Acustica Audio have announced the release of Cherry, a new EQ plug-in aimed at mastering applications. It is based on samples taken from a pair of popular hardware devices, and is the first EQ processor in the company’s range to utilise the Hyper technology that features in a number of their compression and saturation plug-ins.
The plug-in focuses on providing a clean and transparent sound, and features an intuitive user interface that has been designed with ease of use in mind. There are four modes of equalisation available: EQ, EQ Eco, EQ Digital and EQ Digital 2X. The first, default mode utilises both FIRs (Finite Impulse Response) and IIRs (Infinite Impulse Response) to match the transient response of the hardware devices as closely as possible, whilst the second omits FIRs, reducing the plug-in’s CPU consumption at the cost of increases phase issues at high frequencies. EQ Digital then corrects all of the artefacts present in the original devices, and the 2X variant offers the same approach but with 2x oversampling.
Cherry’s top section houses high- and low-pass filters that range from 0Hz to 1.5kHz and 800Hz to 20kHz respectively, along with input and output trim controls each equipped with a ±24dB gain range. Four bands of equalisation follow, all of which are peak filters that offer a variable Q control and ±10dB of gain adjustment. Dedicated low and high shelf filters are also provided along the bottom of the GUI, again providing a ±10dB gain range. The frequency ranges for each band are as follows:
- Low Shelf: 184 to 656 Hz
- LF: 17 to 134 Hz
- LMF: 58 to 878 Hz
- HMF: 445 to 6257 Hz
- HF: 2929 to 25851 Hz
- High Shelf: 3200 to 10313 Hz
The plug-in is equipped with a range of different listening modes in addition to the standard left/right stereo output. A Delta mode allows the monitoring of the difference between processed and unprocessed sounds, whilst Mid and Sides modes make it possible to audition the summed mono and stereo difference signals. A slider between the Mid and Sides mode buttons allow the plug-in’s processing to be focused towards the mid or sides element of the incoming signal, but does not affect the shelf filters.
Compatibility
Cherry is supported on PCs running Windows 10, and Macs running macOS 10.15 and above. It is available in VST, VST3, AU and AAX plug-in formats.
Pricing & Availability
Cherry is available now, and is being offered for an introductory price of €99 until 28 August 2023, after which it will be priced at €199.
