TDR Nova vs FabFilter Pro-Q 4: free dynamic EQ vs the industry standard
TDR Nova is a free parallel dynamic EQ that handles most mixing jobs. Pro-Q 4 is the EQ a lot of pros use for surgical work. They overlap more than you'd think, but not completely.
| TDR Nova (free) | FabFilter Pro-Q 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free. A paid "Gentleman's Edition" (Nova GE) adds more bands and features. | Paid. |
| Bands | 4 dynamic EQ bands, plus high-pass and low-pass filter sections. | Up to 24 bands. |
| Dynamic EQ | Every band has a full dynamics section. It also works as a multiband or wideband compressor. | Optional dynamic EQ on every bell and shelf band, with attack/release, side-chain filtering and external triggering. |
| Spectral dynamics | Not listed. | Yes. Reacts to individual frequencies inside a band. |
| Phase modes | Not listed on TDR's page. | Zero latency, linear phase (adjustable latency) and Natural Phase. |
| Stereo / mid-side | Its changelog mentions Left/Right and Sum/Diff (mid/side) processing modes. | Per-band mid/side or left/right processing. |
| Workflow extras | Spectrum analyzer, equal-loudness helpers, presets, undo/redo, A/B. | Spectrum Grab, EQ Sketch, EQ Match, Instance List, analog character modes, Auto Gain, full-screen mode. |
| Surround | Not listed. | Up to Dolby Atmos 9.1.6. |
| Formats | VST2, VST3, AU, AAX. | VST, VST3, AU, CLAP, AAX Native, AudioSuite. |
| OS | Windows, macOS, Linux (x86-64). | Windows and macOS (Apple Silicon or Intel). |
"Not listed" means the developer's own page doesn't mention it. It might still exist, but we won't claim it. Sources: tokyodawn.net (TDR Nova) · fabfilter.com (Pro-Q 4 features).
Verdict
Stay free with TDR Nova for everyday mixing: taming harsh vocals, de-essing, controlling boomy bass or a quick bus EQ. Four dynamic bands plus filters is enough for most tracks, and it runs on Linux.
Pay for Pro-Q 4 if you regularly need lots of bands, linear phase for mastering, spectral dynamics for resonances that move around, EQ Match, or Atmos. The workflow (Spectrum Grab, EQ Sketch) is also much faster.
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