Kilohearts Slice EQ

A truly modern parametric equalizer, Slice EQ cuts, or enhances, frequencies with surgical precision using razor sharp digital filters up to 96 dB/oct.

Slice EQ is an advanced parametric equalizer, with great modulation potential. Especially when combined with Snap Heap
Slice EQ offers you everything you need to create mathematically perfect filter combinations to get your music exactly where you want it to go.

When I’m dealing with a stereo track, whether it’s a full mix, an instrument channel, or some other stereo audio track in a larger mix, I like to have a good EQ that works specifically for this purpose. The fact is, applying EQ to stereo tracks can get pretty hairy, especially when you’re dealing with a signal that has an imbalance in frequencies or overall volume between the different channels. In these instances, as well as many others, the kiloHearts Slice EQ is the perfect solution. It’s a parametric EQ for stereo signals. It makes great use of real-time frequency spectrum analysis, which it gives you via its intuitive, simple interface. It provides two separate spectrum responses for each channel simultaneously, and makes them easily distinguishable.

Quite often you don’t want to apply the same EQ filter to both channels, since that may solve your EQ problem on one channel, but create a new problem on the other. And sometimes, the imbalance isn’t between the two sides of a stereo signal, but between the middle (mono) signal and the side signals. Our friends at kiloHearts have given you multiple options for dealing with these issues. This plug-in allows you to apply different EQs to each channel separately, or EQ them together. The choice between Left/Right and Mid/Side mode allows you two separate, completely different (but equally useful) methods of EQing stereo channels. The Mid/Side feature alone makes this plug-in stand out amongst the many other stereo EQs on the market.

But what we here at www.RecordingSoftware.com really love about the Slice is its unique ability to compare the frequency spectrum for both sides of your signal to the spectrum of a different audio source. If you want to see how the EQ can fit into your mix, you can use the reference tool to load in frequency spectrum analysis of a different audio signal, and see how it compares to the signal you are working with. This makes it easy to compare your mix to other mixes, or to see whether another instrument in your mix is interfering with the frequency range of the sound you’re currently equalizing. And you can record these spectrum references for later use, which can save you a lot of time for future sessions. Add in Oversampling, an A/B comparison tool, and the ability to save presets, and these little features combine to create a plug-in that is extremely useful for us engineers who need a more precise stereo EQ.

Features

• Stereo Parametric Equalizer that contains six different filter types, with full control over cutoff, rolloff, and Q controls for each filter
• AU, AAX and VST Formats
• EQ both channels of stereo signal, or each channel separately
• Full Frequency Spectrum analysis that can be controlled, viewed, and expanded in the user interface
• Left/Right and Mid/Side operation modes allow you to EQ a stereo signal in two different but equally useful ways
• 12 different factory presets and the ability to create new patches to save as user presets
• A/B Comparison tool allows for quick reference between EQ settings
• Reference Tool Displays another sound’s frequency spectrum, allowing you to compare it to the signal you are working with
• Oversampling option provides filter responses that mimic analog EQ, making for an overall great-sounding EQ plug-in

EQ Types

• Six different types of EQ that can be applied to one or both sides of a stereo signal
• Create separate EQ bands for each channel, and/or bands that apply to both
• Peak, Low & High Shelf, Notch, Low & High Cut filter types
• Cutoff, Gain, Q, and Roll-off controls for each filter
• Load several factory presets and save others for future use

User Interface/Viewport

• Real time frequency spectrum analysis gives you the frequency response for multiple audio channels, depending upon which mode is selected
  • Pink and Green spectrum colors clearly distinguish each channel of audio
  • Know exactly when one channel is louder than another in a specific frequency range
• Gain control adjusts overall gain of EQ
• Dry/Wet Mix controls adjust gain parameter of all filters simultaneously (some filter types excluded)
• Filters listed on right side of interface provide knob controls for each filter
• Adjust frequency resolution of spectrum analysis, as well as adjust the speed at which the spectrum falls
• Expand the viewport to fill your entire screen, creating extremely precise EQ filters

Tools

• Reference Tool displays frequency spectrum of another sound in viewport, allowing you to compare frequencies between two tracks
  • Useful for comparing mixes, or avoid clashes between instruments in the same frequency range
  • Record reference spectrum and save it as a profile for use in later sessions
• Choose From Left/Right or Mid/Side Mode and edit each channel of a stereo signal separately
  • Left/Right allows for EQ-ing of the Left and Right channels separately, while Mid/Side mode allows you to EQ the middle (mono) channel separately from the side channels
• Edit Tool allows for easy creation and managing of filters
• Zoom and Pan view tools allow for panning and zooming in viewport, allowing you to focus on a specific frequency or gain range