Black Q - V3 tube EQ plugin interface by Tone Empire

Black Q - V3: Tube-Style EQ Plugin by Tone Empire Free Download

Rated 4.6/5 on Plugin Boutique (740 ratings)

Black Q - V3 is a tube-style EQ plugin by Tone Empire, available in VST3, AU and AAX formats for Windows and macOS. It models a vintage tube EQ circuit and adds saturation from clean and silky to crunchy.

VST3AUAAXWindowsmacOS64-bit

AVAILABLE ATPlugin Boutique

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Free trial available from the developer

01Overview

Black Q - V3 is Tone Empire's EQ plugin built around a tube-style circuit inspired by a vintage hardware unit. The developer says the hardware version was built over six months, with changes to tubes, transformers and signal paths, and that the DSP model draws on two paths using Sowter and Lundahl transformers. Version 3 adds overlapping bands, new frequency ranges and oversampling intended to give a more analog character.

Best for

Vocal EQ and saturation
Drum bus coloration
Bass tone shaping
Synth and piano processing
Mastering EQ
Low-latency tracking EQ

Developer: Tone Empire
Category: EQ
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Tube-style EQ modeled on a vintage hardware unit
Overlapping bands and new frequency ranges in V3
Type A for full sound with a big low end
Type B for crunchier mid and high enhancement
Oversampling up to 8x for a more analog character
Designed for low latency and efficient CPU use
Suitable for drums, vocals, bass, synths and mastering

03In depth

Sound Character and Saturation Modes

Black Q - V3 offers two modes. Type A is described as giving a full sound with a big low end. Type B is described as a crunchier, mid and high enhanced sound.

Together, the two modes span a range from clean and silky to fully crunchy saturation. Tone Empire positions the plugin for drums, vocals, piano, string instruments, bass, synths and mastering.

Oversampling can be set up to 8x for a more analog sound. Higher settings add CPU load, so the choice depends on your system.

Efficiency and Use as a Tracking EQ

Tone Empire states that the plugin was optimized for low processing overhead. The developer says it can work as a tracking plugin with very low latency and that multiple instances can run without a heavy CPU cost.

Oversampling is optional, so you can keep it off while tracking and raise it during mixing when your system can handle the extra load.

04Specs

Will it run?

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

Developer	Tone Empire
Type	Plugin
Category	EQ
Formats	VST3, AU, AAX
Operating systems	Windows, macOS
Architecture	64-bit
Free trial	Yes

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What formats does Black Q - V3 support?

Black Q - V3 is available in VST3, AU and AAX formats. It is 64-bit only.

Which operating systems can run Black Q - V3?

The plugin runs on Windows 10 or later and macOS 10.13 or later, including Intel and native M1 Macs. Only 64-bit hosts are supported.

What are the system requirements for Black Q - V3?

The listed minimums are an Intel i3 or AMD Ryzen equivalent processor, 2 GB RAM, 300 MB of disk space and a 1024 × 768 screen resolution. A 64-bit host is required.