Developer Variety of Sound has released BootEQ mkIV, a free EQ and Preamp plugin for Windows.
Variety of Sound is a developer we cover frequently here (long may it continue) and one I know many readers are very fond of. The prolific developer regularly pops up with new releases or updates, like NastyVCS, epicCLOUDS, and epicPLATE.
This time, we’re talking about the release of BootEQ mkIV (we covered BootEQ mkIII in April of 2022).
BootEQ isn’t just an excellent EQ and preamp; it’s a favorite of our trusty editor, Tomislav, which is like a thumbs-up from Fonzie for those old enough to remember Happy Days.
BootEQ mkIV maintains the core character of the previous version; it’s a classic EQ/Preamp combo offering four independent parametric EQ bands.
The controls for each band, High Frequencies, High-Mid Frequencies, Mid Frequencies, and Low Frequencies, are well laid out and easy to use. Adding a Q control allows you to adjust the width of the boost/cut.
The plugin is known for its musical EQ curves with asymmetric and proportional curve behavior, along with subtle audio coloration.
The interface is virtually identical, maintaining the same vintage analog image with a nice VU meter and virtual tube. You’ll find a Tube On/Off switch and a Vintage/Modern mode selector on either side of the tube.
This latest update includes enhanced DSP processing and modern audio signal coloration, meaning the subtle but effective preamp stage sounds better than ever.
The dedicated preamp stage is capable of adding harmonic overtones and tube/transformer-based saturation. If you want an analogue-style EQ/preamp combo to add some of that magical warmth to your mix or track, you can’t go wrong with the subtle but highly effective BootEQ mkIV.
Thanks to authentic audio transformer circuitry in the preamp stage, you can now adjust the saturation effects continuously or volume-compensated.
The update also delivers improved performance of all EQs, filters, and VST3 support.
Variety of Sound is awesome, and we appreciate the fantastic work! Speaking of awesome, don’t forget you can grab a freebie with any purchase at Plugin Boutique this month.
BootEQ mkIV is available in 32/64-bit VST2 and VST3 formats for Windows.
Thanks to Rekkerd for posting the news about this update; we would have missed it otherwise.
Download: BootEQ mkIV (FREE)
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11 Comments
Céline
onThis is a lovely surprise! Thank you, James and VoS! 💖
Mename
onThe MK4 version does not have the Gain Reduction like the MK3…
alex
onGreat! Thx! Bootsy’s on a roll :)
MRG
onY U REKKERD LINK? o_O;;
Tomislav Zlatic
onIt’s a little thank you to Rekkerd – they posted the update first and Rekkerd was one of the oldschool websites that inspired me to launch BPB years ago.
MRG
onNice.
Hi Ronnie! (^❥^)
ArtyVapes
onI think the VoS guy prefers it if you link to the download page of all his (great) plugins. https://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/downloads/
Tomislav Zlatic
onHi ArtyVapes, thank you for the suggestion. I linked to Rekkerd as a thank you because that’s where I read the news about the plugin (Rekkerd is one of the old music production website that inspired me to launch BPB in the first place). But I changed the link to VoS and added a thank you note to Rekkerd instead, following your suggestion.
Ronnie
onCheers my friend 🤗
Next year It’ll be 20 years since I started Rekkerd, where did the time go?!
Tomislav Zlatic
onHey Ronnie, Rekkerd and KVR were the first two websites I visited when I started producing music. Rekkerd literally inspired me to start BPB, so thanks for that! :)
JonB
onStill the best sounding channel-strip plugin out there, IMO. I’ve used it for over 10 years (the old mkII version) and I’ve yet to find a channel strip that can match it, no matter the price. It’s so damn good. A true 10/10 plugin!