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XX--EEQ Q™ ™
User Guide
82S6MC050A
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CONTENTS 1. Introduction 1 5.5 FFT Spectrum Analyser 12 Key Features 2 5.6 Automation 12 X-EQ Graphical User Interface 3 5.7 Global Bypass 13 5.8 X-EQ Band Parameters and Control Ranges 13 2. System Requirements 4 Apple Macintosh 4 6. X-EQ Filter Types 14 Windows/PC 4 6.1 Bell Filters 14 6.2 Shelving Filters 17 3. Installation & Authorisation 5 6.3 Cut Filters 18 4. Some History 6 7. X-EQ Signal Flow 20 4.1 An Audio Engineer’s Best Friend 6 7.1 Serial mode 20 4.2 The Best of the Analogue and Dig
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1. Introduction Thank you for purchasing the X-EQ plug-in for the SSL Liberated from any analogue style control legacy, the X-EQ Duende platform. X-EQ is a versatile and comprehensive graphical user interface will especially appeal to people who mastering grade parametric EQ plug-in built from the ground like to see what they are hearing. The fully interactive EQ up for Duende. It has an unprecedented clarity, smoothness, display shows the exact filter shapes and resulting curves of and excellen
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Key Features • 10 band fully parametric high quality digital EQ • A total of 16 different filter types: 5 different cut filters, 9 bell shapes, shelving filters and a parallel mode • Extensive control options including dragable EQ graph nodes, mouse wheel adjustment and numerical data entry • Extremely low noise and low non-linear distortion filter algorithms resulting in the residual THD+N significantly lower than 24-bit quantisation noise • Comprehensive stereo/mono peak (with clip-hold), R
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X-EQ Graphical User Interface 14 13 12 11 1 Stereo/mono input meter 2 Input gain control 3 Preset Management buttons 4 HP filter and LF shelf bands 5 6 independent bell shape bands 6 Parallel mode button 1 7 LP filter and HF shelf bands 8 FFT analyser on/off 2 9 Band control section 10 Stereo/mono output meter 11 Output level control 12 Duende logo – Command + click (Mac) or Ctrl + click (PC) here for Product Activation 13 Graphical EQ display with analyser 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 14 Latency f
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2. System Requirements Apple Macintosh Windows/PC • SSL Duende running V2.2 software and firmware • SSL Duende running V2.2 software and firmware • PowerPC G4/G5 or Intel 1.0GHz or higher • Minimum of Intel Pentium IV 1.0GHz or equivalent • 512Mb RAM (1Gb recommended) • 512Mb RAM (1Gb recommended) • Mac OS X (Version 10.4.10 or higher) • Windows XP • 60Mb of free hard disk space • 80Mb of free hard disk space • Audio Units, VST or RTAS* compatible host • Approved VST or RTAS* compatible host
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3. Installation & Authorisation A time limited trial version of X-EQ will be installed during 4. In step 3 you will be asked to enter your Authentication the Duende V2.2 software update. This allows X-EQ to be run ID. This is found in the X-EQ Production Activation in evaluation mode, which means the plug-in can be used with box. Command + click (Mac) or Ctrl + click (PC) on full functionality until a certain number of samples of audio the Duende logo in the X-EQ GUI to open this box. have been
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4. Some History 4.1 An Audio Engineer’s Best Friend 4.3 Analogue Parametric EQ Modelling The equaliser is the oldest and the most popular sound In today’s era of digital audio workstations, hundreds of processing tool. From the earliest days, its main function has software parametric equalisers are available. Many of them been to correct or enhance sound by boosting or cutting are intended to be “THE best sounding equaliser ever”. The certain frequency ranges. Engineers have developed countless
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filters as precise and clean as possible. For controlled effective in certain situations (eg. ‘surgically’ removing generation of distortions we recommend using enhancers or troublesome frequencies), it should not be considered as a any other specialised processors with proper built-in anti- superior tool for the majority of EQ tasks. aliasing technology. Linear phase equalisers have become popular over the past few years due to the proliferation of powerful digital 4.4 Non- Linear Phase EQ pro
