Maag Audio EQ4M Mastering 6-band Parametric Equalizer

A Mastering EQ like No Other

This article was Written By

Our Product Research Team

Get to know them!

Maag Audio's EQ4M mastering equalizer is a no-compromise dual-channel, 6-band unit that works differently than other EQs you've likely used, with ultra-wide-range control from the subsonic, well into dog-frequency territory. The EQ4M's six bands, which include Maag's acclaimed Air Band, start with Sub, a +15dB/-4.5dB bell curve fixed at 10Hz - Maag's nod to the LF realities of modern digital recording. Moving up, you have the same (+15dB/-4.5dB) bells fixed at 40Hz, 160Hz, 650Hz, and 2.5kHz, whereupon the EQ4M's Air Band takes over. Air Band gives you boost-only (+15dB) shelving at 2.5kHz, 5kHz, 10kHz, 15kHz, 20kHz, or 40kHz. Owing to the transitional slope, frequencies below the shelf peaks are affected as well.

Related Videos: EQ4M Mastering 6-band Parametric Equalizer

• The EQ4M back story
• Minimum phase shift preserves the integrity of your material
• Bandpass interaction is key to the EQ4M's magic
• Bandpass interaction, part 2

It was 1993 when Cliff Maag rocked the audio world with his NTI EQ3, which featured the unique Air Band. Regarded to this day as one of the most musical EQs on the planet, the EQ3 was a 2-channel, 6-Band EQ in a 19" rackmount form factor. Flash forward a couple of decades, and Maag Audio captures the sonic magic of the EQ3 in the EQ4M, which features, in the company's words, "More power, more headroom, and more control than ever before." Sweetwater mastering engineers using the EQ4M hail it as an end-of-chain shaper/enhancer par excellence.

Due to its unique design, phase shift is kept to a minimum in the Maag Audio EQ4M. This lets you preserve the integrity of your material and enhance the airiness of the recording, while shaping the tonality from top to bottom. The Air Band, in conjunction with the absence of phase shift, makes the EQ4M perfect for any signal that needs shaping.

The bandpasses in the EQ4M interact with one another. If you increase the Air Band gain, you'll also, to a small degree, increase your overall gain. This ensures the integrity of the sound and is an intended consequence of the design stemming from the summing (interaction) of the Air Band with the other bandpasses. To compensate for any additional gain, simply back down the Input Attn knob and your EQ will maintain its shape.

Looked at another way, if you're boosting a particular frequency, consider backing down level on neighboring bandpasses above and/or below. Because the bandpasses interact with one another, this behavior is quite a bit different than your typical EQ. Once you get used to how the bandpasses and the Air Band interact in the EQ4M, you'll be able to quickly shape your sound and achieve stunning high-end presence and transparency, all the while remaining faithful to the true sonic nature of your source.

• No-compromise dual-channel, 6-band mastering equalizer
• 6 bands of sound-shaping control from 10Hz-40kHz
• Frequency response: 10Hz-75kHz (-2dB)
• Headroom: +29dBu at 10 kohms, +28.5dBu at 600 ohms
• Rides on ultra-clean +/-18-volt rails