compressor and EQ question

antispatula

antispatula

Active member
Why do prices vary so much between compressors and EQ? I use the compressor and EQ that comes with REAPER, and they seem to work excellently. I guess a better way to frame the question I am trying to ask is this: What makes a good EQ or compressor good? The REAPER EQ does exactly what I think, as far as I understand, EQ is supposed to do: increase or decrease the levels of certain frequencies, according to the instructions I give it. If a free program does that, why would I buy the Massive Passive EQ for like 5k? What is the difference? Same thing question w compressors....Thanks!
 
A lot of what you're covering here is the difference between "an EQ" and "a modeled EQ" -- One is made to "reduce or increase a specific frequency by a specific amount" while the other is designed to do it while closely resembling a specific piece of hardware. Manley's Massive Passive (I know, but surprisingly, I wasn't much of a fan) has a rather unique flavor to it that makes it much more than "just an EQ" for lack of a better phrase. Pultecs --- Nothing else sounds like that (even when bypassed).

There are other EQ plugs that have relatively unique parameters and features -- I use -- What the hell is it called... FabFilter Pro Q (? Surprising for something I use so frequently to slip my mind) that allows for a lot of flexibility that other EQ's just don't have -- Splitting into MS per band being just one that puts it over the top against many others. It reacts very much like an analog unit (although I don't believe it's marketed as such) when using more extreme settings and I'm pretty sure it has nifty metering if that sort of thing is important.

That said, you're on the right track anyway -- If the EQ you're using is doing what you want, you're using the right EQ.
 
ok I think I know what you're saying.....so the really expensive EQ's/compressors are expensive and sought after not necessarily because of it's ability to perform the given task (to change frequency/compress a track), but to simply flavor the sound in a way that is sought-after and not necesarily related to the primary functions of the unit?
 
I tend to use the Reaper ones for actual EQing where I know exactly what I'm trying to do. The myriad of free plug in EQs that you can also find, that have funky knob style interfaces, some of which try to emulate bits of hardware, I tend to throw onto something with a preset, just to see what it does, and decide to keep / discard based on whether I like the effect - so for colouration rather than EQing per se.

Plus I find dealing with the knob style interfaces, where there's no numerical indicator of exactly what you're setting you're one, to be painful and a bit olde worlde....
 
antispatula said:
ok I think I know what you're saying.....so the really expensive EQ's/compressors are expensive and sought after not necessarily because of it's ability to perform the given task (to change frequency/compress a track), but to simply flavor the sound in a way that is sought-after and not necesarily related to the primary functions of the unit?
Click to expand...
Yep (10 characters).
 
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