“Plugins can never sound 3D. Only analog gear sounds 3D.”

I saw a post to that effect on a message board one time. The internet is littered with countless such statements - vague, unscientific, and HEATED. Takes on the merits of in-the-box processing vs. analog outboard gear are as spicy as a late round on Hot Ones, and they just keep coming.

While “3D” is one of those fuzzy production terms that may or may not mean the same thing to different people, the idea that analog gear possesses a certain special magic is not a crazy one. It especially rings true if we’re comparing analog gear to the sort of stock DAW plugins that were our only options back in the bronze age of digital music production. Say what you will about the Pro Tools Compressor/Limiter as a dynamic processor, it is not big on vibe.

And just what are we even talking about when terms like vibe or warmth enter the chat? Well, the exact answer can be a little hard to pin down. Generally speaking, though, we’re talking about saturation, which is a fancy way of saying “distortion that sounds good.”

A Fairchild compressor is going to have a certain sonic signature, even if it’s not doing any actual compression. A Neve 1073 channel strip will have its own, and an API 512c will have yet another. The sound of each of these pieces is partially defined by the way it adds saturation, subtly shaping the way different parts of the frequency spectrum present themselves. It’s something that your DAW’s stock EQ or compressor is probably not doing a whole lot of.

Enter SweetEQ: a multiband saturating EQ with super-streamlined controls. While saturation can lend itself to all sorts of overt, heavy-handed uses, I think SweetEQ also shines in delivering the sort of subtle sonic kiss that you might look to get from analog hardware.

One of my favorite preamps in my rack is my Phoenix Audio DRS-2. Used gently, it’s capable of modern audiophile clarity; cranked, it can get pretty wild and wooly. I tend to like it somewhere in the middle - adding body in the lower midrange and subtle clarity a bit higher. SweetEQ’s “density” band brings out just this sort of fullness, and a small boost to the “lift” band will add presence without getting overbearing.

Take that same curve and play with it a bit, and you’ll get into the territory of my favorite compressor on my rack, my Kush Tweaker. Though the Tweaker does clean, transparent leveling capably, pushing its “drive” knob opens up a whole world of character. Using SweetEQ, I’d add a healthy amount of “density” and a good touch of “lift” to get into the mid-forward sonic richness I love in the Tweaker. Add a hint of “high” and round it out with the “calm” control, and you’ve got the sort of subtle high end sweetness analog gear is known for.

For a lot of producers making music out there, working in-the-box is just a fact of life. Even for those who have shelled out for analog hardware, the reality of deadlines and client notes means that working with outboard gear can be a risky proposition. Fortunately, finishing mixes in-the-box does not mean we’re doomed to flat, rizz-less productions. SweetEQ delivers the sort of vibey character that just might have some of the snootiest analog purists swearing there must have been vintage hardware involved.