Parametric EQ with an option mix with original?

[AryaStealth]

I know there are convolvers like ToneBoosters Morphit that allow you to apply a convolution filter headphone correction less than 100% (mix with original), so I wonder if there are parametric EQ software (10 bands) that can do the same. Perhaps applying less than 100% correction can sound better due to unit to unit variation.

 

[bachatero]

Unlike convolution, you should be able to fine tune the EQ to be exactly what you want. You could get this mix in one step by just adjusting the gain to have a lesser effect but I think a pure mix option would be great too.

 

[jjaskuna]

I call the parameter you are describing the "wet mix" and I just added it to a crossfeed effect I'm finishing up. I'd planned to make an uber high count peq for the community next and I will include this in it. Very easy for me to add.

Any other requested functions?

 

[AryaStealth]

It would be nice if your PEQ was compatible with EqualizerAPO (which supports only VST plugins and not VST3).
If you are going to add the "wet mix" support by converting PEQ settings into a convolution filter, then you could also offer an option to load a convolution filter with the "wet mix" support (EqualizerAPO also lacks that capability for convolution filters).

I have another question that concers hearing changes. I recently came accross a VST/EQ plugin that "will adjust for any hearing deficiencies you may have that are affecting the accuracy of your mixing." (no demo version available, so a red flag to me). If this plugin really worked (I belive they test your hearing with 500hz range), what kind of EQ it would add to compensate some of the sensorineural hearing loss? Just applying some sort of compression to a frequency range?

 

[DVDdoug]

Unlike convolution, you should be able to fine tune the EQ to be exactly what you want.

Right! Mixing will just give you different EQ which could be accomplished with different EQ settings. It's different with compression or reverb-delay or other non-linear effects and it's not unusual to blend the "wet" and "dry".

I have another question that concers hearing changes. I recently came accross a VST/EQ plugin that "will adjust for any hearing deficiencies you may have that are affecting the accuracy of your mixing."

I don't believe that will work in the real world either. Your brain has adapted to what you normally hear so you'd have to at-least listen to the same EQ everyday as you're using while mixing. Even then, you're not going to hear exactly what a person with normal hearing hears and it's not going to sound "normal" to you either.. (And no amount of boost is going to allow me to hear 20kHz.) It's the same with hearing aids (which usually have "personalized EQ"). It doesn't "restore" your hearing and if you need hearing aids you're not going to be a good audio engineer. But you can still enjoy music. Not all mixing/mastering engineers have "perfect hearing" (partly because they've been listening too loud for too long) but they know what a good mix should sound like to them. But as some point, you've got to leave it to someone else.

 

[jjaskuna]

Yes, on APO support. That is why I want it to have a very high band count ;-). We'll see how many I can fit in a manageable UX.

Convo mix like you describe I have in another beta app already, which will soon add PEQs. Goal is IIR + FIR EQ + Combined modalities (with mix parameter) and the ability to easily convert back and forth -- peq <--> convo. Also various transforms like convo inversion or phase control.

Disclosure: I am biased in this and have a vested interest,. I'll try to remain neutral.

Regarding hearing related plugins / dsp...
Embodiements are all over the board. Some are EQ, some compression (which can also be frequency dependent), some a combination, even undisclosed.

Think of it like room correction. Your ears, not unlike a filter bank, can be thought to have transfer functions. If properly measured we can optimize EQs using a target response of "perfect" hearing against results. We cannot, however, boost any EQ by 10, 15, 20+ dB without making it super lean sounding. So, we need compression to address that. There are also psychoacoustic effects at play with the combination. It is about perception of sound more than the act of hearing.

I think that some will have "better" mixes when they can once again hear instrumentation otherwise missed. But you do need to habituate to the sound as rightly pointed out. And, at least for mine, parameter settings matter greatly based on audio content, not just your hearing.

 

[goat76]

I know there are convolvers like ToneBoosters Morphit that allow you to apply a convolution filter headphone correction less than 100% (mix with original), so I wonder if there are parametric EQ software (10 bands) that can do the same. Perhaps applying less than 100% correction can sound better due to unit to unit variation.

I often use the percentage control in Fabfilter Pro-Q 3 that goes from 0% to 200% where 100% is the default. But I don't see what you mean by "mix with original" as it's hardly two different signals going through, and instead, just a simple way to increase or decrease all the filter points in one go, and with the same amount no matter if they are of negative or positive amplitude. Sorry!

It's a great way to determine if some of the filters are exaggerated or not, but if there are any unit-to-unit variations at play it's still unlikely that all the filters are equally wrong for the specific unit.

 

[KosherButcher]

I often use the percentage control in Fabfilter Pro-Q 3 that goes from 0% to 200% where 100% is the default. But I don't see what you mean by "mix with original" as it's hardly two different signals going through, and instead, just a simple way to increase or decrease all the filter points in one go, and with the same amount no matter if they are of negative or positive amplitude. Sorry!

It's a great way to determine if some of the filters are exaggerated or not, but if there are any unit-to-unit variations at play it's still unlikely that all the filters are equally wrong for the specific unit.

You beat me to it - I was going to suggest Fabfilter. TDR Nova is a parallel dynamic EQ, and has a wet/dry knob.