The Sonnox Oxford EQ has been around for a long time relatively unchanged. This is with good reason as it’s everything a quality workhorse EQ should be. It’s flexible enough for any job and super-clean. It’s everything a Pultec Isn’t!

One of the most powerful but overlooked features of the Oxford EQ is the EQ modes. We looked in some detail at the standard EQ modes and the effect of Q/Gain Dependency on how an EQ feels in use. Something you don’t get to try unless you have the AAX DSP version of Oxford EQ is the fifth mode - GML EQ.

What Is A GML EQ?

George Massenburg Labs (GML) created the first parametric equaliser available. For those of us not around in those days it’s easy to forget that before George designed the parametric EQ in 1972 there was no way to continuously vary the frequency and width (Q) of a peak filter. These days some of us value vintage designs, partly because they limit our choices. When all of those choices aren’t available to you anywhere else those restrictions read rather differently!

The GML 8200 Equaliser is a hardware unit which has been coveted by mixers and mastering engineers alike for decades. It’s built to uncompromising standards and is as flexible as a plug-in and as sweet as the best analogue hardware.

The Oxford EQ’s GML EQ mode is an emulation of the GML 8200. It is only for Pro Tools AAX DSP. It provides curves which closely match the GML hardware, particularly the shape of the LF and HF shelf filters which are extremely gentle. GML Mode disables the Overshoot controls available in other modes for controlling the shape of the shelf. The parametric bands overlap in a similar way to the hardware 8200 but instead of the +/-15dB of the hardware the Oxford EQ offers +/-20dB. The filter section of the Oxford EQ remain available whilst in GML mode though absent from the hardware.

In the demonstration video below Julian Rodgers demonstrates GML mode on a piano recording and illustrates the shape of the curves by using his favourite feature of the Oxford EQ - Ears Only Mode!