BusEq - EQ emulation type Baxandall plugin Vst3/Au/Aax
In the month of May Borealis Audio announced version 2 of the BusEq plugin, in this update a new GUI was presented (more elegant), bypass button was added for the equalization and Width bands, the switches were also added: Preamp & Mismatch and an Output knob, plus the equalization response for the High Frequency spectrum has been improved, now it is very close to the analog version. And the news now is that, the AAX plugin format (compatible with Pro Tools) is included. And of course, the price is still voluntary, starting at $0 USD, meaning you can get it for FREE.
• And if you still don't know this brand, let me tell you a little. The beginnings of Borealis Audio (based in Sucre - Bolivia) are in the design and manufacture of analog equipment since 2018, under the direction of Mastering Engineer Marcelo Navia, who has more than 12 years of experience. And since 2022 developing plugins, where he already has an interesting catalog that covers different needs within the mixing and mastering processes.
BusEq 2 - Borealis Audio
The BusEq 2 plugin is a Baxandall-type musical equalizer for the High and Low bands with a function for expanding the stereo image, designed for Mixbus processing, mixing completion and mastering, although it is possible to use it in other stages of the production chain. production. This plugin is a close recreation of the first analog audio processor manufactured by Borealis Audio, of the same name: the BusEq (this is Borealis Audio's most prominent and well-known product, and was the one that drove the development of the digital version plugin).
BusEq 2 offers us two smooth progression equalization bands (baxandall), we have the Low band with the knobs: 'Low Gain' of range +/- 12dB and the 'Low Freq' knob to select the desired frequency on which we want to work , this ranges from 20 to 800 Hz and for the High band we have the knobs: 'High Gain' with a range +/- 12dB and the 'High Freq' knob to select the frequency , this ranges from 800 to 20,000 Hz.
The Baxandall filter is named after its creator Peter J. Baxandall, who was an English audio engineer and electronic engineer and a pioneer of the use of analog electronics in audio. (Fact: He never collected a single royalty, while even a minuscule percentage would have made him an extremely rich man. This might be the greatest testament to his generosity; He really wanted to make the world sound better.)
Then we have the 'WIDTH' knob, it offers control over the stereo pan, it allows you to increase or decrease the Side information, from zero side information (set to -100%), this would take the audio signal to mono, up to + 6 dB of side increase (set to 100%), this would lead to an increase in the stereo image. And the new Output knob, which resembles a screw, offers us control over the output signal (+/- 12 dB).
And in the switches we have, 'Analog': this emulates one of the main characteristics of an analogue adder, Crosstalk, this is that each of the channels (L - R) will have part of the information from the other channel, Borealis Audio It tells us that this crosstalk is around -35 dB and activating the Analog switch activates an HP filter. 'Colour': what would be BusEq's own analog color is active, it emulates the saturation of transformers and operational amplifiers. The control of this characteristic will depend on the level of the Input signal. Borealis Audio does not say that "The sweet spot is between -20 LUFS and -15 LUFS, with an Input signal with peaks greater than -10 dBFS they will generate greater harmonic distortion and when activating the Color switch an LP filter appears." New: 'Preamp', activates an impulse response captured from real analog equipment (features a classic frequency response curve of transformers) & 'Mismatch' adds a slight Phase Shift to the L channel from the R channel in the high frequencies. The phase shift is in gain (0.4 dB maximum) and around frequencies at 10 kHz (this is "traditional" behavior that can be found in analog equipment).
BusEq 2 Free Download
To get the free download of the BusEq plugin you must go to the official website of the developer Borealis Audio . You must carry out the typical Purchase process, you will be asked for the typical information, name, email, etc. that you must provide, after that you will have access to the download links, which you will also receive in your email. While you can get the BusEq 2 plugin for free (entering a value of $0), consider supporting the developer with some "voluntary contribution."
We will find BusEq 2 in VST3 / AU / AAX plugin formats compatible with DAWs on Windows and Mac 64-bit operating systems.
