Audio effects
Parametric EQ
Eight-band surgical EQ with mid/side, adaptive Q, and 2× oversampling.
In this guide
Add it to a track
Select the destination track, open Plugins, and choose Add Effect. Find this device in Library → Effects. Effects process the signal from the devices before them in the chain.
Controls
| Control | What to listen or look for |
|---|---|
| Listen | Auditions the selected input frequency range at unity gain, independently of the band's boost or cut. |
| Mode | Chooses which stereo component the EQ processes. |
| Adaptive Q | Changes the band's bandwidth with its gain for a more focused boost or cut. |
| Oversample | Processes the effect at a higher internal sample rate to reduce aliasing, using more CPU. |
| Scale | Scales the strength of all band gains together. |
| Output | Sets the signal level leaving this stage. |
| Analyzer | Chooses the signal displayed by the live spectrum analyzer. |
| Extended | Expands the graph's visible gain range from ±18 dB to ±30 dB. |
| 1 On | Turns this processing stage on or off. |
| 1 Type | Chooses the selected band's filter shape; band 1 provides low cuts and band 8 provides high cuts. |
| 1 Freq | Sets the frequency where the filter acts on the sound. |
| 1 Gain | Boosts or cuts the selected band without changing the other bands. |
| 1 Q | Sets the selected band's bandwidth; higher Q focuses it on a narrower frequency range. |
| 2 On | Turns this processing stage on or off. |
| 2 Type | Chooses the selected band's filter shape; band 1 provides low cuts and band 8 provides high cuts. |
| 2 Freq | Sets the frequency where the filter acts on the sound. |
| 2 Gain | Boosts or cuts the selected band without changing the other bands. |
| 2 Q | Sets the selected band's bandwidth; higher Q focuses it on a narrower frequency range. |
| 3 On | Turns this processing stage on or off. |
| 3 Type | Chooses the selected band's filter shape; band 1 provides low cuts and band 8 provides high cuts. |
| 3 Freq | Sets the frequency where the filter acts on the sound. |
| 3 Gain | Boosts or cuts the selected band without changing the other bands. |
| 3 Q | Sets the selected band's bandwidth; higher Q focuses it on a narrower frequency range. |
| 4 On | Turns this processing stage on or off. |
| 4 Type | Chooses the selected band's filter shape; band 1 provides low cuts and band 8 provides high cuts. |
| 4 Freq | Sets the frequency where the filter acts on the sound. |
| 4 Gain | Boosts or cuts the selected band without changing the other bands. |
| 4 Q | Sets the selected band's bandwidth; higher Q focuses it on a narrower frequency range. |
| 5 On | Turns this processing stage on or off. |
| 5 Type | Chooses the selected band's filter shape; band 1 provides low cuts and band 8 provides high cuts. |
| 5 Freq | Sets the frequency where the filter acts on the sound. |
| 5 Gain | Boosts or cuts the selected band without changing the other bands. |
| 5 Q | Sets the selected band's bandwidth; higher Q focuses it on a narrower frequency range. |
| 6 On | Turns this processing stage on or off. |
| 6 Type | Chooses the selected band's filter shape; band 1 provides low cuts and band 8 provides high cuts. |
| 6 Freq | Sets the frequency where the filter acts on the sound. |
| 6 Gain | Boosts or cuts the selected band without changing the other bands. |
| 6 Q | Sets the selected band's bandwidth; higher Q focuses it on a narrower frequency range. |
| 7 On | Turns this processing stage on or off. |
| 7 Type | Chooses the selected band's filter shape; band 1 provides low cuts and band 8 provides high cuts. |
| 7 Freq | Sets the frequency where the filter acts on the sound. |
| 7 Gain | Boosts or cuts the selected band without changing the other bands. |
| 7 Q | Sets the selected band's bandwidth; higher Q focuses it on a narrower frequency range. |
| 8 On | Turns this processing stage on or off. |
| 8 Type | Chooses the selected band's filter shape; band 1 provides low cuts and band 8 provides high cuts. |
| 8 Freq | Sets the frequency where the filter acts on the sound. |
| 8 Gain | Boosts or cuts the selected band without changing the other bands. |
| 8 Q | Sets the selected band's bandwidth; higher Q focuses it on a narrower frequency range. |
| S1 On | Turns this processing stage on or off. |
| S1 Type | Chooses the selected band's filter shape; band 1 provides low cuts and band 8 provides high cuts. |
