Blue Cat's Widening Parametr'EQ is a seven-band parametric plug-in for controlling stereo width by equalizing mid and side signals independently. Its adjustable virtual center positions processing within the stereo field, while a live frequency-response display helps shape each band. Nonlinear modeling, oversampling, gain compensation, a brickwall limiter and peak meter round out its processing tools.
| Author: | Blue Cat Audio |
| License: | Demo |
| Price: | $116.49 |
| Released: | Mar 26, 2014 |
| File size: | 5.10 MB |
| Downloads: | 417 |
| Keywords: | sound equalizer, VST plugin, vst equalizer, VST, peak meter, stereo narrowing, parametric eq plugin, audio plugin, digital audio workstation, plugin, stereo widening plugin, Blue Cat Audio, equalizer, parametric equalizer, audio equalizer, Widening Parametr'EQ, x64 software, mid side equalizer |
| Author URL: | https://www.bluecataudio.com/ |
Blue Cat's Widening Parametr'EQ is a seven-band parametric equalizer plug-in for shaping the stereo image of recorded or mixed audio. It processes mid and side signals independently, making it useful to audio engineers and music producers who need more control than a conventional stereo EQ provides. Rather than applying the same tonal change across the whole signal, it can target frequencies in the center or sides and adjust their relative presence to widen or narrow parts of the sound.
Each of its seven bands offers parametric equalization with a range of up to 40 dB and a customizable effective range. Analog-circuit-inspired filters provide the basic tonal shaping, while the real-time frequency response display shows the combined EQ curve and supports precise measurement and zooming. Separate mid and side controls let users make different adjustments to centered material and stereo ambience. A center parameter shifts the virtual position of the Mid/Side matrix, placing equalization at a chosen point in the stereo field; this allows frequency-specific stereo adjustments as well as more standard corrective EQ.
The plug-in also includes nonlinear modeling for adding warmth or distortion at individual EQ stages. Automatic gain compensation helps manage level changes caused by equalization, and oversampling is available to maintain processing quality at different sample rates. An output brickwall limiter can control peaks, while a peak meter provides a visual check of output levels. Processing is designed to add no latency, and Smooth Bypass switches the effect without an abrupt noisy transition.
Typical uses include reducing or emphasizing frequencies in the stereo sides, tightening low-frequency material toward the center, and creating multiband widening or narrowing effects. It can also serve as a general-purpose equalizer when its processing is positioned across the stereo field. Presets can be imported and exported for reuse, and the plug-in provides undo and redo for comparing changes. Window opacity control allows the interface to be made transparent while working in a digital audio workstation.
Blue Cat's Widening Parametr'EQ is distributed as a demo and is intended for use as an audio plug-in in compatible host software. The supplied platform information covers 64-bit Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10; Windows 11 compatibility is not established here. The feature set includes VST and DirectX preset sharing, so presets can be carried between those plug-in formats where supported by the host.