Buyers Guide: Top 10 Best Parametric Equalizers!

Top 10 Best Parametric Equalizers!

Introduction

An equalizer, or EQ, is a filter that permits you to alter the volume stage of a frequency or range of frequencies, inside an audio signal. In its simplest form, an EQ will allow you to flip the treble and bass up or down, permitting you to regulate the coloration of, let’s say, your automobile stereo or your tv.

In professional audio circles, equalization is an extremely subtle art that can be utilized to sculpt the tone of instruments in a mix, counteract anomalies in a room, or simply pump up the bass.

No matter its application, good equalization is important to an excellent mix. When used appropriately, an equalizer can present the impression of nearness or distance, “fatten” or “thin” a sound, and help mix or provide separation between related sounds in a mix, permitting each to be heard as meant. It can be used to regulate a sound system to account for the acoustical response of a room or an outside venue.

This text will clarify the features of parametric equalizers, a brief guide, and our list of the finest parametric equalizers you will get on the market nowadays.

We just want to let you know that we’ll list these parametric EQs in no particular order. They’ll be randomized as we don’t wish to sort them from best to worst.

Listed below are our Top 10 Best Parametric Equalizers for 2023:

1. AMS Neve 8803 Stereoequalizer

The 8803 features a complete 4 bands EQ, plus high and low filtering. The case is pretty shallow, and whereas the color scheme could be very Neve, the construct quality isn’t fairly as reassuring as chunky 1073s and 1081s.

The EQ is based on a “basic” Neve design, the 8108. These had been late-1970s period consoles, which had been by no means as common as older Neves. Nevertheless, it appears this was primarily because of a poorly designed center part.

The rear contains combi-type sockets for XLR or jack input, and separate XLR and jack output sockets. The power supply is an exterior lump-in-the-line, with a worryingly flimsy 8-pin DIN connection which is oddly sunk, upside-down, behind the rear panel, seemingly one thing of a bodge.

Additionally on the rear – and that is fascinating – there’s a B-type USB socket. That is for connecting a Mac or PC for storage and recall of settings. The handbook on the CD-ROM (you don’t get a printed one) was less useful relating to this feature because it merely steered visiting the downloads page on the Neve website to get the Recall Manual.

IMAGE	PRODUCT	DETAILS	PRICES
	AMS Neve 8803 Stereoequalizer	Switchable shelving / Bell and Hi Q EQ bypass USB port Mac or PC	Price on Thomann

2. Tegeler Audio Manufaktur EQP-1

The Tegeler Audio Classic Equalizer EQP-1 was modeled after basic classic equalizers with passive elements (condenser and inductor) within the EQ section, which accounts for its particular sound.

The EQP-1 consists of three elements: Bass Boost and Cut, Treble Boost with adjustable bandwidth, and a High-Frequency Cut. Voices sound transparent, instruments cut through the mix, and are clearly locatable without one turning them up.

Deep-frequency instruments like bass and bass drums get the required boost without sounding boomy. If you happen to increase up the treble, it would not sound like lifted highs, however, every little thing merely sounds fresher.

The EQP-1 is provided with a tube stage and high-quality input and output transformers.

Apart from the open and ethereal sound of the equalizer, the signal will get extra density and extra presence from the tube and the transformers. The low end turns extra clear and outlined. The highs turn into extra rounded and nice to the ears.

This effect will already happen as quickly as the machine is in the signal path and even when the equalizer isn’t used.

In use, the Classic EQP-1 can deliver deep low-end without sounding boomy by boosting and cutting the bass frequency band at the same time whereas the top frequency will nonetheless sound pure even when boosted high.

IMAGE	PRODUCT	DETAILS	PRICES
	Tegeler Audio Manufaktur EQP-1	Low / low bass: 20, 30, 60 and 100 Hz (Peak with adjustable bandwidth): 5,000, 6,000, 8,000, 10,000, 12,000 and 16,000 Hz	Price on Thomann

3. Tube-Tech HLT 2A

The Tube-Tech HLT 2A is a stereo high and low shelving EQ with a midrange T filter management designed to tilt the entire frequency spectrum around a specific midrange frequency.

The Tube-Tech HLT 2A is a progressive and highly effective shaping EQ that continues to be simple to use. The mixture of the 2 shelving bands and midrange T management presents a powerful array of EQ shaping choices that are very helpful to tracking, mixing, and mastering engineers alike.

The shelving filters are constructed around a high-gain valve amplifier whereas the T-filter makes use of a passive filter positioned after the output amplifier. Every part has its own devoted Bypass switch in addition to a total bypass switch.

The midrange T-Filter “tilts” your complete spectrum around a selectable midrange frequency level. Frequencies above that point increase (or decrease) whereas frequencies under that point decrease (or increase).

