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Seems like snake oil... but damn it's effective - Sonible EQ+ on 79% discount

Frei:raum EQ has 7 bands : Smart EQ+ has 8 bands
Frei:raum EQ has no EQ smoothing : Smart EQ+ includes smoothing
Frei:raum EQ has no speech mode : Smart EQ+ includes speech mode
Frei:raum EQ analyses only 10 seconds of audio : Smart EQ Live can analyse and adjust continuously
Frei:raum EQ has latency : Smart EQ Live is latency free
Frei:raum EQ has no instrument profiles : Smart EQ Live includes instrument profiles

Ugh, can’t they just make a Frei:raum Live + so I don’t have to buy more than F:R?

What is “smoothing”?

The continuous analysis and adjusting of unwanted resonant frequencies sounds either really useful or it’s my imagination.
 
Since the Live version of the Sonible EQ continuously analyzes and adjusts (which seems like the main advantage Gullfoss has over Sonible's EQ), doesn't it render the non-live EQ obsolete?
No, because smart EQ-Live has just one intelligent band, Smart EQ+ has 4 -> finer adjustment, better for mastering.

I bought the bundle a week ago, and I like it. I still need to adjust the eq and add an additional eq and cut out some frequencies. Sometimes it does not work, but mostly it is a huge timesaver for me and does a better job eqing difficult material compared to me. I would like to see the training function from the live version in the +.
 
so basically the plug in tries to take care of frequency disbalances? what instrument presets are in there? are there orchestral instruments as well?
thanks
 
It does not work with presets, at least the frei:raum version. But it works great on orchestral instruments, I use it to tame my solo english horn and violins. Don´t ask me where from it knows how the signal should sound...but somehow it knows :) It does NOT compare your instrument to a standart instrument and then corrects it. It takes YOUR signal and looks for dominating frequencies and deficiencies in the spectrum.
 
Well I just demo-ed this and... Mixed feelings. For some instruments it added more resonance instead of removing them. I know that I can drag it down instead but this was even worse since it removed what I want to keep. Magic didn't happen for me. But somebody can find those AI tools usefull especially that live version for live perfomance.
 
i cant understand how this could work honestly. i mean if there are instrument blueprints then i think it could adjust automatic eq on various instruments. but how can it work out frequency problems without knowing a target frequency? sounds a little like giving pepper and salt to a meal without tasting it first....dont wanna make bad vibes here, i am just a little wondered but also interested...would be great if it really works
 
In the live version there are profiles for Vocal, Guitar (acoustic, electric), drums, piano and some more.
But you can easily create your own: After learning phase adjust eq with the other bands and save as new preset.
The AI will remember these settings and consider them whenever you use this profile.

These plugins do magic because they have an ai (likely a neuronal network). It was trained with a lot of data (input -> eq settings). Now it can recreate these eq settings.

The same technology is used in image-recognition, self-driving cars and much more.
 
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In the live version there are profiles for Vocal, Guitar (acoustic, electric), drums, piano and some more.
But you can easily create your own: After learning phase adjust eq with the other bands and save as new preset.
The AI will remember these settings and consider them whenever you use this profile.

These plugins do magic because they have an ai (likely a neuronal network). It was trained with a lot of data (input -> eq settings). Now it can recreate these eq settings.

The same technology is used in image-recognition, self-driving cars and much more.
Ok cool sounds great, thanks for the explanation. So u use this plug in a lot? Would u recommmend it for Orchestral and epic orchestral stuff?
 
So it is like child learning bad stuff? If you feed it with bad "food" it will become fat? It is not good idea then to leave this kid before developer teach this kid how to live properly or it will become villain. How teaching this kid makes us better if we do not know what we are doing? Shouldn't be that this kid should teach us instead?

Hope you get my metaphor.
 
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So u use this plug in a lot? Would u recommmend it for Orchestral and epic orchestral stuff?
Yes, I use it a lot, but mostly in combination with a second eq (Frequency from Cubase). Smart EQ has no mid/side function and the analyser is not that great. Also I remove some additional resonance frequencies and add a high-pass filter.

It worked well for me with recorded vocals, choir, solo violin, clarinet, flute and classical guitar (the eq goes crazy and pushs frequencies <500Hz, but this can be easy fixed with the other bands available).
It also worked excellent with the VSL CFX piano, makes the strings sound softer (sometimes usefull).

I did not like the result with the recorded trumpet, but overall it works most of the times and does a really good job.

Yes, I would recommend it for orchestral stuff, and I think it should also work with epic orchestral stuff.
 
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So it is like child learning bad stuff?
You have to select a good phrase that represents the overall sound of what you want to eq and use that for training. That produces the best results in my opinion. You can also reset the learned data and start from scratch.

The changes you make will not be integrated in the ai I think. But you can save presets where the ai will consider your changes when the preset is selected; it will not affect the other presets or the default behaviour. Of course your preset has to be good.
 
Is it really that way, that the AI "considers" your choice when you select a preset? To my understanding it just exactly recreates the curve you saved?
 
Yes, I use it a lot, but mostly in combination with a second eq (Frequency from Cubase). Smart EQ has no mid/side function and the analyser is not that great. Also I remove some additional resonance frequencies and add a high-pass filter.

It worked well for me with recorded vocals, choir, solo violin, clarinet, flute and classical guitar (the eq goes crazy and pushs frequencies <500Hz, but this can be easy fixed with the other bands available).
It also worked excellent with the VSL CFX piano, makes the strings sound softer (sometimes usefull).

I did not like the result with the recorded trumpet, but overall it works most of the times and does a really good job.

Yes, I would recommend it for orchestral stuff, and I think it should also work with epic orchestral stuff.
thanks a lot!!
 
Just a few hours left on this deal. I've answered a ton of questions on Facebook about these plugins but everyone that's grabbed them seems to love them - so phew! Final details HERE
 
Just a few hours left on this deal. I've answered a ton of questions on Facebook about these plugins but everyone that's grabbed them seems to love them - so phew! Final details HERE
I'm a little dense when it comes to social media. Can you point me to where I can read the questions you answered?
I'm particularly interested to see if anyone has compared Smart Eq to Gullfoss. Thanks.
 
Any frei:raum users also purchase this? I really want the live EQ, but it seems silly, even at the deal price, to pay for such a similar plugin as frei:raum. I really dont understand Sonible taking a single idea and turning it into so many different plugins. They should at least have some sort of crossgrade from frei:raum, which seems to be the "flagship" product. Very unsure about this company and if they are worth supporting...
 
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