Five classic analogue-style EQs

SoundToys Sie-Q $99

Clearly not content to slap their name on yet another 1073 or Pultec clone, Soundtoys’ first EQ plugin recreates the W295b EQ module from a 60s Siemens Sitral console. Improvements include fully sweepable gain rather than stepped selections, and adjustable drive for adding juicy analogue saturation.

soundtoys.com

Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 214 » 9/10 » £129

No roster of analogue EQs would be complete without an SSL-alike, and FG-S is one of the finest, found in Slate Digital’s Virtual Mix Rack package. It works just like the real thing, with a high-pass filter, low and high shelves switchable to bell shapes, and two midrange peaking filters. Powerful, clean and musical.

slatedigital.com

PSP Audioware ClassicQ $69

Developers might be fixated on recreating gear from big-name brands like SSL,

API and Neve emulations, but Polish DSP veterans

PSP picked out a British Amek EQ as the inspiration for ClassicQ. It features saturation and a switchable transformer simulation for subtlesounding low-end bloom.

pspaudioware.com

Sonimus Burnley 73 cm226 » 10/10 » $59

The Neve 1073 is one of the all-time greats, comprising a preamp with incredible-sounding drive and powerful, muscular EQ. With a spot-on sound and smart modern additions like band bypass, pop-up parameter labelling, and level-compensated drive, this recreation from Sonimus is hard not to recommend.

sonimus.com

Sly-Fi Axis $99

An off-shoot of the main Kush brand, Sly-Fi’s ‘triple-mode’ EQ is inspired by the sound of two classic API hardware equalisers, switchable with the A/B setting. A third mode, UBK, does away with the stepped frequency and gain selectors, allowing completely smooth adjustment. The star of the show, though, is the sumptuous saturation.

slyfidigital.com