Today’s edition of bpb Freeware Studio features a selection of the best free linear-phase equalizers in VST/AU plugin format for Windows and Mac.
You might also want to check out previous articles covering free parametric EQs and free graphic EQs.If you’re wondering about the concept behind linear-phase EQs, here’s a little introduction. Basically, minimum-phase EQs (aka IIR or infinite impulse response – the ones you use every day) are causing a phase delay of the frequencies you’re boosting/cutting, which results in audible artifacts (often described as smearing) due to the phase difference between the affected and unaffected parts of the signal.
Linear Phase Equalizer Software - Free Download Linear Phase Equalizer - Top 4 Download - Top4Download.com offers free. software downloads for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android computers and mobile devices. Free Downloads: special delay, Bit- and Rate-Reducer, Tube guitar amp, waveshaping, Tube guitar amp, 8 bands frequencies cutter, Stereo Expansion, Reverb, simple. Voxengo CurveEQ VST (64 bit) is a professional WYSIWYG ('what you see is what you get') linear phase spline equalizer. CurveEQ shows you actual filtering information: the filter's frequency. Blue Cat's Liny EQ is an 8 bands linear phase equalizer with very low latency and comprehensive visual feedback: thanks to its highly optimized linear phase kernel, it processes the signal without phase distortion, with an unusually short latency (less than 3 milliseconds).Liny EQ's wide range of gain (+-40dB) and multiple filter shapes make it very flexible for a graphic EQ, letting you.
These artifacts become more audible as you further increase/decrease the gain. On the other hand, linear-phase filters (aka FIR or finite impulse response) will delay the whole signal by the same amount so that all frequencies are kept in-phase, but this results in added latency and pre-ringing artifacts (with minimum-phase EQs we get post-ringing which we usually don’t hear since it’s masked by the actual audio signal). So which is better? There is no clear answer to that question – as you can see, both come with certain advantages and drawbacks! Your best bet is to take some time to practice, listen carefully to the results and decide for yourself which tool to use in given situations.
For some further reading on topic of different EQ types, I recommend this useful article by MeldaProduction, and Roey Izhaki’s awesome Mixing Audio book (here’s the part covering linear-phase equalizers). Ok, school’s over – time to play with some freeware VSTs!
Best freeware linar-phase equalizer VST/AU plugins:
- Filtrate LE by LiquidSonics (Windows)
- Glacier by Sweetboy (Windows)
- LinearPhaseGraphicEQ 2 by slim slow slider (Mac, Windows)
- Marvel GEQ by Voxengo (Mac, Windows)
- ReaFIR by Cockos (Windows)
- SplineEQ by Photosounder (Mac, Windows)
- Voxengo CurveEQ VST (64 bit) is a professional WYSIWYG ('what you see is what you get') linear phase spline equalizer. CurveEQ shows you actual filtering information: the filter's frequency.
- Lkjb has released QRange, a freeware IIR linear-phase equalizer in VST and VST3 plugin formats for compatible digital audio workstations on PC and Mac. QRange is a 12-band linear-phase equalizer developed by lkjb, the same programmer who created the excellent Luftikus analog-style equalizer. That plugin was featured in our Top 20 Freeware VST Plugins OfRead More.
- If you need an EQ with many bands IIEQ will meet your demands and on top of that it has a very nice sound. Download link for IIEQ. Marvel GEQ by Voxengo (Windows and Mac) Should you need a linear phase eq for mastering purposes Voxengo Marvel GEQ (graphic equalizer) is an exellent free VST.
Filtrate LE is my go-to linear-phase EQ. The interface is pretty much what you’d find on a regular parametric equalizer and that’s what makes it so easy to work with in my case. Filtrate LE is the free version of Filtrate, featuring 5 frequency bands (you can switch between bell, shelf, and LP/HP curves). Those with NVIDIA 8 Series GPU (and above) graphic cards can use the GPU Edition and give their main CPU some slack.
ReaFIR is a brilliant plugin released by Cockos, part of their free VST plugin bundle. Once you engage the Reduce artifacts button, ReaFIR begins to operate in linear-phase mode. To learn more about the way this plugin works, check out the ReaFIR article on CockosWIKI.
ReaFIR by Cockos.
Marvel GEQ is another great free linear-phase EQ with some unique features. It’s a 16-band linear-phase graphic equalizer with stereo and multi-channel processing, as well as mid/side processing capabilities! To check out the full feature-list, click here.
SplineEQ is an amazing linear-phase equalizer recently released by Photosounder (the free version is limited to 4 bands). The main twist with SplineEQ is that it uses Bézier curves, which undoubtedly results in a different sound character compared to other EQs. I’m kinda still practicing with this plugin trying to get familiar with how it works, but I like it more and more every day!
SplineEQ by Photosounder.
Finally, LinearPhaseGraphicEQ 2 and Glacier are two older linear-phase EQs, but worth checking out nevertheless. Glacier is a 1-band design, which can be pretty useful if you just need to perform a quick cut/bosst without hassle.
