Kiive Audio M5133 is an EQ plugin mainly designed for mastering. This EQ plugin is inspired by the analog studio gears. It is not a traditional EQ plugin. It is a sensitive plugin because it is designed for the mastering purposes.
So, In this article, I will discuss the following topics about this plugin.
- Key Features.
- Uses and applications.
- Comparison with the Fabfilter Pro Q3.
- System Requirements
- FAQs
- Review
- Conclusion
So, without further ado, let’s get started.
Key Features:
- This plugin is a hybrid EQ plugin inspired by the 3 analog studio gears and also has a saturation model. These 3 studio gears are Pultec EQP-1A, Neve 1073, and API 550A.
- The name of the saturation gear on which this plugin is based is Ampex 350/351 Tape Machines.
- This plugin provides left and right processing. However, the user can also link these sides.
- This mastering EQ plugin also allows the user to process the signal in mono, mid-side, and stereo mode
- It also provides a separate section where users can add saturation to the sound. This plugin offers 2 orders and 3 order saturation. It also provides different saturation models, such as tube, tape, and transform.
- This software also uses the oversampling mode, which provides the maximum oversampling capability of up to 16x.
- It also provides width control to the user in the form of a width knob. It is used to increase and decrease the width of the output signal.
- The filters of this EQ plugin sound natural.
- Users can boost the signal with the help of filters in this plugin, up to 6 db and 12 db. Both options are available in this plugin.
- Each of the buttons in this plugin also has a solo button. The user can listen to each band and discover what’s happening. This feature helps the user to make accurate decisions.
Uses and Applications:
Mixing and mastering:
This plugin provides transparent processing. Boosting or cutting down some frequencies with the help of its filter sections sounds very natural. The saturation model is also transparent. So, this EQ can be used for mixing and mastering, where transparency is the key.
Adding warmth and character:
This mastering EQ plugin can also add warmth and character to the sound. The main role behind this adding warmth and character is the saturation module which offers three different saturation types: tube, tape, and transform.
Adding the Stereo expansion:
This mastering EQ plugin also can process the left and right channels independently. It also offers mid-side processing. These are the main features that can play a main role in adding the stereo expansion to a sound.
Comparison with Fabfilter Pro Q3:
| FabFilter Pro-Q 3 | Kiive Audio M5133 Mastering Equalizer |
| It is a digital EQ plugin | It is an analog EQ plugin |
| It provides 24 adjustable frequency bands | It provides 5 fixed frequency bands |
| It can be used as surgical EQ to remove the problematic frequencies | It is solely designed for mastering and can be used as surgical EQ |
| It provides Real-Time Analysis with the help of the frequency spectrum | It does not provide the Real-Time Analysis. |
| It can act as a dynamic EQ | It is a static EQ plugin |
| It offers transparent digital control | It adds warmth and analog flavour to the sound |
System Requirements:
- This EQ is available in the formats of VST, VST3, AAX
- Version of this plugin: 1.0.0
- Category: VST Plugins
- Requires: Windows 7+ or higher
- License type: Full
- The size required to install this plugin is 105.6 MB HD Space.
For more details please visit the official site of company.
FAQs
Can EQ improve sound quality?
EQ is a tool that can play an important role in improving sound quality. It is not magic. It could improve the sound quality to some extent. With the help of an EQ plugin, you can shape the sound according to your personal preferences, such as boosting or decreasing the mid-high and low frequencies.
This tool is also capable of tackling the room’s acoustics. By using it in surgical mode, you can cut down the problematic frequencies from the sound. It is also used to make the vocal clear in the mix.
If this tool is overused, then it can also degrade the sound. In short, if EQ is used wisely, then it can definitely help to improve the sound quality.
What is the best volume for mastering?
Telling you about the best volume for mastering is a bit critical. This is because every genre has different requirements. Here is a guidance that you should keep in mind before mastering a song.
- The purpose of mastering is to make a song louder, which should sound nice on every platform without distortion.
- Its general advice is to keep your audio levels well below 0 dBFS. Otherwise, unwanted distortion will occur. You should try to aim for the peak level around -1 dBFS to -3 dBFS to leave some headroom. It is also very important to leave some headroom even after doing the mastering.
- You should target the loudness of -14 to -9 LUFS. This is the standard level of most digital platforms. If your loudness is above this level, then you may face unwanted distortion.
What is the LUFS level?
The full form of LUFS is the Loudness Units relative to Full Scale. It is the unit used for the perceived loudness of audio. Actually, it tells how loud the track will be listened to by the listener.
Kiive Audio M5133 Review:
This review reflects my personal opinion and experience with the plugin. I have purchased the plugin myself and have no affiliation with the company. I have not received any compensation or free products for this review. My opinions are entirely my own, and they may differ from yours. The content of this review is intended to provide information and assistance to potential users.
Here is my honest review of this plugin in the form of pros and cons. First of all, let me discuss the pros of this plugin that I realized while using it.
Increasing or decreasing the frequencies with the help of this plugin sounds very natural. It does make us feel that we are using an EQ to boost particular frequencies. I mean, it boosts and cuts the frequencies naturally. This is a plus point for this plugin. It processes the sound musically and transparently.
Besides equalization, this plugin also provides saturation, widening, and mid/side processing. It offers three different models of saturation ( tape, tube and transform ). As Kiive Audio M5133 is a mastering plugin so, you can see the actual crunchy sound with the saturation models of this plugin. They also provide the transparent saturation.
On the other hand, the ability to process the left and right channels independently can boost the stereo image, and I personally realized that increasing the stereo image with the help of this plugin sounds more natural as compared to the plugins that are only made for this purpose. The user interface of this plugin is also interesting, and it gives a feel of analog hardware.
These were the pros of this plugin that I faced while using this plugin. Now let’s talk about some of the cons of this plugin, which I think should be improved in the next update.
There is no visual feedback on the processing of this plugin’s interface, as the Oeksound Soothe 2, fabfilter pro Q 3, and other plugins in the market provide. That is totally fine for professionals who have well-trained ears, but it could cause trouble for beginners. According to my opinion there should be a screen for visual feedback. It would be helpful to know what the plugin is actually doing to the sound.
I also found, this plugin is CPU friendly but only to a limited extent. Running multiple instances of this plugin at the same time could trouble the CPU if you have an average one. It also consists of limited presets.
However, the cons of this plugin are much less than the pros. So, use this plugin in your mixes, and please share your feedback with us.
Conclusion:
- This plugin is developed by Kiive Audio, which is known for producing plugins for mastering.
- This plugin is inspired by the three different analog studio gears and also a saturation model.
- It also provides oversampling up to 16x, stereo widening, mid-side processing, equalization, and saturation.
- It processes the sound naturally and tries to avoid introducing artifacts in the sound.
- It is also CPU friendly, but when running multiple instances, it can cause problems if the CPU is average.
