As engineer’s, there are many cases where we may find ourselves asking – do we really need another “insert any plug-in type here” but when it comes to dynamic EQ’s, the more the merrier in my opinion. I’ve been a long time Sonnox user for well over a decade now. In fact, they were one of my first purchases with respect to 3rd party plug-in’s. So needless to say I was pretty excited when I saw the news that Sonnox had entered the market with their very own Oxford Dynamic EQ.
So first of all what is a Dynamic EQ, and why use it over a traditional EQ?
Well to answer that, I’ll simply quote the good folks at Sonnox, as they are much smarter than me, and have a really simple but thorough explanation:
“A static EQ is just that. Set. If you dial in a 5db cut at 1kHz, it’ll be applied irrespective of the level of your incoming signal. Let’s say that you’re only bothered by the 1kHz frequency when the singer is really going for it in a chorus. On one note. If you apply a static EQ, 1kHz is cut all the way through the song and you’ll need to automate your way around the problem.
A dynamic EQ is more kind to your recording, only doing its thing when you need it to. The result is a less processed and more natural sounding. Less is more!”
Check out the video examples below to see the Oxford Dynamic EQ in action
Key Features
- 5 bands of the Oxford Type-3 EQ curve which offer proportional-Q, often considered the most musical EQ curve-type
- All bands can overlap fluidly without the static phase distortion or low frequency artefacts associated with multiband compressors
- Each band can process and/or detect from mono, stereo, mid or side channels
- Flexible per-band internal/external side chain controls
- A clear and informative GUI simplifies the often-complex workflows associated with multiband dynamic plug-ins
- Flexible upwards/downwards compression and upwards/downwards expansion
- Engage the effect either by setting a level threshold or by using the unique onset detection feature for very precise transient processing
Compatibility
AUDIO UNITS
- Audio Units-compatible application
- Mac OS X 10.7 – 10.12
- iLok USB device with latest drivers
- iLok2 / iLok3 required
VST2 / VST3
- VST2 or VST3 compatible application
- Mac OS X 10.7 – 10.12
- Windows 7 or later
- iLok USB device with latest drivers
- iLok2 / iLok3
AAX
- Pro Tools 10.3.8, 11.3.2, 12 – AAX Native
- Approved Pro Tools CPU, OS and hardware configuration: www.avid.com
- iLok USB device with latest drivers
- iLok2 / iLok3 required
Pricing & Details
For full details and pricing, or to demo the Oxford Dynamic EQ, be sure to head over to the Sonnox website. And needless to say, keep your eye on the blog for a full review coming soon.
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