SoundRadix SurferEQ2

Released in 2012, SoundRadix’ SurferEQ
combined equalisation and pitch tracking,
shifting its ive main frequency bands and two
ilters (high- and low-pass) up and down to stay
focused on a sound, rather like a synth’s ilter
keytracking. In
176, we gave it 7/10, concluding
that, although it was very handy for correcting
timbral unpleasantries of various kinds in vocals
and solo instrumentation, its very speciic
functions and inability to deal with polyphonic
material made it a niche proposition. What we
thought SurferEQ needed above all else was
audio sidechain and MIDI inputs, so that the EQ
bands could be shuttled around independently
of the signal being processed. There was already
an automatable Override Pitch control onboard,
after all…
Surf’s up
Happily, it seems the development team were
listening, as both MIDI input and sidechaining
have since been added to their plugin – the irst
with version 1.2, and the second with the full v2,
which we’re looking at here. SurferEQ2 (VST/AU/
AAX/RTAS) also works in a number of other
helpful new features, as well as introducing a
completely redesigned non-skeumorphic,
Retina/HiDPI-compatible GUI. It looks great and
includes a keyboard graphic in the main display,
showing the centre/corner frequencies of all
seven colour-coded bands in musical pitch.
MIDI triggering works in three modes:
incoming MIDI overrides the internal pitch
detection; internal pitch detection is disabled
and Suring bands are toggled on and of and
follow incoming pitch via MIDI note on/of; and
internal pitch detection is disabled and MIDI
notes override internal pitch detection and act
like an audio gate. The sidechain, meanwhile,
does exactly what you’d expect, swapping the
pitch detection over from the main input signal
to an external one. As well as making SurferEQ2
a more viable option for polyphonic material,
the sidechain and MIDI inputs enable frequency-
speciic ducking of one signal, opening up a new
range of potential usage scenarios.
Available to the centre band only, SurferEQ’s
Harmonic Filter cuts or boosts the harmonics of
the target frequency, although, as noted in our
original review, it’s better suited to creative sound
design than corrective work. In v2, its original
four modes (each deining the resonance, shape
and relative depth of each ilter) have been
doubled to eight. There’s also a zero-latency
mode, adjustment of the Surf time between
notes (15000ms), and you can now limit the
ranges of the high/low ilters in Surf mode.
SurferEQ2’s new features certainly up its
game, particularly the sidechained frequency
ducking, MIDI triggering and Spectral Gate; and
its ability to dynamically sculpt the frequency
make-up of instrumental sounds and vocals
without compromising their harmonic balance
is truly remarkable. For the average electronic
producer, however, it’s still a very ‘specialist’
plugin. We’re also slightly disappointed to ind
that the parametric Q still snaps to four ixed
settings, the narrowest of which isn’t nearly tight
enough for surgical work.
That said, ultimately, SurferEQ2 is a unique,
undeniably powerful sonic tool that not only
elevates v1’s already accurate, natural sounding
‘EQ suring’ of monophonic material to
impressive new heights, but also steps the
whole concept up in terms of lexibility.
Web www.soundradix.com
S o u n d R a d i x
SurferEQ2 $199
We dug version 1, but weren’t sure if we really needed it – can the
redesigned sequel broaden the appeal of this esoteric EQ plugin?
Verdict
For MIDI pitch tracking
Sidechain for external pitch tracking
Spectral Gate adds a cool new dimension
Surf time control for custom EQ morphing
Very accurate pitchtracking
Against Still quite niche
Q widths still limited
Broadening its remit with external pitch
tracking and the Spectral Gate, v2 of this
clever EQ is considerably more versatile
and capable than its predecessor
8 / 1 0
Alternatively
FabFilter Pro-Q 2
211 » 10/10 » £114
Doesn’t do what SurferEQ2 does,
but it’s one of the inest EQs around
MeldaProduction
MAutoDynamicEQ 8
206 » 9/10 » €69
Similarly innovative with its
brilliant automatic EQ system
The other really big new feature added in
SurferEQ2, alongside the external MIDI
and sidechain pitch tracking, is the
Spectral Gate. Each band has a GTE button,
and with it turned on, that band is activated
when the input or sidechain signal crosses
the threshold set by the GTE THR slider on
the left, and deactivated when it drops
below it – or vice-versa in Reverse mode.
The speeds at which the bands rise from
zero to full gain and fall back to zero are
determined by the Attack and Recovery
Time controls.
The Spectral Gate works particularly well
in conjunction with the sidechain – ideal for
returning the gains of ducked frequencies
when the ducking source is silent, for
example – but is just a great inclusion,
generally, bringing a dynamics-related
angle to the plugin that’s useful for basing
the response of the EQ on the loudness of
the signal.
Spectral gate
2
MINUTES
WITH…
VIDEO
102 / COMPUTER MUSIC / December 2016
> reviews / soundradix surfereq2
CMU237.rev_surfereq2.indd 102 17/10/2016 13:59