SMART EQUALIZER 1.0.0
Windows 64-bit VST3
Created by Andrea Di Tella
https://www.andreaditella.com

A four-band vintage-style equalizer with gentle saturation, independent mono
or stereo processing, output clip lights, and an INPUT / OUTPUT spectrum display.
All four equalizer bands share the same settings across left and right in stereo.

Free to use with no limitations. Optional donations support development:
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/andreaditella

INSTALLATION
1. Close your DAW and any other application using audio plugins.
2. Extract this ZIP archive.
3. Copy the complete SmartEqualizer.vst3 folder into:
   C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3
4. Keep Contents and all its subfolders together. Do not copy just the file
   inside the bundle. Accept the Windows administrator prompt if requested.
5. Open your DAW and rescan VST3 plugins if necessary.
6. Insert Smart Equalizer on a mono or stereo audio track, bus, or master.

REQUIREMENTS
Windows 64-bit and a host application supporting 64-bit VST3 audio effects.
Mono input / mono output and stereo input / stereo output are supported.

CONTROLS (LEFT TO RIGHT)
BASS      - Low shelf at 100 Hz; -12 to +12 dB.
LOW MIDS  - Broad bell at 350 Hz; -12 to +12 dB.
MIDS      - Broad bell at 2 kHz; -12 to +12 dB.
HIGHS     - High shelf at 8 kHz; -12 to +12 dB.
SATURATION - 0 to 100%; gentle harmonic colour after the equalizer.

The frequencies are fixed. Turn each EQ knob clockwise to boost the band or
counterclockwise to cut it. Start with small changes and listen in context.
At the shelf frequency, the gain is halfway between flat and the full boost
or cut. Bell bands reach their selected gain at the stated centre frequency.

At 0%, saturation is off. Higher settings gradually add soft colour, with
drive compensation to help control the level. The first part of the knob is
subtle; higher settings add more noticeable harmonic colour and soft compression.
Its effect depends on the signal level.
It is not a limiter: large EQ boosts can still cause output clipping.

All five knobs start at zero. Double-click a knob to reset it to zero.
Click the value field below a knob to enter an exact value.
Parameters can be automated and are saved with your DAW project.

SPECTRUM DISPLAY
INPUT (pale green) shows the signal entering the effect.
OUTPUT (amber) shows the signal after equalization and saturation.
Horizontal position represents frequency; vertical position represents level.
Stereo spectra combine the energy of both channels, including opposite-phase
signals. The display is intended as a visual guide; make decisions by listening.
When playback stops, the curves gradually fade.

CLIP LIGHTS
The output lights indicate samples reaching or exceeding 0 dBFS and remain lit
briefly so peaks are easy to spot. Stereo has separate L and R lights; mono has
one MONO light. These are sample-peak indicators, not true-peak meters.
If a light appears, reduce EQ boosts or lower the signal before the plugin.

ABOUT / DONATE
ABOUT shows product information and a clickable link to the author's website.
DONATE opens the optional PayPal donation page. CLOSE or Escape closes About.

QUICK START
1. Start with every knob at zero and play your track.
2. Adjust BASS for body, LOW MIDS for warmth, MIDS for presence, and HIGHS for air.
3. Add a little SATURATION if desired.
4. Watch the output clip lights and compare the result with the host's bypass.
5. Resize the window if you prefer larger or smaller controls.