MOTORCITY EQ by Heritage Audio, 7-band passive-style EQ plugin interface

MOTORCITY EQ: Passive-Style 7-Band EQ Plugin by Heritage Audio

MOTORCITY EQ is a 7-band, passive-style equalizer plugin by Heritage Audio, modeled after the original Motown hardware EQ. It has fixed frequency bands and stepped gain, and is available in VST3, AU and AAX formats.

VST3AUAAXWindowsmacOS64-bit

AVAILABLE ATPlugin Boutique

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01Overview

Heritage Audio's MOTORCITY EQ is built around a classic equalizer that its developer says was recreated from original Motown units owned by producer and engineer Michael Brauer. Rather than a flexible parametric design, it uses seven fixed frequency bands, a structure the developer says gives the plugin a distinct character. The aim is a high-fidelity take on the original unit's sound, applied to tracks, buses or the stereo master.

Best for

Vocal tonal shaping
Drum bus coloring
Mix bus warmth
Mastering EQ
Motown-style production

Developer: Heritage Audio
Category: EQ
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Seven fixed bands at 50 Hz, 130 Hz, 320 Hz, 800 Hz, 2 kHz, 5 kHz and 12.5 kHz
Passive-style EQ design that differs from generic parametric EQs
Stepped gain increments for consistent recall and A/B comparison
Modeled on original Motown hardware EQ units
Usable on individual tracks, buses or the stereo master
Available in VST3, AU and AAX formats
Supports 64-bit processing on Windows 10/11 and macOS 10.15.7 or later
Compatible with Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3) and Intel Macs

03In depth

Sound and Character of a Passive-Style EQ

Heritage Audio says each of the seven fixed bands was modeled to reproduce the behavior of the original hardware, including gentle curves and the natural phase interactions associated with passive EQs.

Because the frequencies are fixed at 50 Hz, 130 Hz, 320 Hz, 800 Hz, 2 kHz, 5 kHz and 12.5 kHz, the plugin works differently from a generic parametric EQ. You choose from a set of points rather than sweeping freely, which tends to make tonal decisions faster and more deliberate.

Workflow, Recall and Placement

Stepped gain increments allow settings to be recalled consistently and make A/B comparisons straightforward.

The developer notes the plugin can sit anywhere in a signal chain, including tracking, mixing, bus and mastering stages, so the vintage path is available wherever you need it.

04Specs

Will it run?

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

Developer	Heritage Audio
Type	Plugin
Category	EQ
Formats	VST3, AU, AAX
Operating systems	Windows, macOS
Architecture	64-bit

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What formats does MOTORCITY EQ support?

MOTORCITY EQ is available in VST3, AU and AAX formats, all 64-bit.

Which operating systems can run MOTORCITY EQ?

The plugin runs on Windows 10 and 11, and on macOS 10.15.7 or later, including both Intel and native Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3) Macs.

Which DAWs are supported?

The system requirements list support for all major DAWs, including Ableton Live, Pro Tools, Logic Pro, FL Studio, Cubase, Studio One, Bitwig, Reaper and Reason.

How is MOTORCITY EQ different from a parametric EQ?

It uses seven fixed frequency bands rather than freely adjustable frequencies. Heritage Audio says this, along with its passive-style design, gives it a distinct flavor compared with generic parametric EQs.