eliosound Air-EQ plugin

[t_d]

sounds nice on paper/screen:

http://www.eliosound.com/aireq

irEQ® is a new musical equalizer created to meet every single expectation of musicians, mixing engineers and producers. It's been conceived to be the only high quality equalizer you need.
Mixing, mastering, tracking, whatever your sampling frequency is, AirEQ always brings you the same quality of equalization in the whole audio range. And you can use it on every track, without overloading your CPU.
Its quality, ergonomics and efficiency will make AirEQ an essential musical tool when an excellent analog-like equalization, ease of use and low cpu usage are required.

AirEQ accurately reproduces the analog equalization characteristics : the curve precision and the phase's variation are the key points of the analog sound. But we also reproduce musical tuning ways which are an important part of the sound of a high end equalizer.
AirEQ also features a special "Air" band, which is a new type of filter that helps you to restore or to add sound brightness.

AirEQ is not only a new step in the equalization world, but it is also a very convenient and musical tool, which helps you to make better mixes and better music. You will always be able to work privileging the musical aspects thanks to its ergonomics and options : you can focus on what you hear while equalizing.
AirEQ works in all mixing situations because of its zero delay technology. It's the only equalizer on the market with such quality and no processing delay, with a low cpu usage. You can also use it for tracking or in a live situation, AirEQ will always bring you the best results you can hope from an equalizer.

AirEQ is based on a new filtering technology, AMLT® (Analog Matched Linear Transform), wich is exclusive to Eliosound. We developed this technology using new and innovative algorithms, always keeping the musical aspect of our equalizer in mind. That's why AirEQ is the perfect balance between technology, ergonomics and the best equalization sound.

AirEQ will be released in May, in VST, AU and RTAS formats for Windows and Mac OS X, It will cost 269$/219€. A demo version will also be available soon.

[RoundBadge]

Originally Posted by t_d

sounds nice on paper/screen:

irEQ® is a new musical equalizer created to meet every single expectation of musicians, mixing engineers and producers. It's been conceived to be the only high quality equalizer you need.

Don't they all my friend!stike


But ...oh Brother!

..Whos' the fricckkiin marketing genious who thought that one up ..


No doubt .it might be a useful plug ..but C'mon!?

[tommymakestapes]

I concieve this company to be full of sh@t. The only eq I need... I really find that insulting.

[Jax]

Originally Posted by t_d

But we also reproduce musical tuning ways which are an important part of the sound of a high end equalizer.

Huh? Musical tuning ways? What exactly does that mean?

I'll hold off judging the thing til I hear it, but the whole page - apart from being poorly written (and translated, I'd guess) - does not bode well for the plug-in. Too many candy-ass marketing lines and little of substance.

[Ruudman]

Is it just me, or does the graphics look Avalon'ish


ruudman

[mixerguy]

[farjedi]

You old cynics..
Give em a break, it might sound good

[jdunn]

Originally Posted by Ruudman

Is it just me, or does the graphics look Avalon'ish


ruudman

That's what I thought too.

[djui5]

Originally Posted by Ruudman

Is it just me, or does the graphics look Avalon'ish


ruudman

Millenia...

[RoundBadge]

Originally Posted by farjedi

Give em a break, it might sound good

Yes it mightthumbsup thumbsup
and if it is, I may just buy it.

..But when they make claims like.. 'it's the only EQ you'll ever need"..tutt

kinda silly innit?

[defjamm]

there is a demo out, you don't need a dongle for it(the demo)

http://www.eliosound.com/aireqdemo

[DivineMusic]

i'ma try it out.. it does kinda look like an avalon to me too...but who cares how it looks.. needs to sound good and not take a lot of cpu power..

[Empty Planet]

Hmm, the demo's kind of on the impressive side. It could've been the tracks I was working with, but it sounded pretty nice. Kind of alive and 3Dish. Nice.

Don't know how gimmicky the "Air" processing is. They claim it's not an exciter, but they didn't seem all too specific about what exactly it was doing, either. It's probably like anything of it's ilk -- good on certain things.

I only spent 20 minutes or so with it, and I'm left being fairly impressed, particularly what it does in the mids. Again, possibly just the tracks I was working with, but it seemed to reveal interesting things.


Cheers.

[johnnie red]

For anyone who's interested, there's an interesting thread over at kvraudio about this EQ where the programmer comments somewhat extensively on its design.

There are graphs and everything.

Check it:

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=140545

[defjamm]

i also thought at the beginning this is str8 bullshit...but this time there are actual facts, not just claims...the eq-curve of this thing comes closer to analog ones than anything else out there today in software(except convolution, but that takes more cpu and latency).

most of the other 'analog-modelled-software-eqs' are basic designs, where the eq-curve alone doesn't come close to anything analog.

[aapee]

Are you able to have it without dongle?

with respect,

AaPee

[Songhead]

Pretty fugly if you ask me (and you didn't)... does any know if the "Air" is an approximation of the Nightpro EQ3-D or PreQ3?

[farjedi]

this sounds allright..I dont know whether it's better or more analog sounding than any other plugin though...

[Mistadschan]

Yesterday I did a test over @ my cousins tracking room.

I'd say elio has a MUCH better Highend then sonalksis.
Not soo obvious vs kjaerhus..

But when it comes to adding lower punch, it gives both a run!

What's a fact is that you get "more out of it". Boosting 2 dB DOES change the sound
much more than kjaerhus and sonalksis...

Best,
MD

[heathen]

It sounds pretty damn good, but Im not sure what the air stuff is about it just sounds more harsh and digital with that, pushing the high end as a hf shelf is much nicer, it does sound sort of similar to an Avalon but not quite there yet.
For software this eq is goooood.

