Hitsville EQ Collection: Motown-Style EQ Plugin by Universal Audio

The collection focuses on the tonal character of the custom-built graphic equalizers that Hitsville engineers used on Motown records. Universal Audio says the emulations were built by thoroughly modeling the original units, which the developer describes as central to the studio's punchy, open sound.

The main EQ is a seven-band graphic equalizer. Its simple layout makes it a direct tool for adding presence or taming muddiness in a track, rather than a detailed surgical processor.

Beyond the graphic EQ, the collection includes a mastering EQ based on Hitsville's mid/side disk mastering equalizer. It provides custom "Motown Filters" and half-speed frequency settings, which Universal Audio presents as tools for a fuller, vintage hi-fi tone.

The mid/side control lets you treat the center and sides of a stereo mix separately. This is useful when you want to widen or add weight to a mix at the mastering stage without changing the core balance.