Waves Linear Phase EQ

When people EQ, they generally want to have the most transparent EQ possible. The Waves Linear Phase EQ attempts just that, and this is meant more for the master buss than other busses in the DAW. The Linear Phase EQ features controls for gain, low/mid/high frequency bands, various different filter types ranging from lowband bell, resonant low shelf, v-slope low shelf, resonant high shelf, v-slope high shelf, and tons more options like dither, Q controls, different method controls, etc. It's a very flexible and transparent EQ. The main goal for this EQ is to use it as a final EQ for the overall mix. You can use it on other busses without a problem, however. To enable this, simply call it up in your DAW on whatever buss you want to use it on. I never read the manual, so I can't comment on that, but it's a fairly standard EQ, and anybody should be able to start getting the tones they want out of it within seconds.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

This plugin is awesome when it comes to stuff like stability, cross platform compatibility and low resources. The plugin works on any machine out there, so there should be no issues using it on your favorite machine. The plugin is also rock solid. I never experienced a direct crash related to this, nor have I experienced any odd quirks with the application. There is one issue that I did experience, however. This is a 32 bit plugin for OS X. The current Logic Pro is a 64 bit DAW, and to use this plugin, you need to allow Logic to run its 32 bit bridge application. While it's not a huge issue, I'd like to see the new editions be 64 bit for full integration. 32 bit is starting to be a thing of the past now. I've been using the Waves bundle for half a year or so, and it's been a wonderful experience.

OVERALL OPINION

This is a very good, transparent sounding EQ that is complex enough to work on finalizing the mix but not so ridiculous that it's hard to use. However, I normally find myself just using the standard EQ inside of Logic Pro for the final mixing if I'm going to use an EQ. That, or I'll use the iZotope Ozone 4 parametric EQ since I usually have that plugin enabled on the buss. In reality, any of these will work fine, and they all sound great. It's just a slightly different flavor out there as they all look and act fairly similar. Just choose the one that works for you and stick to it.

The Waves Linear Phase EQ is a mastering and mixing equalizer plug-in that comes with just about all of the major Waves bundles. We've got this at the studio where I work and I've also got it on my home's system. It's one of Waves' kind of standard plug-ins, as you've got it if you have any of the big bundles. Installing it happens when you install the full bundle, although I'm not sure if it's also available individually. The interface of the plug-in is easy enough to follow, as it's a simple parametric EQ with five bands. Each band has parameters for gain, frequency, and Q, which is otherwise known as bandwidth. You can also set the type of slope you'd like to use, which is helpful for low and high pass filtering as well as for getting more precise in what you want to do in general. You can turn each band on or off as wanted as well. Lastly, it has built in dither and an overall output leveler. I haven't seen a manual for this plug-in, nor do I ever anticipate needing to see one.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

My home system has the Waves Linear Phase EQ plug-in currently running in on a native Pro Tools 9 rig. I'm running it on a Mac Book Pro laptop that has 4 GB of RAM and a 2.2 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo processor to work with, while I've got Pro Tools running with a Digi 002R audio interface. It's enough for me to run this plug-in comfortably, although I don't use it on every track and really only when I'm looking for super precise control...

OVERALL OPINION

The Waves Linear Phase EQ plug-in is an awesome tool to have in any audio suite. It couldn't be easier to use and provides about as much control as you can ask for in a parametric EQ. It has a super clean sound quality that would be hard to top in another plug-in. Waves really is just about the best in the business when it comes to making plug-ins, and the Linear Phase EQ is a perfect example of their virtual craftsmanship. I'd highly recommend checking out this plug-in and the bundles that include it as any DAW is going to benefit mightily from having it.