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4.5 Parallel Passive EQ Parallel EQ exhibits quite different sonic properties to the In X-EQ – when the ‘parallel’ button is engaged – you are familiar serial parametric EQ. We are generally used to presented with a parallel passive EQ model which the original hearing the effect of one EQ band superimposed on another, designers of these devices could only have dreamed of. The as opposed to the band interaction inherent to a parallel EQ. noise floor can be disregarded due to the huge resolution B
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5. Operational Overview 5.1 Graphical EQ Display 5.2 Control Options in Band Control and Input/Output Sections Move the mouse cursor either up/down or in a circular movement over a knob to adjust it’s parameter value. The exact nature of the movement you need to make to change a knob value is dictated by your DAW. When you click on any of the EQ band nodes on the display The scroll wheel can also be set to alter the corresponding band parameters will be shown in the Band parameter values here. C
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The input and output sliders function in the same manner as knobs, allowing you to move with mouse cursor, scroll (with shift as fine adjust) and reset using modifier keys. Exact numerical entry is possible for any value by double clicking on the value box. Band Gain can be entered upto a resolution of 0.1dB, and frequency, Q and input/output gain values to one decimal place. 5.3 Save, Load and A/B Functionality Permanent preset storage and retrieval can be carried out by Clicking the ‘Load’ but
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Alternatively, you may wish to store the presets in a sub- 5.4 Meters directory within your project folder. The X-EQ input and output meter displays are, in fact, three A/B functionality, providing two different memory locations, meters in one. They offer various ways to easily read the Peak is included for easy comparison of any two settings. When the and RMS levels of a signal over time, and the 'dynamic plug-in is instantiate memory location A is selected by default, history' meter allows you
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Peak Meter and Clip Indicator 5.5 FFT Spectrum Analyser The wide meter bar to the left is a responsive peak meter A real-time FFT analyser engine reports the amplitude of all which allows you to observe the exact input level at any point frequencies at any moment in time. As the analyser is placed in time. A red clip light at the top of the meters indicates that post-EQ, you can see what effect the processing has on the three consecutive samples are at maximum which is taken to frequency spectru
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5.7 Global Bypass Because Duende plug-ins cause a noticeable latency at higher host buffer settings, the bypass button provided by the DAW can cause an undesirable shift in time. For this reason a latency-free global bypass (In/Out) button is included. When this is engaged the audio is still passed to and from Duende, but is unchanged as all X-EQ processing (including input and output gains) are bypassed. This gives a smooth, glitch free bypass function and we recommend that you use this method
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6. X-EQ Filter Types 6.1 Bell Filters Q Definitions P – 3dB – Classical definition that means Q is measured 3dB below peak for boost or 3dB above peak for cut. 0 – 3dB – Definition used for bells in some US products, the bandwidth for Q calculation is measured 3dB below 0dB line for cut or 3dB above for boost. Q in both definitions correct only for +6dB boost/cut. P/2 – New “musical” definition based on the bandwidth measurement in the middle of a bell filter, between peak and 0dB line. Nor
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Proportional 1 Proportional equalisers are recognised as being more ‘musical’ than Constant Q. The bells are wider below +6dB and narrower above +6dB (or –6dB for cut). Proportional 2 Like Proportional 1 but with larger changes below and above +6dB peak (or –6dB for cut). P –3dB Proportional 3 Like Proportional 1 but with extra widened bells between 0 and +3dB (or –3dB for cut). P – 3dB 15
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Constant Q Asymmetrical Used in some US products and mixers. The boost characteristics are defined according to 0 – 3dB formula. Extra widened between –3dB and 0dB. P – 3dB boost, 0 – 3dB cut Constant Q Asymmetrical Reverse Exactly like above but with mirrored boost and cut characteristics. Constant Q Invert Both boost and cut characteristics are both defined according to 0 – 3dB formula. 0 – 3dB 16
