Alternatively, convenient ' right-click ' mouse action on any button allows direct keyboard input. SplineEQ's button values are adjustable with smooth, linear mouse movements. The plugin window is elegantly adorned with slightly rounded bevel edges. Button values are displayed in brght, neon-blue and lend a very polished look to the plugin's overall appearance. The buttons are evenly proportioned and are simple to navigate. The plainly visible knobs are charcoal colored highlighted with amber-like outer rings. The plugin's primary color is a subtle, easy-on-the-eyes, light silver/gray. Each of the plugin's categories are cleanly labeled with white text made especially legible against black background. It measures approximately 760px wide x 576px tall. The plugin is attractively presented in a comfortably-sized, colorful, eye-pleasing graphical interface. ** NOTE: SplineEQ's frequency points can be incremented/decremented by as much as (-/+) 60dB! If the instrument or vocal track is predominant in the mix, temporarily applying high resolution will gratify immensely. Midrange and upper frequency increments, even in the +6 dB range, produce smooth, sweet sheen without sounding harsh nor grainy. #Photosounder vst freeIn conjunction with a dedicated high pass filter, such as Melda Productions' free mBandPass, SplineEQ gives my piano/keyboard tracks exceptional clarity. I apply lower 'resolution' settings, while tracking, to reduce latency, yet the signal quality remains pleasantly satisfactory. I often use SplineEQ as my EQ of choice on piano/keyboard tracks. As a linear-phase equalizer, SplineEQ addresses lower frequencies tremendously well. Many linear-phase EQs have trouble filtering frequencies lower than 500hz and the resulting processed waveform is negatively affected with audible 'ringing'. Using greater 'resolution' ( Over Sampling ?) values ensures that the low end spectrum isn't damaged when making adjustments in this range. The degree of tone-shaping control realized with this hallmark EQ plugin, is nothing short of amazing. This mastering-grade plugin incontestably furnishes an engineer with a prodigious, auricular scalpel. SplineEQ is a precise, powerful tool for surgically removing unwanted aural tones. However, it does tend to soften transients especially on lower frequencies. I like to describe this plugin as a 1st class, blue-ribbon, utensil to garner accurate and extensive tonal shaping - without "coloration" or audio graininess. This EQ's control of the frequency spectrum can be very obvious, but it adjusts frequencies - it DOES NOT 'color' the sound. Yet, the caliber of audio quality remains high and transparent. SplineEQ's tonal shaping qualities are easily adjustable in very granular steps or in large swaths. The equalization curves are sophisticated and smooth-sounding even when adjusted in steep, narrow bands. Upon early review, I was immediately impressed with this EQ plugin's wonderfully CLEAN sound quality. Once you get accustomed to working within its color-coded graphics assisted environment, your ears will become better trained (visual & auditory mental associations) and you will easily *find* offending frequencies. Need to tweak that nasty 'reverb ringing' in an otherwise satisfactory vocal track? Need to bring out the 'shimmer' of a Hammond C3/Leslie combination? Need to cleanly edit an acoustic upright bass track to retain rich sound while lessening "string buzz" or "click"? It seems that every time I need to perform any type of surgical EQ tweak, SplineEQ has become my absolute GO TO plugin. ( I hope PhotoSounder doesn't get any ideas after reading my review. I'm not one to encourage price increases, but it would not be unreasonable if this plugin cost 3 or 4 times as much. As such, this plugin shines brilliantly in a final mix/mastering scenario. That aside, it does sound very, very clear and free from ringing, fuzziness, or other fatiguing audio artifacts. I will attest to my fellow KVR reviewers' testimonials that there can be quite a bit of latency induced if you operate this plugin at its higher quality settings. My findings are most nearly all positive. I'd been very busy with work, ministry engagements, and an overdue (3) week vacation and finally, at the end of July, 2012, I was at liberty to bench test SplineEQ. I was somewhat skeptical that a plugin costing a mere $19 could even pay admission to watch the game, let alone get on the playing field. *wink* Many progressional, mastering-grade plugins of this ilk are often very expensive and require strict (read: bothersome) anti-piracy mechanisms. Of course, I didn't apprise him otherwise. I was honored that he thought well of my writing skills and audio engineering skill. Rouzic (aka "A_SN") contacted me back in the middle of June, 2012, via a personal message and invited me to test and review PhotoSounder's wonderful new Linear Phase EQ plugin, SplineEQ.
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