Maselec MEA-2

Name: Maselec MEA-2
Price: 149 USD
Author: Relab Development

by Relab Development · EQ · Mastering EQ emulation

Not rated yet

An officially endorsed recreation of the Maselec MEA-2 mastering EQ, made with Leif Mases from a unit he supplied and matched using machine learning.

It keeps the hand-tuned asymmetrical Q curves and broad shelves of the hardware and adds per-band mid/side, per-band stereo linking, solo isolation and a resizable GUI.

Best for: Mastering, Mix Bus. Genres: all genres.

Keywords: mastering, mid/side, hardware emulation, broad-strokes, bus processing, mix bus, resizable UI, full mix, AI/machine learning, gentle, licensed emulation, smooth, static, stereo-linked, wide.

What it does

The Maselec MEA-2 Precision Stereo EQ is Relab's plugin version of the Maselec mastering equalizer, developed with Maselec founder Leif Mases and billed as "The Ultimate in Mastering-Grade EQs." Relab says it captured over 2.9 million data points from a custom unit, with a maximum deviation of 0.018 dB.

Unique Q curves: hand-tuned asymmetrical bandwidth curves instead of textbook filter equations.
Broad shelving: wide shelves designed to lift highs and lows smoothly without abrupt shifts.
Mid/side per band: every band can run in M/S mode individually, something the hardware can't do.
Solo Isolation: a fixed-gain solo curve for finding frequencies and resonances, with the serial band flow audible.
Workflow extras: stereo links per band, balance control, preset management and a resizable GUI.

Source: Relab Development product page

When to use it

Pick the MEA-2 when you want the Maselec's broad, musical curves with modern per-band M/S, especially if you know the hardware. FabFilter Pro-Q 4 is the more flexible, surgical choice; the Maag Audio EQ4 MS, Weiss EQ1 and Manley Massive Passive EQ are other mastering-grade options with their own curves.

Best for: mastering and mix bus tone shaping with broad, gentle moves.
Genres: general-purpose; used by mastering engineers across styles.
Look elsewhere if: you need dynamic EQ, surgical notches or a spectrum analyzer; Pro-Q 4 covers those.
Standout: mid/side mode on every band, added on top of the hardware's curves.

What producers say

A mastering engineer writing for SonicScoop uses it on every master, while KVR forum users were skeptical of the launch marketing.

SonicScoop (2024) Justin Colletti said he uses it on every master and that "it's been one of my favorite EQs of all time."
KVR users (2023) many mocked the launch copy, one calling it a "game changer" on "ChatGPT marketing steroids".
Gripe: a KVR user reported it did not null against Pro-Q but came to around -80 dB, and questioned the development effort behind it.

Where to buy

Plugin Boutique: $149 (regular $199)
PluginFox: $149
Best Service: $199
Relab Development: $199
AudioDeluxe: $199

Tutorials and reviews

Why I Use This EQ on Every Master (Maselec MEA-2 Mastering EQ from Relab) (SonicScoop)
Maselec MEA-2 Hardware EQ VS Plugin Emulation (Relab Development) (Audio Animals Studio)
Relab - Maselec MEA-2 - Precision Stereo EQ (John Marshall - Artist & Musician)
Maselec MEA-2 Plugin Review (Relab Development)
Relab - Maselec MEA-2 - How To Use - Playthrough (no voice)

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