We all have tons of equalizer plugins, most of which never get much use. That’s because most EQs work using an analog model, which isn’t bad since it’s worked well for engineers for about 70 years now, but in essence they’re all pretty much the same thing. Now we’re finally seeing a new generation of equalizers that think outside that analog box and will automatically find offending frequencies for you, instead of you having to hunt for them. A good example of this is the new HoRNet HarmoniQ inharmonic equalizer plugin.
HarmoniQ acts basic premise is that there are frequencies that clash with the fundamental of the signal. For instance, if the fundamental is at 60Hz and there’s a spike at 105Hz, then that’s inharmonic so HarmoniQ finds that frequencies and others, and gives you the ability to dial them out.
Let’s Use It
Using the plugin is very easy. There’s a large Amount control with an amount box that shows you how much the inharmonics are being treated by percentage. There’s a Learn box (the key to how the plugin works), a Delta selector so that you can hear the frequencies that are being affected, a Bypass selector, and a Reset button.
There are two learn mode options. In Auto mode, you play the sound and the plugin stops learning after 10 seconds. In On Stop mode the learning ceases whenever the DAW stops playing. In this mode HarmoniQ includes Lower Limit and Upper Limit controls to restrict the processing to a specific frequency range. This allows for more precise control over which part of the audio spectrum is being equalized, providing even greater flexibility and accuracy in your sound shaping. After the plugin learns the sound it applies up to 50 precise filters to give you the ability to attenuate the unwanted frequencies. If you want to undo the entire process and start again you hit the Reset button.
The display shows you frequency response of the mix element with an overlay of inharmonics that HarmoniQ finds, as well as the amount of attenuation applied. You also have the ability to save and recall your favorite settings to streamline your workflow and maintain consistency across projects.
HarmoniQ is available for just $37.98USD and has a demo so that you can check it out. As with all modern plugins, it’s available for Mac and PC on all plugin formats. You can find out more here, or watch the video of it in action below.
