Steinbach
EQ

Signal chain

Three processors,
one plugin

All three modules run simultaneously at all times. The panel switcher changes only what is displayed, not what is processing. Every session uses all three.

EQ module

Eight bands that never
flatter themselves

Make bold cuts and boosts without losing your loudness reference. Auto Gain compensates the output automatically, so what you hear is the actual tonal change, not a louder version convincing you it sounds better.

7 filter types

Low Cut, Low Shelf, Bell, Notch, High Shelf, High Cut, Band Pass. Right-click any handle to switch type and slope.

Up to 48 dB/oct

Butterworth cascade up to 8th order. Removes problem frequencies without phase smearing the rest of the signal.

Click-free at any speed

Per-block coefficient interpolation and 15 ms pre-smoothing eliminate zipper noise, even under fast automation.

64-bit filter states

TDF-II biquad processing stays stable at extreme Q values, very low frequencies and high sample rates.

SAT module

Analogue character,
per frequency band

Saturate the low-mids for warmth without muddying the highs. Drive the presence range for bite without touching the bass. Independent saturation per band means you only add harmonic content exactly where you want it.

Iron waveshaper

Models transformer-core saturation with asymmetric drive, generating even harmonics for a musical, analogue sound. Harder on positive peaks, softer on negative, creating the push and pull of a real analogue circuit.

Linkwitz-Riley crossover

Three adjustable crossover points split the signal at 4th order with flat power reconstruction. Saturate each band without frequency-range bleed.

Console stereo simulation

Unlink left and right for independent per-band drive amounts, widening the stereo image through asymmetric harmonic content on each side.

TR module

Sharper kick, tighter snare,
more room

A dual-envelope follower detects attack and sustain phases in real time. Boost the attack to add punch or reduce it to tame harshness. Extend the sustain for presence or cut it to tighten a mix. All of this per band, without touching the EQ.

Dual-envelope detection

Fast and slow IIR followers separate transient peaks from sustained tails. The ratio between them identifies exactly when attack starts and ends.

Attack and sustain, independent

Set different gains for each phase, from −24 to +24 dB. Add snap to a kick without making the room ring, or open up a room mic without making it punchy.

Speed control

Adjusts detection from 0.5 ms for sharp clicks and snare hits to 200 ms for room ambience and bass sustain. Dial it to match any source.

New in 1.3

Dynamic bands, a chain
you can rearrange

Version 1.3 is the largest update so far. Every band can now work dynamically, the three modules can be dragged into any order, and presets live in the plugin window instead of a system menu.

• Dynamic EQ Right-click a band and make it dynamic. A bipolar ratio compresses or expands, and the ghost band shows the movement live.
• Reorderable chain Drag EQ, SAT and TR into whichever order the material needs. The modules animate into place.
• Preset browser An in-window overlay over a blurred backdrop, with 17 presets. Cmd+click auditions one without closing it.
• Gain-matched A/B On Cmd+B, without the shortcut leaking through to your DAW.
• Quieter CLIP stage A numerical fault in the DC blocker was producing audible crackle on bass-heavy material. Its noise floor is now 87 dB lower.

Mix demo

Hear it on
a real mix

From raw tracks to finished result, Steinbach EQ on a full mix session.

Specifications

What you get

Formats

AU · VST3Logic, Ableton, Reaper and more

Platform

macOS 11+Apple Silicon and Intel

Sample rates

44.1 – 192 kHzAll standard rates

Latency

Zero samplesNo look-ahead processing

EQ bands

87 types · 6–48 dB/oct

SAT bands

40–24 dB drive per band

TR bands

4±24 dB attack and sustain

Output clip

−1 dBFSSoft (tanh) or hard mode

Get it

Get
Steinbach EQ

29 € One-time payment · Free updates · via Patreon

Available through Patreon. You get the AU and VST3 versions for Apple Silicon and Intel, DAW preset support, and every update that follows.