551 Inductor EQ by Rupert Neve Designs three-band EQ plugin interface

551 Inductor EQ: Three-Band Vintage-Style EQ Plugin by Rupert Neve Designs Free Download

Rated 4.0/5 on Plugin Boutique (7 ratings)

551 Inductor EQ is a three-band equalizer plugin from Rupert Neve Designs, modeled on the hardware released in 2014. It is built to add thick lows, musical mids and sweet highs to a track, with a 12dB/octave high pass filter.

VST3AUAAXWindowsmacOS

AVAILABLE ATPlugin Boutique

Download Now

Free trial available from the developer

01Overview

The 551 Inductor EQ is a plugin recreation of the 551 hardware equalizer that Rupert Neve Designs released in 2014. It is based on the EQ design of the company's flagship Shelford Channel. The plugin models the custom-wound inductors, transformers and class-A gain blocks of the original hardware. Besides the EQ sound, it adds true M/S processing and input and output metering.

Best for

Vocal sweetening
Bass presence
Mix bus EQ
Instrument brightening
Mid-range forward mixing

Developer: Rupert Neve Designs
Category: EQ
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Three-band EQ inspired by Rupert Neve Designs vintage EQ designs
Low band with shelf or peak operation, modeled on a vintage 1064
Midrange band inspired by a classic 1073 for vocals and instruments
High band blending inductor circuitry with capacitor-based topologies
Fixed 80Hz high pass filter with 12dB/octave slope
True M/S processing
Input and output metering
VST3, AU and AAX formats for Windows and macOS

03In depth

Sound and Character of the 551 EQ Bands

The low band is designed to produce a creamy, resonant bass response, similar to a vintage 1064, and it can run in either shelf or peak mode. The midrange band takes its inspiration from a classic 1073 and is aimed at sweetening vocals and instruments so they sit forward in a mix. The high band follows the hybrid vintage and modern design of the hardware. Rupert Neve Designs says it combines inductor circuitry with capacitor-based topologies to get vintage tones with more precise control.

The fixed 80Hz high pass filter runs at 12dB/octave. The developer suggests using it together with the low band to add low-end presence without muddying the source material.

Workflow, Compatibility and Authorization

The 551 Inductor EQ is available in VST3, AU and AAX formats for Windows and macOS. It runs natively on Intel and Apple silicon processors and works in DAWs that support those formats, including Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Nuendo, FL Studio, Ableton Live, LUNA, Reaper, Sonar and Studio One.

Authorization uses iLok. You need an iLok2 or iLok3 USB Smart Key on a single machine, or an iLok License Manager account with an iLok Cloud session. Each plugin includes two activations per authorization. A free trial is available.

04Specs

Will it run?

Formats, systems and requirements as listed by Plugin Boutique. Missing details are left out, not guessed.

Developer	Rupert Neve Designs
Type	Plugin
Category	EQ
Formats	VST3, AU, AAX
Operating systems	Windows, macOS
Free trial	Yes

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What is the 551 Inductor EQ based on?

The plugin is a recreation of the 551 hardware EQ that Rupert Neve Designs released in 2014. It is based on the EQ design of the company's Shelford Channel and models the hardware's custom inductors, transformers and class-A gain blocks.

Which formats and operating systems does the 551 Inductor EQ support?

It is available in VST3, AU and AAX formats for Windows and macOS. The developer lists Windows 10 and 11 and macOS versions from 10.13 High Sierra through 26.x Tahoe as supported.

What do I need to authorize the 551 Inductor EQ?

You need an iLok2 or iLok3 USB Smart Key on one machine, or a free iLok License Manager account with an iLok Cloud session. Each plugin includes two activations per authorization.