Plugin Alliance has just released the Bettermaker EQ232D, a mastering-grade equalizer plug-in that emulates the hardware EQ232P MKII. Bettermaker, a division of the Warsaw, Poland-based company Addicted to Music Media Group, partnered up with Plugin Alliance for this release.
The hardware unit, which is no longer in production, is a favorite in hip-hop and EDM production, thanks largely to its P EQ section, which is a Pultec-style EQ with a lot of clean headroom. According to Plugin Alliance, luminaries such as Mike Dean, Jimmy Douglass, Jaycen Joshua, Dave Pensado, Luca Pretolesi, Matt Schaeffer and Greg Wells have used the hardware unit.
The plug-in version, which models the circuitry of the EQ232P MKII, features three main sections. The first includes two bands, EQ 1 and EQ 2. The former covers from 45 Hz through 1 kHz, and the latter 650 Hz through 15 kHz. On each of those bands, you get a pair of bandwidth buttons that let you set a Q in eight steps between Sharp (1/5 of an octave) and Wide (three octaves).
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The P EQ section features High- and Low-Frequency bands, each with a Boost and Attenuation knob, just like on a Pultec EQP-1a. The Low band, which has a fixed bandwidth, offers four frequency settings: 20,30, 60 and 100 Hz. The High band includes 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12 and 16 kHz options, and has a Bandwidth knob.
The far-left section offers a High-Pass filter and individual push-buttons for bypassing EQ 1, EQ 2 and the P EQ section.
The EQ232D also includes an Output knob and a display that shows the value of the last knob you touched. The plug-in runs in Stereo, Dual Mono and M/S modes.
The Bettermaker EQ232D lists for $299, but you can get it for an introductory price of $229.99 until October 31. It’s also available by subscription as part of Plugin Alliance’s “Mix and Master” and “Mega” Bundles.