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Black Rooster Audio KH-EQ1 Plugin

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Black Rooster Audio KH-EQ1 Plugin
 Black Rooster Audio KH-EQ1 Plugin 

The Koen Heldens Signature Series adds the KH-EQ1 to go with the original KH-COMP1 and the RO-140 Plate Reverb. The KH-EQ1 is a semi-parametric equalizer that covers 20Hz to 33kHz in five overlapping bands with -18dB and +18dB of boost/cut for each band. There is a unique feature for any individual EQ band: you may add harmonic color and saturation separately for each. Especially suited for stereo sources, the KH-EQ1 has a completely variable Mid/Side processing mode as well.

You can tell an actual working recording engineer had a hand in the design of the KH-EQ1 because of a feature called Auto Listen. When enabled, clicking on any of the five EQ bands' frequency controls causes that band to solo and fully boost at whatever frequency you have selected. While clicking down on the frequency control, this works smoothly for instantly fine-tuning the Freq knob to find the "sweet spot" frequency for boosting or cutting. Love it!

In addition, for all five EQ sections, Stereo Mode and Input level controls, Option + Click to reset them to default (Pro Tools).

I also thought the Mid/Side feature was done in a unique way. It is always available and continuously variable. The default is the Stereo Mode control knob set straight up at 12noon. In Stereo, whatever EQ you have is equally applied to both the left and right channels conventionally. For stereo backing vocals, guitars, or for stereo tracks, the ability to equalize the phantom center to shape element(s) placed there without affecting the L/R Sides is brilliant. Conversely, it is easy to brighten up the Sides for enhancing the stereo width.

I liked this feature for drum overheads to either play up or down the cymbals on the L/R pair or play down the snare drum in those mics.

Lastly, the per-band saturation is slowly growing on me in my mixes and so far, I like it as a 'coloring' aid for throwing too clean tracks in the dirt to rough them up but only in certain frequency ranges. Fun stuff!

With all presets included created by Koen himself, Black Rooster KH-EQ1 5-Band Semi-Parametric EQ Plugin sells for $59 as a download at blackroosteraudio.com/en/products/kh-eq1



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