Astra Creative Audio has released A-Pre EQ, A-Channel EQ, A-Program EQ and A-500, four equaliser plug-ins for macOS and Windows.
Here’s what they say:
A-Pre EQ
A-Pre EQ is a class-A preamp with transformers and a three-band EQ: shelves of up to 16 dB, a ±18 dB mid bell between 360 Hz and 7.2 kHz and an 18 dB/octave high-pass from 14 to 400 Hz. Its DRIVE control has thirteen steps with automatic level compensation (0.000 dB of level drift, measured with a small signal), and it adds M/S, a dry/wet mix and ×1, ×2 or ×4 oversampling. Latency is 8 samples at every oversampling setting.
A-Channel EQ
A-Channel EQ is a four-band channel EQ with an 18 dB/octave high-pass, a 12 dB/octave low-pass and two band characters on one button. Its curves are fitted to the analogue prototype: at 44.1 kHz, a +12 dB bell at 16 kHz deviates 0.21 dB from the analogue curve, where a classic digital filter deviates 6.60 dB. It has zero latency, and with EQ IN off the output is bit-identical to the input.
A-Program EQ
A-Program EQ is a passive valve EQ in the style of the 1950s units, with boost and cut on the same low frequency. Boosting and cutting 20 Hz at once gives +3.00 dB at the bottom and a −2.00 dB dip at 310 Hz. The highs boost from 3 to 16 kHz with a SHARP to BROAD bandwidth control (9.00 dB between the two ends). Valve THD measures 0.151% at +10 dBm, and latency is 6 samples.
A-500
A-500 is a rack of three EQ modules in series: a three-band, a four-band with overlapping bands and a ten-band graphic from 31 Hz to 16 kHz. The order is changed by dragging the modules on the display, with a click-free crossfade, and each module has its own amp stage. Q PROP sets how much the bells tighten as gain rises, from 0 to 200%. Latency is zero in every mode, oversampling included.
Pricing & Availability
Each plug-in is available at €35 + VAT with a one-off licence that does not expire, and all four are included in the Astra Sampler FX subscription at no extra cost.
Formats: VST3 and AU on macOS 10.13 or later (universal binary, Intel and Apple Silicon), 64-bit VST3 on Windows 10 or later; A-Pre EQ also runs as a standalone application on macOS.
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