Best EQ for clear mids on Master?

[jochicago]

For now Overtone lives on my 2-bus

Do you mix 'into' this or activate it once you've finished mixing?

Both. I try to mix into things that act as glue or add color. So early on I'll set a 1.5db GR compressor and Waves NLS.

I use Overtone as a finishing EQ. Mostly to act as the last stroke to touch up imbalances at the mix level. So for the first part of the mix Overtone is not doing anything because I haven't mixed enough to have anything to correct. Usually, Overtone comes in at around 75% done, when I think the mix is in good shape but before making final decisions and starting with automation. So for that last part I'm mixing into it and may touch it up a few more times until the mix is done.

I like to have around 2db smiley-face curve to my mixes. You can pretty much use anything for this, but since Overtone is my 2-bus eq then Overtone is the one doing the final stage.

BTW, as an example on how you can use anything, here is my own breakdown on using Scheps Omni to do the smiley face thing like CLA Mixdown does as well. Using either of these plugins also would replace NLS on the saturation front:
viewtopic.php?t=516332

[Local Man]

I love the sound of the mid band on the free Ochre EQ from Acustica. I just checked and unfortunately it is no longer available.
I stopped using it anyway because, like all Acustica plugins, it obliterates my otherwise robust CPU.
I now use the stock Logic Vintage Console EQ in a similar way. It sounds beautiful.

So there you go; a discontinued product and a stock plugin from a DAW that the OP likely doesn't use. Quality post, right?

[Ah_Dziz]

I use Melda Dynamic EQ for most of my EQ needs especially on groups and mixes. It’s a very clean and transparent EQ that is also incredibly flexible.

Also a multiband compressor can do some very nice things for the mids pre or post EQ. C6 is great for tightening up the mids.

[Local Man]

Oh and how could I forget?
Sie-Q by Soundtoys.
The mid band on that is fantastic and almost always does the trick!

[Unaspected]

I just looked up "Analog Heat" by Elektron. Something that could fill in those blanks might be HG-2 by Black Box Analog Design - which can operate broadband or focus on highs or lows to sweeten up specific areas - along with plenty of other tricks. It can add a sense of clarity.

Otherwise, I would suggest a clean digital EQ such as Crave, Toneboosters or your DAW's parametric EQ is probably fine, driving the signal into something like Soothe.

[Unaspected]

ERROR: quoted instead of edit

[crimsonwarlock]

I suggest some digital/clean EQ with Mid Side & analyzer (like DMG Audio, Sonnox, FabFilter etc etc...) to cut/fix (surgery)

You shouldn't 'cut/fix' anything on your master buss. If you need to do that, you have a bad mix to begin with.

I've read here, a lot of people suggest character/colored EQs...

......

and vintage modeled/colored/character for boost (large/big curves)...

So you basically say the same as others has posted (per you pointing that out yourself).

[imrae]

It seems rather odd to put M/S processing on Master when you still have access to individual channels. Using it on a submix might make sense.

[Vortifex]

..

[Turello]

@crimsonwarlock
As Mastering Engineer it happens a lot of times someone send me the 2 bus stereo mix with some problem to fix... Simply I works with more precision on digital EQ because (my) first stage is to correct/fix...

Just for the records, I talk about my target customers (semi pro) and happens often that a mix engineer o a producer don't hear a fastidious resonance...

[crimsonwarlock]

@crimsonwarlock
As Mastering Engineer it happens a lot of times someone send me the 2 bus stereo mix with some problem to fix... Simply I works with more precision on digital EQ because (my) first stage is to correct/fix...

Just for the records, I talk about my target customers (semi pro) and happens often that a mix engineer o a producer don't hear a fastidious resonance...

Fair enough. Just based on the OP's question I didn't get the vibe he's a mastering engineer though

[BONES]

If I had already played with the top and bottom ends of a mix and still felt like I needed to do something to the mids, I'd be worried that the mix wasn't right and I'd go back there to try and fix it. I would not be adding even more EQ. Most of the time I don't use EQ at all when I am mastering, unless I feel like a really, really have to. I'd much rather get all that right in the mix or with some light multi-band compression.

[stillshaded]

It seems rather odd to put M/S processing on Master when you still have access to individual channels. Using it on a submix might make sense.

Seriously? It's just a different thing. Why do people put anything on the master bus, jeez who knows?

ITT: people who are really into telling other people what is legitimate mastering.

Mastering is just like mixing in that there are an infinite ways to go about it.

Yes yes.. one needs to have a good mix, who disagrees with this? But regardless of how good the mix is, it can be improved with subtle usage of some of some prettty nuanced tool.

[jochicago]

ITT: people who are really into telling other people what is legitimate mastering.

You didn't get the memo? If it's not pseudo-mystical and divisive it is not mastering. If it's something easily understood that anyone can get behind then it's just mixing

[imrae]

It seems rather odd to put M/S processing on Master when you still have access to individual channels. Using it on a submix might make sense.

Seriously? It's just a different thing. Why do people put anything on the master bus, jeez who knows?

ITT: people who are really into telling other people what is legitimate mastering.

The trouble here is that half the people in the thread are talking about mastering from a mixdown and the other half are talking about putting stuff on the master buss while mixing. I'm still not entirely sure which OP meant.

In general, putting stuff on the mix buss gives less options and makes things harder
when it comes to mastering from the mixdown. A good case has been made elsewhere that it is worth it for things like buss compression which can interact with the fader mixing process in a positive way. I don't see a similar case for M/S EQ; it seems likely to make your faders/pan controls harder to use.

It's not about "legitimacy", it's about making it easier/harder to get the end result you want. It's worth discussing.