This distinctive topology supplies a strong and uniquely environment-friendly strategy to get beautiful-sounding overall equalization. As such, the Tube-Tech HLT-2A is destined to develop into a “go-to” equalizer in high-end mastering homes, smaller project studios, and every little thing in between.

IMAGE	PRODUCT	DETAILS	PRICES
	Tube-Tech HLT 2A	Variable highpass with 5 frequencies and bypass: 18 Hz, 25 Hz, 40 Hz, 60 Hz, 85 Hz Variable low-pass with 5 frequencies and bypass: 12 kHz, 15 kHz, 18 kHz, 20 kHz, 25 kHz	Price on Thomann

4. Manley Massive Passive

The Manley Massive Passive Stereo Tube EQ is a two-channel, four-band equalizer, with extra high pass and low pass filters. “Passive” refers to the tone-shaping part of this intelligent new EQ design not utilizing any active circuitry.

Only metallic film resistors, film capacitors, and hand-wound inductors sculpt the sound, kinda like a Pultec EQ on hyper-steroids. Super-beefy, hugely-high-headroom Manley all-tube make-up gain amplifiers deliver your songs into the subsequent realm. “Massive” is a fitting phrase for this beast. You may need to experience this.

Creating a pure, natural, acoustic tone can only be carried out with an equalizer that treats the signal with pure strategies. The Massive Passive makes use of easy passive elements and exploits their pure qualities relatively than forcing a complex circuit to meet an arbitrary clinical or scientific objective.

Manley knows that recording and mastering equalizers are utilized by artists for creative objectives they usually balanced this design with a bit extra artwork than science. The Massive Passive is meant each for the most radical EQ generally needed for tracking as well as probably the most refined shadings for vocals and mastering. It’s designed to be a basically different EQ however incorporates the very best strengths of Pultecs, alternative console EQs, parametric, and graphics.

The distinction is that the Massive permits twice as much EQ with half the coloration. It permits big HF boosts without sibilance issues and unbelievable fatness without mud. That is unique. Being completely different additionally provides it with some quirks that may spark your creativity and sense of audio adventure.

IMAGE	PRODUCT	Amazon Store	PRICES	PRICES
	Manley Massive Passive	Price On Amazon	Price on Thomann	Price On Sweetwater

5. Heritage Audio Symph EQ

Heritage Audio is providing a high-class take on the Baxandall curve with their SYMPH EQ, a stereo equalizer for skilled engineers. A Baxandall curve, with its particular, prolonged low- and high-end shape, presents an easy and hi-fi way for high-end polish, low-end fullness, and total mix management.

This EQ provides you with basic Baxandall behavior and more. The SYMPH EQ provides options that make it a wonderful EQ for the stereo buss, resembling stepped controls for exact recall, M/S functionality, and a tone reminiscent of classic British desks, due to the elements and amplifiers utilized.

If you wish to add global polish to your stereo buss throughout the mixing process or for self-mastering, this is an exciting choice to use.

The unit features the identical unique Carnhill input transformers, made in Oxford, which might be discovered in many units. The outputs are pushed by 73-type Class-A output amplifiers, constructed with the identical Carnhill output transformers as the rest of the Heritage family. Most significantly, the Symph EQ presents built-in Mid/Side capabilities.

IMAGE	PRODUCT	Amazon Store	PRICES
	Heritage Audio Symph EQ	Price On Amazon	Price on Thomann

6. Drawmer 1974

As its name implies, 1974 is a vintage-style, 4-band parametric EQ inspired by 1970s-era gear. Twin-channel potentiometers present management over Low, Low-Mid, High-Mid, and High EQ bands. The Low-Mid and High-Mid bands permit adjustment of frequency, bandwidth, and boost/cut, whereas the Low and High bands permit adjustment of frequency, boost/cut, and slope. The boost and cut range for all bands is +- 12 dB.

The filter slopes within the 1974’s Low and High bands had been chosen for their musicality, enabling a user to regulate the main focus of the audio on the frequency extremes without creating the cruel characteristics of brick wall filters.

The slope for the Low band could also be set to 6, 9, or 12dB per octave, whereas the slope of the High band presents an alternative of 6 or 12dB per octave. A unique Peak setting for the Low band provides a slender bell shape to the 12dB per octave low-cut filter on the knee frequency simply before it rolls off, offering additional low-end weight without sacrificing clarity within the lowest frequencies.

IMAGE	PRODUCT	DETAILS	PRICES
	Drawmer 1974	Classic sound control and transparency Variable high and low pass filters for perfect exclusion of unwanted signal components	Price on Thomann

7. Dangerous Music BAX EQ

The BAX EQ is Dangerous Music’s first foray into the world of precise audio “processing.” The model is well-known for pioneering the idea of analog summing with its Dangerous 2-Bus, in addition to bringing high-end monitoring techniques and mastering consoles to the impartial studio market. For this primary attempt at a processor, Dangerous Music chose to deliver an old-school hi-fi idea to the professional world.

