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Initial Audio’s New Dynamic EQ Plugin Is FREE Until March 31st

By 36 Comments3 Mins Read
Initial Audio’s Dynamic EQ Plugin is now FREE Until end of March

Initial Audio’s Dynamic EQ plugin is currently available for FREE from the company’s website, which represents a saving of $49. 

The deal is part of the developer’s 10th-anniversary sale and terminates at the “end of March.” 

Dynamic EQ is a parametric equalizer with multi-band compression. 

Initial Audio states that “each band has a built-in compressor [and]precise frequencies can be dynamically cut or boosted by setting the threshold”.

YouTube video

The developer further notes that the plugin can be used just as a stock EQ, or alternatively, when you want to exercise more control, the “transparent compression algorithm can be used to tame or boost specific frequencies.”

Dynamic EQ features a level meter for each band, with a marker displaying the threshold level. 

This design enables you to control the frequencies in a mix at a finer level of detail than a standard equalizer. 

Initial Audio notes that this feature is useful for de-essing or dynamically reducing frequencies.

Dynamic EQ was released in March 2022, so if you want to check out the plugin, quite a few demos are floating around on YouTube, including an overview and demo from the developer.

YouTube video

Initial Audio states that Dynamic EQ is designed to be intuitive and simple to use, explaining that “with a sleek and modern design, our EQ was made for the modern-day producer. It’s all about the visual feedback; you won’t have to rely on your ears alone.”

So, you heard it here first, folks! Using your ears is out – it turns out we were meant to be using our eyes all along.

The developer further notes that the movement of the EQ curve clearly displays which frequencies have been boosted or cut, while the level meter makes the loudness of each band clear, and the frequency analyzer creates an accurate outline of the prominent frequencies. 

Dynamic EQ features up to 16 bands, each with its own comp. The comp is Initial Audio’s LA1 compressor, which the developer states “has a super transparent algorithm and introduces no distortion or artifacts even when forced to work extremely hard.”

Dynamic EQ is available for Windows (AAX, VST2, and VST3) and Mac (AAX, AU, VST2, and VST3).

The 15 MB download is available via checking out at the Initial Audio store, which requires creating an account and submitting a name and email address. 

Download: DynamicEQ (FREE until the end of March – account required)

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Stephen is a musician and journalist who hails from Melbourne, Australia. He learned everything he knows about production from Google and used that vast knowledge to create a series of records you definitely haven’t heard of.

36 Comments

  1. Dee

     on

    Looking forward to trying this one. As much as I don’t like to admit, my hearing isn’t like it was (years of DJing lost me about 25% and not much frequency below 80hz in one ear), so visual feedback is important. I like Hornet Total EQ which is dynamic and has some flavour, but it’s a bit flaky. This could be it’s replacement…

    Reply

    • Brenny C

       on

      Would you be willing to expound on what you mean by the “flakiness” of Hornet’s Total EQ?

      That’s not a challenge, I’m genuinely curious.

      Thanks!

      Reply

        • Brenny C

           on

          Spyware? Wow, that’s quite an accusation. I’ve yet to see any indication that HorNet plugins are spyware, whether from personal experience or from reading others’ reviews and posts on forums.

          Do you have any proof of this?

          Reply

      • Dee

         on

        Don’t get me wrong, I like Total EQ and hornet in general. Soundwise, it’s great, however I do get times when projects won’t open if total EQ is used, DAW crashes when using it and graphics glitches on the plugin itself. These can be anything from a lag to weird spikes and lines appearing. I’ve updated, changed PC’s and daws and it’s still a lucky dip.

        Reply

        • Brenny C

           on

          Yeah, that’s a good point. Some of his releases are a bit buggy and I haven’t been a HorNet customer long enough to know how prompt he is at updating those bugs.

          Thanks for the response!

          Reply

  2. SL11

     on

    Simple and great! Has everything one could want in a dynamic eq. The only thing missing is a solo function for the individual eq bands.

    Reply

  3. Your Name

     on

    Took time to register and download. Loaded it in reaper. Created a node. Changed gain. Crashed reaper. Pitty, because the ui is really nice and tidy, like it better than Fab.

    Reply

    • Jeff

       on

      I just installed it. Only the VST3 version. Created a node and changed the gain and it seems to work fine. Using Reaper 6.83. I added another node and changed the gain and it works fine as well.

      Reply

  5. Brenny C

     on

    I’ve added to my account but haven’t tried this one out yet. I really love that GUI and I’m drawn to the simplicity of the plugin.

    Initial Audio makes some quality plugins in my opinion. On top of Dynamic EQ I have Sektor, Reverse, and Clipper, and I like them all.

    And to those who’ve mentioned issues with Dynamic EQ in Reaper: the dev has been pretty good about ironing out the kinks in their software that I own, so hopefully they’ll get the Reaper problem sorted out soon.

    Reply

  6. alex

     on

    Well, if they added external side-chain support and manual attack/release controls it would be a nice plugin. Not a $49 plugin, though. I mean, TB Equalizer 4 sells at $29. That said, I still use TBFlX that I bought around ten years back which is now free but overlooked and highly underrated for some reason. TDR Nova is a whole different beast and can’t be compared to anything else. Those two and Melda MDynamic EQ cover all my needs. BTW, Initial Audio Dynamic EQ works fine here in Reaper or better said it worked until I uninstalled it.

    Reply

  11. LUKAS

     on

    Mixed feelings about this eq. I opened it in one project and it was not responsive. Opened it in another it was good. Maybe interference with other effects? When you open it up and it works like it’s supposed to, it’s a fairly nice EQ. Really responsive, smooth, pleasant GUI, my only issue with it is that dials are a bit too small. Sounds good overall, but not too great. It is a bit warm, compression works great. But, when compared to MEqualizer, MEqualizer would get an upper hand in sound quality(Melda feels more high definition). When compared to Nova it does sound better and you can dial in the curves a lot faster, you don’t have to jump between the dials and points on the spectrum. The high end is what disappointed me a bit, it doesn’t have airiness like MEqualizer, but you can get away with it if you drop luftikus on master and dial in 10k. If developer adds airiness on highs and works out stability issues, it would be a decent competitor to the big dog. 3.5/5 stars.

    Reply

  13. Mike

     on

    My ear hurts at language like “each band has a built-in compressor”. What’s the difference between each band having a compressor and each band having a built-in compressor?

    Also “preselected” frequency ranges. Not here, but in plenty of other plugins. I wonder what that means, as opposed to fixed frequency ranges? Maybe it means that the developer is not going to come and select them while I’m using the plugin.

    And finally a fun contest: you get a penny for every acoustic sample library that is “meticulously”, and you get a penny for every synth that is “powerful”. But no pennies for “soaring leads”, “lush pads” and “gritty basses”. That would crash the economy instantly.

    Reply

    • AL

       on

      That was a fun read! We need more of this, maybe it would get audio companies into making the minimal effort because lately, the world of audio has been suffering from ridiculous hyped descriptions and marketing through YouTube videos with contorted faces for thumbnails, usually promoting vaporware and/or abandonware. We have less and less trustworthy devs…at least we should have some fun.

      Reply

  16. Michal Ochedowski

     on

    Some info to anyone considering using this eq in a project. I’ve just experienced a strange bug. I set a low shelf filter around 30 Hz -3dB. I closed the GUI and saved the project without closing Ableton. When I came back, I opened the GUI and noticed that my previously selected low shelf has been changed to peak filter. The frequency and level values remained unaffected, but the filter definitely changed on its own.

    Reply
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