Supports sample rates from 44.AI’s grip on modern plug-in design shows no signs of abating, with Austrian company Sonible now turning its attention towards reverb.

Group mode to create EQ curves based on multiple sources.

Additional smart:filter EQ curve based on audio analysis.

Intel Core i5 CPU, 4GB RAM, OpenGL Version 3.2+.

And, of course, with a generous capacity of 24 bands, smart:EQ 3 allows for a lot of sculpting! System Requirements

Those who find EQ-ing a chore should enjoy handing over the job to the smart:filter and Group mode, while those who prefer to trust their own ears and judgement should also find these to be useful shortcuts for getting parts into the right ballpark before adding some bespoke sculpting. The smart features work very well – better, indeed, than we had expected them to – and Sonible has created a logical and understandable interface for controlling both the standard filters and the smart tools. Smart:EQ 3 can feel a bit convoluted when compared to a conventional mixing desk style EQ, but that’s not to say it’s difficult to use – far from it. It then adjusts the smart:filter curve of those parts to remove the spectral masking, giving each part its own frequency range in which to “poke through” the mix. Up to six instances of the plug-in can share their spectral information, and smart:EQ 3 uses this to calculate where the frequencies in one part may be masking those in another.

Possibly the smartest thing about smart:EQ 3 is its Group mode, which works on spectral mixing principles. Smart:EQ 3 in Group mode can visualise up to six tracks to show potential problem areas where frequencies overlap. The smart:filter works alongside the standard filter bands, and you can create your own custom smart:filter profiles by combining a standard filter setup with a smart:filter curve.

Once the smart:filter has completed its analysis, the resulting EQ curve is drawn in the plug-in window, along with a set of interactive handles that allow you to control the strength and range of the smart:filter’s effect. There’s a general-purpose “universal” profile, along with profiles designed for specific instruments – synths, guitars, drums and so on. This uses AI techniques to analyse the incoming audio, then creates an additional EQ curve that aims to correct any tonal imperfections, basing these calculations on a chosen profile. Where things get smart is with the so-called smart:filter. Also, the standard filters can operate in either left-right or mid-side modes, and you can solo them to help you focus on a specific band. As well as a conventional parametric curve, you can switch bands to operate in high-shelving, low-shelving, high-pass and low-pass modes.

Sonible smart eq gearslutz