SPAZIAL EQ M/S: Plugin Walkthrough and Best SettingsSPAZIAL EQ M/S is a mid/side-capable equalizer plugin designed to give engineers precise control over the stereo field while shaping frequency content. Mid/side (M/S) processing separates the center (mid) information from the sides (stereo difference), letting you treat center elements (vocals, bass, snare) differently from ambience, reverb, and stereo width. This walkthrough covers the plugin’s signal flow, controls, common workflows, detailed preset examples, and practical recommended settings for mixing and mastering.
What mid/side (M/S) processing does — short primer
M/S processing decodes stereo audio into two components:
- Mid — the sum of left and right (L+R), representing centered material.
- Side — the difference (L−R), representing stereo information and spatial content.
Applying EQ separately to these components allows you to:
- Tighten or broaden a mix without changing overall panning.
- Reduce masking between vocals and guitars by attenuating competing frequencies in the mid channel.
- Sculpt reverb and ambience in the side channel without affecting the vocal presence.
Plugin signal flow and interface overview
Most SPAZIAL EQ M/S layouts follow a consistent logic (actual control names may vary by version):
- Input/Output meters: show level before and after processing.
- M/S Mode switch: toggles between stereo (L/R) and mid/side operation.
- Band sections (typically multiple bands): each band usually includes:
- Type (bell, shelf, high/low pass)
- Frequency selector
- Gain control (boost/cut)
- Q (bandwidth)
- M/S selector per band — choose whether the band affects Mid only, Side only, or Both.
- Global controls:
- Stereo Width or Mid/Side Balance knob — adjust relative level of side vs mid.
- High-pass and low-pass global filters (often available).
- Linear phase / minimum phase toggle — affects phase behavior and latency.
- Solo/Listen for Mid or Side — isolate components to hear adjustments.
- Bypass and preset management.
If SPAZIAL EQ M/S includes spectrum displays and correlation meters, use them to visualize how changes affect tonal balance and stereo correlation.
Key controls and how to use them
- M/S Mode switch: Engage to work in the mid/side domain. Use the Solo/Listen buttons to audition Mid or Side while making changes.
- Band M/S routing: Assigning a band to Mid targets center elements; assigning to Side affects reverb/ambience and stereo accents.
- Q (bandwidth): Narrow Q values for surgical cuts (e.g., resonance taming), wider Q for musical shaping.
- Linear vs Minimum phase: Use linear phase for mastering or when preserving phase relationships is critical; minimum phase for lower CPU and fewer pre/post-ringing artifacts in typical mixing tasks.
- Stereo Width knob: Increasing width raises the level of side content relative to mid — use sparingly, +2 to +6 dB can widen subtly; extreme values can make mixes unstable or mono-incompatible.
Practical workflows and step-by-step examples
Below are common tasks with stepwise settings and rationale. Start conservative — small gains/cuts are usually better.
- Tightening a mix (control low-mid muddiness)
- Switch to M/S mode.
- Solo Mid channel and sweep a low-mid range (150–400 Hz) with a moderate Q.
- If buildup exists, apply a cut of −1.5 to −4 dB with Q around 0.8–1.5.
- Uns solo and A/B with bypass to confirm impact on fullness without hollowing.
- Making vocals clearer without touching reverb
- Assign a narrow bell on the Mid channel around 2.5–5 kHz for presence; small boost +1 to +2.5 dB, Q ~1.
- Alternatively, cut competing Mid content around 300–600 Hz by −1.5 to −3 dB.
- If reverb sounds too bright or sibilant, switch a high shelf on the Side channel down −1 to −3 dB above 5–8 kHz.
- Widening ambience and room sound
- Target Side channel: subtle high-shelf boost of +0.8 to +2 dB above 8–12 kHz for air.
- Use low-shelf on Side to slightly reduce low-end (−1 to −3 dB below 120–250 Hz) to avoid muddy widening.
- Increase Stereo Width by small increments; monitor mono compatibility and phase correlation.
- Cleaning stereo guitar bed
- In Side: use narrow cuts to tame resonances or scratchy frequencies that distract (2–6 kHz).
- In Mid: gentle low cut around 60–100 Hz if low rumble exists.
- Pan imaging stays intact because you’re operating on mid/side components rather than individual channels.
- Mastering dose: subtle stereo correction
- Linear phase mode.
- Use very gentle moves: Mid low-end shelf +0.5 dB around 40–80 Hz if center bass is lacking; Side top-end shelf +0.5–1 dB above 8–12 kHz for added sparkle.
- If stereo image is lopsided, use the Stereo Width or adjust Side gain by ±0.5–1 dB.
Recommended default settings and ranges
These are starting points — always use ears and context rather than fixed numbers.
- M/S Mode: ON for imaging tasks; OFF for standard stereo EQ.
- Band gain (surgical): ±0.5 to ±4 dB. In mastering, stick to ±0.2 to ±1 dB.
- Q values:
- Surgical cut/boost: Q 4–10
- Broad musical shaping: Q 0.5–1.5
- Low cut (Mid): 20–40 Hz (gentle) to remove subsonic rumble.
- High shelf (Side): +0.5–2 dB at 8–12 kHz for air.
- Stereo Width: 0 to +6 dB typical; avoid > +8 dB without reason.
Troubleshooting common issues
- Phasey or hollow sound after EQ:
- Check minimum vs linear phase; switching to minimum phase can sometimes sound more natural in mixes.
- Reduce extreme boosts; try cutting opposing frequencies instead.
- Mono compatibility problems:
- Temporarily sum to mono while adjusting Side boosts; if elements vanish or sound odd, reduce Side gain or adjust Mid.
- Excessive noise when widening:
- Apply low cut to Side below 120–250 Hz to prevent boosting noise and rumble.
- CPU/latency concerns:
- Disable linear phase or reduce analysis resolution for lower latency during tracking.
Example preset bank (practical presets)
- Vocal Clarity (Mid-focused)
- Mode: M/S On
- Band 1 (Mid): Bell 350 Hz cut −2.5 dB Q 1.2
- Band 2 (Mid): Bell 3.2 kHz boost +1.8 dB Q 1.0
- Side: no change
- Airy Stereo (Side-focused)
- Side: high shelf +1.2 dB @10 kHz
- Side: low shelf −2 dB @180 Hz
- Stereo Width +3 dB
- Tight Bass (Master)
- Mid: low shelf +0.6 dB @60 Hz
- Side: low shelf −3 dB @120 Hz
- Linear phase On
- De-Boxing (reduce boxiness in mid)
- Mid: bell 250 Hz −3 dB Q 1.4
- Side: slight high shelf +0.8 dB @9 kHz
- Wide Reverb Control
- Side: bell 4 kHz cut −1.5 dB (tame sibilant reverb)
- Side: high shelf +1 dB @12 kHz (add air)
- Mid: no change
Listening tests and verification
- Always A/B with bypass and reference tracks.
- Check in mono periodically (Ctrl/Command + click stereo width or use a mono plugin).
- Use phase correlation meter — aim for mostly positive correlation; large negative spikes indicate mono incompatibility.
- Solo Mid and Side to confirm surgical changes are affecting intended material.
Final notes and best practices
- Think of M/S EQ as surgical spatial sculpting: small changes produce big perceived differences.
- Prioritize subtraction (cuts) over heavy boosts when possible.
- Use linear phase for mastering or when inter-band phase relationships matter; expect higher latency and CPU use.
- Preserve the musical intent — widening or de-centering elements can change emotional focus.
If you want, I can convert any of the example presets into exact parameter lists for a specific DAW/plugin format, or create a shorter cheat-sheet you can print and keep at your mixing station.
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