which EQ has the "silkiest" high mids/top end?

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Don_Goliath

New member
i have the following issue: when mastering and A/Bing my master with my reference tracks i often find that my high mids and top end are not as present as in the reference tracks. but when i boost the respective high mid/top end frequency range(s) (i can hear the frequency ranges are the right ones and can also clearly identify them visually in a frequency spectrum analyzer) i always find that my master will sound (too) harsh. i think my stock EQ is the culpid and therefor wanted to ask you if you can recommand an EQ plugin with a really silky/not harsh high mids/top end sound?
 
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An SSL E Channel will give you parametric EQ control over your upper mids, or use an EQ that can attenuate and boost the same frequency ranges simultaneously. I'll leave you to research which EQ's can do that.
 
Also, if you're looking for a silky top end and vocal clarity, you might want to use a compressor that allows control over the upper frequencies. I use an LA2A emulator. It will take some experience using it, because it's very easy to overly compress your tracks in the beginning of your journey. Try using it on the buss/aux rather than an individual compressor on each individual track. Cheers.
 
I remember trying to figure this out for a while, and what I learned was that "smoothness" was not really a function of the EQ but a function of dynamics. For me, the reason highs sounded harsh was because they were too dynamic, meaning they needed to be tamed. That, or some frequencies needed to be cut.

Compressing/limiting highs is tough because it's hard to find a balance between losing their impact and them being harsh. Lately I've been using Waves L3 ultramaximizer on hihats. There are several profiles that can help you get the right sound. You can also try a de-esser. It does not take a lot of attack for a hi hat to be harsh though, so slow compressors probably won't help you much. Tape emulators are also known for rounding out highs.

Don't get me wrong, EQs do have their own sound, but I wouldn't say one is "smoother' than another. The EQ will give you the right tone, and the compressor or limiter will take away the harshness by taming the peaks that are hitting your ears.
 
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I used to have the Black Box Analog Design HG-2 for its "air" saturation parameter. Slate Digital also has a couple of "air" processors. There's one currently free. Get it here.
My point might as well be "not only EQs can introduce 'air' into a signal".
 
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