Lindell EQ825 Mastering Equalizer

Lindell Plugins

Toolbar

The toolbar provides quick access to various functions:

A / B

Allows for two different settings to be loaded for quick comparison. The currently selected memory is highlighted in blue. Parameter changes or preset loads affect only the selected memory.

Copy Button (>)

Copies the current memory's settings to the other memory slot.

Graph

Displays the EQ curve editor. If linking is disabled, clicking 'L' or 'R' allows editing of the Left or Right channel respectively.

Menu Options

About

Displays the plugin version and credits information.

Calibration

Allows selection of the calibration level, mapping digital dBFS levels to virtual dBu levels in simulated circuits. This is often expressed as XX dBFS = 0 VU (or +4 dBu).

Oversampling

Enables selection of the oversampling mode. Higher oversampling reduces aliasing but increases CPU usage.

UI Zoom

Adjusts the Lindell EQ825 UI size from 80% to 150% of its normal size. The plugin's size will not exceed 80% of the screen width/height.

Noise

Controls the plugin's very low, usually inaudible, noise floor. It can be turned off.

EQ Bands

The EQ825 features five distinct bands:

LOW (Yellow)

FREQ: Selects the corner frequency for the low shelf (20Hz, 30Hz, 60Hz, 100Hz).

GAIN: Boosts or cuts the low-frequency range (+-12dB).

LOW MID (Red)

FREQ: Selects the center frequency (60Hz to 1kHz).

GAIN: Boosts or cuts the selected frequency (+-12dB).

MID (Orange)

FREQ: Selects the center frequency from 1.5kHz to 5kHz.

GAIN: Boost/cut control (+-12dB).

HIGH MID (Green)

FREQ: Selects the frequency from 6kHz to 16kHz.

GAIN: Boosts or cuts the selected high-mid frequency (+-12dB).

HIGH (Blue)

FREQ: Selects the corner frequency of the high shelf (3kHz, 5KHz, 10kHz, 20kHz).

GAIN: Boosts or cuts the high-frequency range (+-12dB).

Control Behavior and Features

Gain Controls Behavior

The gain knob response has been adjusted compared to the original hardware for improved usability. In the plugin, gain in dB is directly proportional to knob rotation, offering more intuitive control. When comparing with hardware, do not rely solely on matching knob positions.

Proportional Q

The original hardware uses a proportional-Q design, where the bandwidth narrows as the gain increases. This behavior contributes to its musical yet precise character, especially in mastering. The plugin faithfully replicates this for each band.

LINK

Links the Left (Mid) and Right (Side) controls. When a parameter is changed on one channel, the corresponding parameter on the other channel is also modified.

M/S

Activates Mid/Side stereo processing instead of standard Left/Right processing.

Global Controls

GAIN INPUT

Controls the audio level entering the plugin.

OUTPUT

Controls the audio level at the plugin's output.

THD

Total Harmonic Distortion. Use this control to adjust the amount of analog harmonic distortion. 0dB represents the normal emulated hardware distortion level.

HIGH PASS

Adds a high-pass filter after the main EQ filters. Controls include Frequency (15Hz to 300Hz) and Slope (6dB/oct. to 36dB/oct.).

LOW PASS

Adds a low-pass filter after the main EQ filters. Controls include Frequency (3kHz to 40kHz) and Slope (6dB/oct. to 36dB/oct.).

Special Processing

MONO 200Hz

Collapses all audio content below 200Hz to mono.

OCTAVE FILLER

Enhances the perceived weight and fullness of the low end using psychoacoustic principles. The 'Trim' control selects the center frequency of the effect, and 'Intensity' controls how much the bass content is boosted.

Credits

Emmanuel Dubecq: Programming, Graphics, Circuit modeling
Tobias Lindell: Tests and tuning, Presets