H-EQ Hybrid Equalizer: Multi-Character EQ Plugin by Waves

The core idea of H-EQ is that each band can take on a different EQ character. Waves models seven characters inspired by classic consoles, so you can pick a vintage US or UK flavor for warmth on one band and a modern or digital curve on another.

For the vintage EQs, the plugin adds five analog color options. Each has a variable amount and THD control, letting you dial in how much saturation and harmonic distortion colors the signal. This is useful when you want an EQ move to feel more like a hardware console than a clean digital filter.

Five fully parametric bands give you control over frequency, gain and bandwidth, and two of them can be switched to shelving. High Pass and Low Pass bands come with a choice of slopes, which helps when you need to clean up low-end rumble or high-frequency noise.

The plugin can process left and right channels independently, or work on mid and side signals independently, which suits stereo-width and center-focused adjustments. A real-time spectrum analyzer with a freeze function lets you watch the spectrum while you adjust bands and capture a moment for comparison.