[LEFT] Waves GEQ in “classic” mode has a white face plate and uses the proportional floating approach. [RIGHT] Waves GEQ in “modern” mode has a black face plate and has a fixed filter “Q” for each frequency.
Plug-ins were once tools reserved for use only in the studio. That's definitely not the case anymore, and live sound engineers working on both digital and analog consoles have access to hundreds of options broadening the sonic possibilities. Still, most plug-ins are designed for use in the studio where you have more time to turn knobs, listen and make decisions. The live environment is not the same. Things are constantly in flux—and having tactile tools that allow fast moves are important. What has been absent in the market has been a professional graphic EQ plug-in. Enter the Waves GEQ, a 30-band graphic equalizer plug-in based on classic hardware with the live sound engineer in mind.
Waves GEQ looks just like physical graphic EQs that you find on shows all over the world. The product's two modes, “classic” and “modern,” offer two different industry-standard approaches to graphic EQs. Classic has a white face plate and uses the proportional floating approach. This means the more gain you add or subtract to a given frequency, the narrower the filter becomes. To put this in terms of a parametric EQ, the “Q” becomes tighter as you increase/decrease a band's gain. Modern mode has a black faceplate and has a fixed filter “Q” for each frequency, which is quite tight. Utilizing flat-top filters that Waves says eliminates artifacts associated with band interaction, this mode is said to offer perfect plateau and stair-stepped responses. Both modes also offer an independent high-pass filter, low-pass filter, as well as a single parametric bell filter. The most standout feature is the built-in, real-time frequency analyzer. The RTA is displayed behind the 30 bands of EQ so the user can see what the source material is doing.
Though RTA is an amazing feature to have with a plug-in, I had a very specific hope for the GEQ: I wanted it to sound good. I have spent a lot of time on every digital console out there. Many of these consoles come with a built-in, 15- or 30-band graphic EQ, and most of them just don't sound great. They are not phase-coherent, which can be a problem you encounter with any digital audio processing. With digital EQ processing, the phasing is frequency-specific, and when EQ'ing stereo sources the problems become apparent right away. When you begin to make adjustments with the EQ on your main bus, you hear phase shift happen across your entire mix. The low-end can become muddled, and the vocal becomes smeared. In trying to fix problem frequencies the digital EQ is actually introducing new problems into the mix. I avoid using the built-in graphic EQ on certain consoles specifically for this reason (I won't mention any names).
I FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS PLUG-IN.
In use
I first used the Waves GEQ on the stereo bus while mixing FOH on a Sunday morning. By utilizing Waves MultiRack I was able to use the GEQ with an analog console. I chose to start with the “modern” setting so that I could be very detailed in the system tuning. Playing a familiar song, I was able to hear areas that I wasn't fond of and fix them right away with precision. The GEQ sounded amazing and there were no apparent phase issues, which made me very happy. The sound maintained phase-coherency, and I was able to make EQ changes to the main bus without fear of any negative side effect. A simple but beautiful outcome.
Since GEQ can also be used in mono, it can be inserted on any source that needs surgical-like repair. I found a great use of GEQ on a particular sibilant vocal. The lead singer had over pronounced “s” and “t” sounds. This analog console didn't have a de-esser, so I decided to insert GEQ on the vocal channel to address the offensive sibilant frequencies and remove the unwanted “s” sounds. Watching the RTA made it easy to identify the problem. I was able to remove the unwanted sibilance and the vocal sounded much better. After fixing the problem, I decided to bypass the analog EQ on the console. I used the high-pass filter (HPF) and the single band of parametric EQ to duplicate the sound I was after. It was awesome; I loved being able to give this much attention to the most important element of my mix. I have found myself in many situations where, due to a poor PA system design, feedback was causing a problem with the lead vocal in the mains. In these situations I have had to insert a graphic EQ on both the stereo bus and the main vocal to fix the issues. The GEQ would be a perfect companion in this sort of situation.
Using the GEQ in monitor world on a different production, I chose the “classic” setting. Analog EQs have offered the proportional floating approach for a while. The benefit is that you start by changing a broader frequency—which is interpreted as being more musical. If a problem frequency arises, and a more drastic change is required, the change becomes more focused on the specific frequency. The graphic display on the plug-in shows you how your changes are being made. GEQ operated as easily as the familiar outboard gear on which it is based. Even better, I was able to use the HPF and roll off excessive low-end. Again, the RTA was a lifesaver when trying to find the problem frequencies. When a bit of feedback crept up at 2k, the RTA revealed this and I was able to pull down that frequency. I loved how fast this plug-in allowed me to work. No guessing involved.
I fell in love with this plug-in. It's not the exciting tape emulator, or delay plug-in that engineers don't stop talking about, but it is a professional tool that you will use every day and will make your mix sound better. I really don't want to go back to using the console's built in graphic EQs.
