Looking for a basic easy to use EQ spectrum analyzer / mastering plugin (maybe?)

[tothemax]

I've found that a visual spectrum analyzer seems to be the most helpful for me to work on mixes and mastering. I use Cakewalk Sonar, and there is a built in module in the Pro Channel called the "Quad Curve Equalizer". It may be everything that I need, and I'm doing a deep dive to understand the full functionality. The reason that I ask is that I'm trying to clean up and enhance the audio from a live video taken at a gig a few weeks ago, might have been from an iPhone, not sure. I separated the audio from the video and am working on that as a stereo track in Cakewalk. I'm not expecting miracles, but it was a good live performance and I'd like to clean up the muddy sections, normalize the volume, and enhance the vocals and leads (as possible). I've been getting a bunch of advertising on all in one packages like Smooth Operator, and similar products. I have used the demo version of iZotope's RX 11 to clean up recordings in the past. So just wondering if these spectrum analyzer mastering tools are worth looking into. I downloaded the Smooth Operator demo and while it give you a chance to test it, adds a dead space every 30 seconds... so not exactly a way to fully test the product.

Would really appreciate your experiences with any of these tools, Pro's and Con's, and any thoughts on the all in one solutions. Do you use for mixing, or mastering only... or using the multiple plugins for EQ, Depth, and compression...

Thanks in advance

 

[silky smoove]

It depends on your goals, your use case and your skill as an operator. Fabfilter Pro-Q4 is basically the standard, but it won’t do anything for you automatically. Smooth Operator is all about removing resonances and is one of many plugins to come about after Oeksound’s Soothe became the de facto standard for that kind of thing. If you want something to do the legwork for you, Newfangled Audio’s Fixate Midrange is an incredible tool. If you want more of a mastering EQ that has limited controls and does its thing “intelligently” there’s always Gulfoss which is very power and easy to use. If your goal is more relaying to removal of elements, bleed, noise, etc. from a live recording, then Izotope RX is the standard.

 

[tothemax]

Thanks, always appreciate your input...

 

[ljazz]

Check out Acon Acoustica. They have some stem separation tools and lots of clean up tools, as well as some mastering tools. Cheaper than RX, but just as effective.