New Gear Review: Blue Cat Audio Liny EQ 5.0 Plug-in

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Blue Cat Audio’s Liny EQ is an 8-band linear phase equalizer plug-in with minimal latency—less than 3ms at 44.1kHz. Linear phase EQs have the unfortunate caveat that they require extra processing time to correct the phase shift inherent in the equalization process. With the Liny EQ and a fast computer, phase linear equalization is no longer just for mastering engineers and can be used like any other EQ plug-in in your session.

Blue Cat Audio has a winner with an EQ that works like a graphic equalizer but with four different shapes available and three ranges of boost/attenuation up to 40dB. There are three different equalizers: mono, stereo and dual where the left and right channels can be linked/unlinked or used as a single Mid/Side equalizer.

I love the selectable visual feedback with EQ curves, spectrum and spectrogram displays, the new preset manager and the switchable Auto-Gain feature that reduces output level commensurate with the extreme boosts possible with this equalizer.

Blue Cat Audio’s Liny EQ 5.0 sells for $129 and is available alone or as part of Blue Cat Audio’s Master Pack in VST, RTAS, AAX, AU and DX formats for both Mac and PC (32 and 64-bit). Visit http://bluecataudio.com/Products/Product_LinyEQ.

By Barry Rudolph

miniBio: Barry Rudolph is a recording engineer/mixer with over 30 gold and platinum RIAA awards to his credit. He has recorded and/or mixed: Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hall & Oates, Pat Benatar, Rod Stewart, the Corrs and Robbie Nevil. Barry has his own futuristic music mixing facility and also teaches recording engineering at Musician’s Institute, Hollywood, CA. http://www.barryrudolph.com