[pendejo]

What a great EQ. It's so smooth and the low end is fantastic. I really appeciate the knob driven UI instead of a graph - less is more.

[defjamm]

Originally Posted by Mistadschan

Yesterday I did a test over @ my cousins tracking room.

I'd say elio has a MUCH better Highend then sonalksis.
Not soo obvious vs kjaerhus..

But when it comes to adding lower punch, it gives both a run!

What's a fact is that you get "more out of it". Boosting 2 dB DOES change the sound
much more than kjaerhus and sonalksis...

Best,
MD

be careful when comparing different plug-ins. some plug-ins don't give you what is written and some do, so you could be comparing apples and oranges.
that's not bad per se because you just fiddle around with an eq until you have something great, but when comparing to other eqs you could be fooled.

i'll show you(btw this is also descibed in the thread at kvr-vst with the link to in this thread above. it's not a bad thing, there are analog eqs which behave the same way, it just makes it difficult to compare different eqs):

2db at 1khz with a q=1, the higher curve is the air eq, the curve below is the sonalksis. what you see is, that in reality you get more boost with the air. that's why it sound like there are more than 2 db. the reason is there are more than 2 db.



but it's also true that the air eq has a slightly better curve which is more symmetric than the sonalksis(and more analog-like).

[thermos]

I don't think that graphing stuff should really influence opinions. Some plugins sound good when boosted 12db (even if it is only 3 db) while others don't sound good boosted at .5 db (even if it is 3 db). I think this eq is more the latter.

[max cooper]

I used this thing today, and although I didn't find a use for the 'air' function, I found it was super easy to get a good sound out of this thing.

I wonder if the designers could comment on whether the CPU is only hit by the freq's that are "IN" and not by the ones that aren't, or if the whole CPU hit is the same no matter what.

Either way, I think you guys have come up with a pretty darn good sounding bit of software. I'll buy it.

I was thinking, marketing-wise that it might be good to get celebrity name recognition.

Y'know, like the Air Jordan. You can have celebrity-producer versions, like the Sony Oxford GML.

The Dave Jerden inspired EQ can be called the "Air Jerden"

The Trevor Horn inspired EQ can be called (wait for it!) the "Air Horn"

[defjamm]

Originally Posted by thermos

I don't think that graphing stuff should really influence opinions. Some plugins sound good when boosted 12db (even if it is only 3 db) while others don't sound good boosted at .5 db (even if it is 3 db). I think this eq is more the latter.

from algorithmix:
In today’s era of digital audio workstations, hundreds of software parametric equalizers are available. Many of them are intended to be THE best sounding equalizer ever. The truth is that few of them are recognized and adored by the experts. You may ask why one equalizer sounds great while another does not. This question is almost as old as the equalizer itself and still is not completely answered. On the one hand there are some obvious rules which must be followed when designing a good sounding PEQ, on the other hand some esoteric claims driven by marketing departments or self-nominated audio evangelists, that never have really been proven. Especially treasured analog equalizers are considered by some people as being absolutely unique and unmatched by any ‘dirty’ digital equalizer. The truth is that with a properly designed, fully parametric analytic PEQ, every amplitude and phase characteristic of any other equalizer setup can be recreated.

http://www.algorithmix.com/en/classic_peq_blue.htm

i want to stress this:

every amplitude and phase characteristic of any other equalizer setup can be recreated.

amplitude is besides phase the important thing in an eq. so this graphs are very important and tell more than self-acclaimed-audio-experts. they don't tell everything and one should still decide on his own but they are scientific facts, no religious 'i believe' stuff.

[Reptil]

mmm I think you're a bit of a religious 'believer" yourself.
digital eq has quantisation errors, processing delay etc. so an EXACT match is not possible.
they're just different. especially when they're in an analogue chain.
IMO software EQ has become really good the last two years. But to my ears they are NOT the same.
I'm going to take a look at this eq. You guys are trippin on it, must be great.

Defjamm, check "Sound & Recording" (previously Keyboards in german ) they do thourough tests of digital eqs. good magazine.

[Eliosound]

Hello all,

I'm Fabrice from Eliosound, thanks for all your comments about AirEQ !
Feel free to ask me some questions, I'm here to answer if you need some information.

Originally Posted by max cooper

I wonder if the designers could comment on whether the CPU is only hit by the freq's that are "IN" and not by the ones that aren't, or if the whole CPU hit is the same no matter what.

When an equalization band is out, it takes no CPU at all. That's why we designed AirEQ with IN switches, with auto-in on parameter change, to reduce the number of clicks needed to add an equalization band.
So the whole CPU depends on the equalization bands that are active.

Originally Posted by max cooper

Y'know, like the Air Jordan. [...]
The Dave Jerden inspired EQ can be called the "Air Jerden"
The Trevor Horn inspired EQ can be called (wait for it!) the "Air Horn"

Great idea ! If AirEQ is good enough to do so, we will be the happiest men !
Also what would you think of "Air Swedien" for Bruce Swedien ?


Fabrice,
Eliosound

[max cooper]

Originally Posted by Eliosound

When an equalization band is out, it takes no CPU at all. That's why we designed AirEQ with IN switches, with auto-in on parameter change, to reduce the number of clicks needed to add an equalization band.
So the whole CPU depends on the equalization bands that are active.

Now you're talking! Good move!

[defjamm]

Originally Posted by Reptil

Defjamm, check "Sound & Recording" (previously Keyboards in german ) they do thourough tests of digital eqs. good magazine.

guess which program i used for the graphs?

[Reptil]

It makes you sleepy?

no need to be uptight about it. (if that is what you meant)
my post was not belligirent but trying to give you some information.