
mbfrancis wrote:Thanks, Selig - that makes me feel better that I'm not alone on the high end. :) I'm not looking to spend money just for the sake of it: seems like MClass is good for now, MP5 if it goes on sale. (You're right, Trident is smooth/sweet but a little unpredictable....now I know why!)
Interestingly, the frequency setting will affect other bands even if the gain of that band is left at 0 dB! Definitely more of an "inspirational" tool rather than a "surgical" one IMO.
:)
Woah...will stick to MClass or now. (Using the Trident minimally on acoustic piano and electric guitar for now.)
Producer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist. I make indie pop as Port Streets, 90s/shoegaze as Swooner, and Electro as Yours Mine.

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gak
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10 Nov 2015

I like the EVE AT1 with the stock "master/gentle" YMMV.

dana
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11 Nov 2015

GQ-7 is always on my master bus now, i boost using the high shelf, and i can also tilt the bass downwards if there is too much or do a bump here and there to balance the spectrum out.. The low and hi pass filters go up to 96db plus, of course, the on-built spectrum analyser makes it easy to see the overall spectrum and the auto gain setting and mid/side modes. I recently figured out that you can change the eq type on each band, which is a huge bonus!

The mclass shelves are pale in comparison to the GQ-7's to my ears.

I've also used ART as an EQ, some of the modes boost the highs, or the low-end in really unique ways.

Another option nobody has talked about is just creating a bus of all your main output busses (or channels if there is no busses), and use the ssl channel eq.

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Dante
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12 Nov 2015

What about the mid-side mode of GQ-7 - is anyone using this to widen the stereo image in the mid ranges, and focusing bass to the centre ?

I'm using Scope DSP to do this but I figured if I took my laptop on a cruise I wouldn't take the XITE so something like this would be handy on the master buss.

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mcatalao
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12 Nov 2015

I really like Labone Recording's Red Queen. Its really great for small controlled cuts and it has an amazing amount of modes (it separates the signal in layers and layers).

I also have 4dyne, as others were saying but its a completely different device. I also use it but more to tame some harsher passsages, and most times not all bands will be compressed at all (maybe one or other band at some times).
4dyne is for completely different tasks.

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mcatalao
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12 Nov 2015

Dante, if the mix is mine, i prefer to widen within the mix. Even if you need to work a "L-R" way on some instruments.

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Dante
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12 Nov 2015

I use M/S widening on a number of tracks. But I also do M/S on Mastering, as a finalising tweak. Guess Ill download GQ-7 on trial and check it out.

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motuscott
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13 Nov 2015

While not traditionally used as an EQ, I’ve had some success with inserting two WBL3001’s between the control room outs and the hardware interface then detuning slightly. Oh and drop a magnum of wine first.
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Klaus-Morlock
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14 Nov 2015

I currently prefer Trident over the MP5 on the master bus. Easier to dial in, and more satisfying to my ears. For notching and fine adjustments, however, nothing beats the Synapse GQ.

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michal22
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14 Nov 2015

For me, the best eq to the final mastering is ReQ131 (31 band equalizer)
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Ostermilk
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14 Nov 2015

mcatalao wrote:I really like Labone Recording's Red Queen. Its really great for small controlled cuts and it has an amazing amount of modes (it separates the signal in layers and layers).
I agree. Putting it on the master bus is the one succesful use I've found for it.

It's feature set is huge, plenty of different types of filter, 10 bands, hear EQ, Wet and Dry balance, EQ curve scaling (even into the inverse of your original curve), several modes including mid/side and graphic EQ, automated fades between curves, as far as features go it has the lot.

Unfortunately that feature set comes at the cost of usability, a horrible remote control unit for automation, and overall it's such a monster you'd likely lose the will to live rather than break it out for regular use as a track EQ.

However a single instance on the master bus is bearable and there's little it can't do there. So if you already own it and can't find a use for it elsewhere without breaking out in a cold sweat I share the recommendation.

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mcatalao
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16 Nov 2015

Ostermilk wrote: Unfortunately that feature set comes at the cost of usability, a horrible remote control unit for automation, and overall it's such a monster you'd likely lose the will to live rather than break it out for regular use as a track EQ.
For a control unit you mean the cv to param thingy? Mmm, i never use that. I created a multi layered remote map for my BCR2000, and now i can control everything on multiple modes. I just have to change mode in the device and BCR2000, and be happy... :) I have a button on the BCF2000 that can toggle modes and channels. So working in M-S and changing from M to S is quite easy.

If you have the bcr2000, i'll be happy to send you the remote file.

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mbfrancis
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16 Nov 2015

Red Queen is scary...so many bands lol.
Producer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist. I make indie pop as Port Streets, 90s/shoegaze as Swooner, and Electro as Yours Mine.

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Skullture
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17 Nov 2015

How about none? :D (for mixdown only ofc)

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