+10dB Equaliser 2

Name: +10dB Equaliser 2
Price: 79 USD
Author: Boz Digital Labs

by Boz Digital Labs · EQ · Parallel-band analog EQ

Not rated yet

The EQ section of Boz's +10dB Channel Strip as its own plugin, modeled with David Bendeth on a sought-after hardware channel strip.

Its four bands run in parallel rather than in series, so they interact differently and allow big boosts and cuts without harshness.

Best for: Drums, Bass, Vocals, Guitars. Genres: Rock & Indie, Metal, Pop.

Keywords: parallel processing, bass, drums, electric guitar, extreme, mixing, smooth, static, vocals.

What it does

+10dB Equaliser 2 "takes the EQ section from our +10db Channel strip plugin" and makes it a dedicated tool. Boz says it "takes a different approach to equalization than your standard digital EQ."

Parallel bands: four bands in a parallel configuration rather than the usual series chain, which changes how the bands interact.
Band controls: continuously variable frequencies, up to +/-20 dB per band, and a switch per band for boost, cut or off; Q widths are fixed.
Big moves: Boz says it allows "more extreme boost and cut settings" without harshness, and bands can overlap for more than 20 dB of combined gain.
Top end: symmetric frequency response up to Nyquist, with no digital pre-warping of the analog filter curves.

The compressor and the full +10dB Channel Strip 2 are sold separately.

Source: Boz Digital Labs product page

When to use it

+10dB Equaliser 2 is the choice for its unusual parallel-band interaction and large, clean boosts. Like the Pultec Passive EQ Collection and Neve 1073 Preamp & EQ Collection, it works in broad strokes, and it shares the punchy, fixed-Q feel of API 550. It is less suited to surgical work than Pro-Q 4.

Best for: bold tone shaping on drums, bass and guitars, and big boosts that stay smooth.
Genres: rock, metal and pop.
Look elsewhere if: you need a high-pass filter, variable Q or precise notches; SonicScoop noted there is no moveable high-pass.
Standout: the parallel band design, which gives it a different curve behavior from standard series EQs.

What producers say

Reviewers of the +10dB release found the EQ's band interaction useful and its controls unlike SSL or Neve EQs.

MusicRadar (2015) listed the EQ's band interaction among the bundle's strengths.
SonicScoop (2015) noted the boost/dip/bypass switching and that the EQ lacks a moveable high-pass filter.
Sound On Sound (2015) described the four parallel bands and the option, in the channel strip, to put the EQ in the compressor's sidechain.

Where to buy

Boz Digital Labs: $79

Tutorials and reviews

Similar plugins

+10dB Channel Strip 2 by Boz Digital Labs · Signature compressor/EQ strip · $99
Manley Massive Passive EQ by Universal Audio · Passive tube · $39
API 550 by Waves · Console EQ · $29.99
Electrodyne 511 by MixWave · Inductor EQ model · $99
The Hoser XT 2 by Boz Digital Labs · Signature channel EQ · $99
VQA-154 by Fuse Audio Labs · 1970s 4-band EQ module emulation · $69
VEQ-55B by Antelope Audio · Vintage 4-band console EQ · $99
MERICA by Analog Obsession · American console EQ · Free
BLENDEQ by Analog Obsession · Dual-circuit analog EQ · Free
HG-Q by Black Box Analog Design · Tube/solid-state EQ · $125

All EQs