The Dangerous BAX EQ is a solidly constructed, 1U rackmount unit. It has a thicker and arguably sexier faceplate than earlier Dangerous boxes, with a bevel, and features the identical slick knobs as the company’s high-end line of mastering-level merchandise. The back is simplistic: two XLRs for the inputs, two XLRs for the outputs, and a receptacle for an IEC cable as the power is built-in.

On the front aspect, so as of appearance from left to right, you get the standard Dangerous Music orange brand, a highpass filter frequency-selection switch (the BAX filters have one switch working each channel), the low-end frequency-selection switch, separate left and right gain switches for the low end, separate left and right gain switches for the high end, the high-end frequency-selection swap, a lowpass filter frequency-selection swap, and an in/out backlit switch that’s dimmed when bypassed and shines bright when engaged.

That’s just about it. We really like the fact that every little thing is switch-based because there are not any mistakes to be made when writing settings down for recalls. Even essentially the newest interns are ready to recall BAX settings without fail.

IMAGE	PRODUCT	DETAILS	PRICES	PRICES
	Dangerous Music BAX EQ	All potentiometers are screened for accurate and reproducible work Wide Q shelving for a natural and open sound character	Price on Thomann	Price On Sweetwater

8. Elysia xfilter Mastering Edition

Elysia is a German audio electronics and software program developer most well-known for its high-end analog audio designs. The XFilter is a Four band “Class A stereo equalizer”. There is 1 set of controls for each of the left and right channels, they’re stereo ganged (linked) and detented so making correct and recall-able equalization selections with this unit is simple.

It’s not a dual-mono equalizer although, of course, you’ll be able to run a mono signal through one channel if you want. Its strength is finest served pretty clearly strapped across a set of stereo outputs on a sound card or wired to the insert factors of an analog mixing console or built-in within a mastering setting.

Elysia employed computer testing to measure the tolerances of the pots used producing a typical match of inside 0.1dB per channel. This is a superb technical method and has made this stereo equalizer very reasonably priced relative to utilizing switches that use discrete individually measured resistors. It has balanced XLR inputs and outputs.

The equalizer controls comprise Four bands, a low shelf (20Hz to 900Hz) a low mid band (45Hz to 2.2kHz), with switchable narrow or large Q (1.0) and (0.5) respectively, a high mid band (300Hz to 16kHz) with switchable narrow or large Q and a high shelf (700Hz – 28kHz)

In addition, the high and low shelf may be switched to behave as low-cut and high-cut filters, a fascinating touch including flexibility. One other distinctive characteristic is that there’s a single button that inserts a passive high-end enhance (a small resonant peak at 12kHz and an HF roll-off at 17kHz as a part of the slope design).

IMAGE	PRODUCT	DETAILS	PRICES
	Elysia xfilter Mastering Edition	Precise control range of +/-5 dB for all 4 bands True stereo link Class-A topology	Price on Thomann

9. Empirical Labs El-Q Lil FrEQ

At 14 lbs, the Lil FrEQ is a totally parametric four-band mono equalizer that features high and low shelves, a high-pass filter, and a dynamic part that may act as both a de-esser or a high-frequency “knee” limiter.

Input and output are supplied on each XLR connector and 1/4-inch jacks and a second male XLR connector supplies a transformer output yielding a “classic” audio quality. The front panel’s instrument input supplies unbalanced, high-impedance input with 10 dB of preliminary gain and is designed for lower-level, higher-impedance signals.

The 4 parametric sections are adjustable +/-14 dB and function under .0007 percent THD, making the Lil FrEQ presumably the lowest distortion analog parametric EQ ever manufactured. Every part may be independently bypassed.

The low- and high-frequency shelves have fixed corner frequencies of 120 Hz and 4 kHz respectively, and are adjustable +/-10 dB. The high-pass filter has an 18 dB per octave slope with eight frequency choices between 30 and 330 Hz. Sonically it displays a big quantity of coloration emulating the low-frequency warmth of basic classic equalizers.

The dynamics part includes a de-esser and a high-frequency “knee” limiter that may be positioned pre or post-EQ, permitting the user to find out if its efficiency is affected by the EQ. 4 LEDs indicate the quantity of Gain Reduction: -1.5 dB, -8 dB, -14 dB, and -24 dB.

IMAGE	PRODUCT	DETAILS	PRICES
	Empirical Labs El-Q Lil FrEQ	4x Fully parametric EQ bands 2x Shelving EQs 1x Dynamic EQ section	Price on Thomann

10. Bettermaker Mastering Equalizer

The Bettermaker Mastering EQ is a strong analog mastering equalizer combining a stereo Pultec type equalizer with three-band parametric EQ, high-pass filter, and advanced options such as USB connectivity, total recall, and a 5-inch multi-touch performance touchscreen.

