As common as it is to see plug-in versions of hardware units, they usually make an appearance after their physical counterparts have been released. With Black Box Analog Design’s latest release, though, it’s happened the other way around! The HG-Q equaliser that was modelled and released by Plugin Alliance in November 2024 has now reached the end of it’s seven-year development, and is available to pre-order.
The HG-Q is an equaliser and saturation unit which Black Box say is far from a traditional EQ or vintage clone, and is capable of reshaping and enhancing sounds in a way that such processors “could only dream of.” It offers the ability to cut and boost simultaneously, and features valve-based saturation circuitry that has been designed to add harmonic content without compromising on clarity. What’s more, the unit is capable of communicating with Plugin Alliance’s software recreation, which in addition to emulating the HE-Q, will provide users with digital control over the hardware version.
The hardware HG-Q integrates seamlessly with the Plugin Alliance emulation plug-in, which will provide users with digital control over the unit's parameters.
There are three bands of equalisation available per channel, with the HG-Q’s design meaning that the bands interact with each other in ways that allow for some complex tone-shaping capabilities. Up to ±16dB of gain is available on every band, with the Cut and Boost controls joined by their own independent frequency and bandwidth parameters. Along with the EQ, all six bands are equipped with a variable Saturation control, which is said to excel at bringing out lower-level details and create a fuller, more vibrant sound. As well as stereo operation, the HG-Q can be configured for mono, dual-mono or Mid-Side processing.
The hardware boasts seamless integration with Plugin Alliance’s software recreation, which offers digital control over all of the HG-Q’s parameters, as well as providing users with a meticulous recreation that can be relied upon for sessions outside of the studio. It also provides enhanced visual feedback thanks to its spectrum analyser, while an extended control view reveals dedicated knobs for every function and control.
Pricing & Availability
The HG-Q is available to pre-order now, priced at $5995. Shipping is expected to commence in Q2 2025.