Before you go, here’s a nice video by MacUpdate, explaining some of the concepts behind SplineEQ:
And that’s pretty much all for today. If I’ve missed mentioning a good linear- phase EQ, feel free to suggest it in the comments section below. Also, please help BPB grow by sharing links to this and/or your other favorite BPB articles! Thanks for reading and have fun mixing!
The Blue Cat's Stereo Liny EQ plugin was designed to be a 9 bands linear phase stereo equalizer. It has the same characteristics as the standard Liny EQ, and it enables separate Left / Right management of the spectrum: automate the +/-40dB faders for. ...
- BlueCatStereoLinyEQDXDemoSetup.exe
- Blue Cat Audio
- Freeware (Free)
- Windows2K, XP, Vista, Vista64, 7, 7x64
NewBlue Audio Equalizers is a pack of 9 specialized audio plugin filters can boost or cut ranges of tone in a variety of ways. This collection allows you to control the highs, lows and everything-in-betweens of your audio tracks. Whether you need. ...
- NewBlueAudioEqualizersForWindowsSetup13.exe
- NewBlue Inc
- Freeware (Free)
- Windows XP, Vista, XPX64, Vista64, 7, 7x64
JAMin is the JACK Audio Connection Kit (JACK) Audio Mastering interface. JAMin is an open source application designed to perform professional audio mastering of stereo input streams. It uses LADSPA for digital signal processing (DSP).
- jamin-0.95.0.tar.gz
- jamin.sourceforge.net
- Freeware (Free)
- 983 Kb
- Linux
Blue Cat's Widening Liny EQ is based on Blue Cat's Liny EQ technology and was designed to be a 9 bands linear phase Mid/Side equalizer. Thanks to Blue Cat's unique widening technology, you can manage equalization of Middle / Side parts of the stereo. ...
- BlueCatWideningLinyEQDXDemoSetup.exe
- Blue Cat Audio
- Freeware (Free)
- Windows2K, XP, Vista, Vista64, 7, 7x64
Blue Cat's Widening Parametr'EQ was designed to be a 7 bands parametric Mid-Side equalizer based on Blue Cat's Parametr'EQ algorithms, enabling you to widen or narrow the frequencies of your choice. This special 'widening' version offers two. ...
- BlueCatWideningParametrEQDXDemoSetup.exe
- Blue Cat Audio
- Freeware (Free)
- Windows2K, XP, Vista, Vista64, 7, 7x64
A 7 band parametric equalizer combining the advantages of both the digital and analog worlds. Its special non-linear and oversampling features let you easily simulate the compression and distortion that may occur in an analog EQ or on the contrary. ...
- BlueCatParametrEQAUDemo.dmg
- Blue Cat Audio
- Freeware (Free)
- 10 Mb
- Mac OS X 10.5 or later
Blue Cat's Widening Triple EQ is the 'Widening' (Mid/Side) version of the Triple EQ shapeable filter / equalizer: it is a three bands real time semi-parametric mid/side equalizer. It lets you control the low, medium and high gains of the mid (mono). ...
- BlueCatWideningTripleEQDXDemoSetup.exe
- Blue Cat Audio
- Freeware (Free)
- Windows2K, XP, 2003, Vista, Vista64, 7, 7x64
The Blue Cat's Stereo Triple EQ plugin was designed based on Blue Cat's Triple EQ technology: its 3 filters let you to easily equalize the left and right channels of your signal separately. The graphs show you the exact frequency response for each. ...
- BlueCatStereoTripleEQDXDemoSetup.exe
- Blue Cat Audio
- Freeware (Free)
- Windows2K, XP, Vista, Vista64, 7, 7x64
The Blue Cat's Liny EQ plugin was designed to be a 9 bands linear phase equalizer. It processes the signal without the usual phase distortion most classical digital EQs produce. Its wide range of gain (+/-40 dB per band) makes it suitable for any. ...
- BlueCatLinyEQDXDemoSetup.exe
- Blue Cat Audio
- Freeware (Free)
- Windows2K, XP, Vista, Vista64, 7, 7x64
The Blue Cat's Parametr'EQ plugin was designed to be a 7 bands parametric equalizer combining the advantages of both the digital and analog worlds. Its special non-linear and oversampling features let you easily simulate the compression and. ...
- BlueCatParametrEQDXDemoSetup.exe
- Blue Cat Audio
- Freeware (Free)
- Windows2K, XP, Vista, Vista64, 7, 7x64
Blue Cat's Triple EQ is a 3 bands semi-parametric equalizer that can be controlled as a single filter with customizable shape. It includes a low shelf filter, a high shelf filter and a boost/cut peak filter. Its wide range of gain (+/-40 dB per band). ...
- BlueCatTripleEQDX-x64Setup.exe
- Blue Cat Audio
- Freeware (Free)
- 3.7 Mb
- WinXP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 x64
Blue Cat's Triple EQ is a 3 bands semi-parametric equalizer that can be controlled as a single filter with customizable shape. It includes a low shelf filter, a high shelf filter and a boost/cut peak filter. Its wide range of gain (+/-40 dB per band). ...
- BlueCatTripleEQDXSetup.exe
- Blue Cat Audio
- Freeware (Free)
- 3.7 Mb
- WinXP, Windows Vista, Windows 7
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