The Bettermaker Mastering EQ takes its inspiration from the ground-breaking EQ232p together with its Pultec style and parametric combination however provides a further parametric band and the addition of shelf choices for the 2 outer bands. Each shelf presents up to 6dB of boost/cut, variable center frequency width, and Q.

Each of the parametric bands offers benefits overall to cover most purposes with the EQ1 covering the 23Hz to 520Hz area, EQ2 covering the 170Hz to 3.8kHz and EQ3 covering the 1kHz to 23kHz band. A brand new solo mode enables you to focus your attention on the mono or side signals when utilized in M/S in addition to Left or Right in stereo mode.

The brand new 5-inch multi-touch backlit show opens up the plugin providing an onscreen live representation of the EQ curve as well as Peak /RMS ranges and an RTA analyzer. 4 encoders with push-button motion are additionally provided for simple access and settings of the parameters.

IMAGE	PRODUCT	Amazon Store	PRICES	PRICES
	Bettermaker Mastering Equalizer	Price On Amazon	Price on Thomann	Price On Sweetwater

Check another EQ from Bettermaker: Stereo Passive EQ!

What is a Parametric Equalizer?

Parametric EQ, when in comparison with different varieties of EQ, is essentially the most configurable sort of EQ.

Parametric EQ presents continuous management (inside outlined ranges) over most of, if not all, the vital parameters of equalization. Therefore, parametric EQs are sometimes the go-to alternative for tone-shaping and surgical EQ situations.

The variety of adjustable parameters and the amount at which every parameter could also be adjusted could differ from band to band (largely depending on the filter type of the band). After all, some parametric EQs will provide larger control than others.

Parametric EQ designs lend themselves well to audio plugins, where DSP and pc programming can produce extraordinarily correct and versatile parametric EQs.

The more superior EQs like linear phase EQ and dynamic EQ sometimes have parametric management and are most frequently in plugin form as well.

The parameters differ relying on the filter type (which is commonly selectable, particularly with EQ plugins). The variety of bands in a parametric EQ is typically between three and seven, although plugins could have many more bands than this.

Parametric EQs may be designed to process mono, stereo, mid-side, and different multi-channel audio formats.

What Are the Advantages of Parametric EQ?

In case you’re questioning why parametric EQ is essential, listed below are a few of its advantages:

1. Feedback cancellation – In case you have ever been to live music events, you may hear some shrieking sounds in the background. That is principally when the mics are near the audio system. Parametric equalizers turn out to be useful in fixing such issues by filtering the frequencies behind them.
2. Studio monitor tuning – There are peaks and dips in any speaker at completely different frequencies. When you’ve got a home studio, you require a speaker that has a flat response. It is at this level that parametric equalizers will flatten the peaks and dips.
3. Elimination of undesirable noise – Parametric equalizers are generally used by sound producers to cancel any background noise. This may very well be the piano pedal or the noise produced by guitars when they’re picking.
4. Enhancement of studio efficiency particularly in recording, mixing, and production. Helps in frequency adjustment. It is deliberate and sophisticated in its performance.

Parameters of Parametric EQ

Center Frequency

The center frequency parameter permits us to manage the center frequency value about which a bell/peak or notch filter will probably be centered.

Gain (Boost/Cut)

The gain management, given in decibels (dB), refers back to the relative amplitude (boost or cut) utilized to a band of a parametric EQ.

Quality Factor (Q)

The quality factor (referred to simply as “Q”) is a dimensionless worth that determines the ratio of the center/resonant frequency to the filter’s bandwidth.

Cutoff Frequency

Cutoff frequencies are outlined as the factors at which filters trigger half-power or -3 dB of attenuation.

The cutoff frequency parameters of parametric EQs permit us to manage the cutoff frequencies of high-pass, low-pass, and band-pass filters.

Slope

Some equalizer bands can have slope controls to regulate the roll-off rate of their filters. These controls successfully alter the order of the filter in query, inflicting the slope (outlined in dB/octave and/or dB/decade) to vary. Some EQs even provide a brick-wall setting.

Filter Selection

Some (or probably all) bands in a parametric EQ can have choices in terms of selecting the filter type.

A parametric EQ’s filter choices could include:

• Low-pass filter
• Low shelf filter
• Bell curve filter
• Notch/band-stop filter
• High-pass filter
• High shelf filter
• Band-Pass Filter

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

We believe that if you pick one from these 10 models you will make no mistake. Each one of them will be able to provide you with something that no other parametric equalizer will have.

If you think that we missed any analog model of EQ, please let us know in the comments and we will try to cover it!

Visit our store and check out our Mixing eBooks and Galeries!