| S1 Freq | Sets the frequency where the filter acts on the sound. |
| S1 Gain | Boosts or cuts the selected band without changing the other bands. |
| S1 Q | Sets the selected band's bandwidth; higher Q focuses it on a narrower frequency range. |
| S2 On | Turns this processing stage on or off. |
| S2 Type | Chooses the selected band's filter shape; band 1 provides low cuts and band 8 provides high cuts. |
| S2 Freq | Sets the frequency where the filter acts on the sound. |
| S2 Gain | Boosts or cuts the selected band without changing the other bands. |
| S2 Q | Sets the selected band's bandwidth; higher Q focuses it on a narrower frequency range. |
| S3 On | Turns this processing stage on or off. |
| S3 Type | Chooses the selected band's filter shape; band 1 provides low cuts and band 8 provides high cuts. |
| S3 Freq | Sets the frequency where the filter acts on the sound. |
| S3 Gain | Boosts or cuts the selected band without changing the other bands. |
| S3 Q | Sets the selected band's bandwidth; higher Q focuses it on a narrower frequency range. |
| S4 On | Turns this processing stage on or off. |
| S4 Type | Chooses the selected band's filter shape; band 1 provides low cuts and band 8 provides high cuts. |
| S4 Freq | Sets the frequency where the filter acts on the sound. |
| S4 Gain | Boosts or cuts the selected band without changing the other bands. |
| S4 Q | Sets the selected band's bandwidth; higher Q focuses it on a narrower frequency range. |
| S5 On | Turns this processing stage on or off. |
| S5 Type | Chooses the selected band's filter shape; band 1 provides low cuts and band 8 provides high cuts. |
| S5 Freq | Sets the frequency where the filter acts on the sound. |
| S5 Gain | Boosts or cuts the selected band without changing the other bands. |
| S5 Q | Sets the selected band's bandwidth; higher Q focuses it on a narrower frequency range. |
| S6 On | Turns this processing stage on or off. |
| S6 Type | Chooses the selected band's filter shape; band 1 provides low cuts and band 8 provides high cuts. |
| S6 Freq | Sets the frequency where the filter acts on the sound. |
| S6 Gain | Boosts or cuts the selected band without changing the other bands. |
| S6 Q | Sets the selected band's bandwidth; higher Q focuses it on a narrower frequency range. |
| S7 On | Turns this processing stage on or off. |
| S7 Type | Chooses the selected band's filter shape; band 1 provides low cuts and band 8 provides high cuts. |
| S7 Freq | Sets the frequency where the filter acts on the sound. |
| S7 Gain | Boosts or cuts the selected band without changing the other bands. |
| S7 Q | Sets the selected band's bandwidth; higher Q focuses it on a narrower frequency range. |
| S8 On | Turns this processing stage on or off. |
| S8 Type | Chooses the selected band's filter shape; band 1 provides low cuts and band 8 provides high cuts. |
| S8 Freq | Sets the frequency where the filter acts on the sound. |
| S8 Gain | Boosts or cuts the selected band without changing the other bands. |
| S8 Q | Sets the selected band's bandwidth; higher Q focuses it on a narrower frequency range. |
Work with this device
Start with a short passage that represents your material. Change one control at a time. Compare at a similar listening level, using the device's power control to bypass it. Save a version of the project before making a large change.
Current behavior
Select a band to inspect its controls. Each of the eight main and eight second-bank bands has its own settings. Mode Stereo uses one bank; Left/Right and Mid/Side expose the second bank through the channel button. Band Type changes the available frequency, gain and Q controls.
In the floating editor, a selected Bell band exposes Depth, Threshold, Ratio, Attack and Release. Depth is 0–24 dB, Threshold −60–0 dBFS, Ratio 1–20:1, Attack 0.1–200 ms and Release 10–2,000 ms. Depth 0 disables dynamics. A non-Bell shape disables these controls while preserving settings. Read the status: waiting for audio, band off, static settings and live reduction are different states. Band Gain spans −30–+30 dB; Extended changes the graph range from ±18 to ±30 dB. Frequency is 10–22,000 Hz and Q is 0.1–18. Listen auditions the selected input band independently of its boost or cut.
Dawnamite user guide for macOS. For changes between versions, see update history.