Dangerous Music Launches BAX EQ Plugin

Dangerous Music has announced the BAX EQ Plugin,which they say brings the openness, dimensionality, and effortless musical response of the acclaimed BAX EQ hardware into the DAW.

A spokesperson told us, "Created with direct involvement from mastering designer Chris Muth and the Dangerous Music team, the plugin was evaluated against current BAX EQ hardware through critical listening and precision measurements. Developed together with Dangerous Music Digital® and Acustica Audio, in collaboration with Luca Pretolesi of Studio DMI, it is the only BAX EQ plugin certified by Dangerous Music."

Here's more details from the company...

The BAX EQ Plugin joins the original 19-inch BAX EQ and the BAX500, released earlier
this year, making the BAX sound available in more formats than ever. Producers and
engineers can choose the format that fits their workflow: stereo rackmount hardware,
single-slot 500 Series modules, or software inside the DAW.

Tuned by the Ears Behind the Original
For nearly two decades, the BAX EQ has been a trusted tool for broad, intuitive tone
shaping. Its shelves and phase-coherent cut filters help mixers and mastering engineers
give the low end authority, open the top, clear the frequency extremes, and bring the
whole picture together without making the music feel heavily processed.
Advances in plugin processing, sampling, and capture gave Dangerous Music the
opportunity to approach the new BAX EQ plugin with a fresh start. The goal was simple:
capture more of the analog hardware's depth, clarity, and response inside the DAW.
"Plugin technology has evolved since 2013, and we knew there was way more of the BAX
hardware's sonics left to capture," said marek stycos, President of Dangerous Music.
"Chris and I just kept pushing until we experienced that familiar vibrant musicality. Once it
didn't feel like an EQ anymore, it was ready to be Dangerous Music Certified."

What Certified by Dangerous Music Means
Development began with a BAX EQ pulled from production for the software team. Muth
and stycos evaluated the software against their own units, connecting what they heard
with measurable differences in response and filter behavior.
Across four major revisions, Dangerous Music supplied a second production hardware
unit, reviewed measurement plots, and sent their own CONVERT-AD+ and CONVERT-2
mastering-grade converters to the development team for impulse-response capture. The
process continued until the original hardware team approved the sonics.
"Certification," stycos added,"means the people who designed and still build the
hardware today did the listening, measuring, comparing, and final approval. Chris and I
only signed off when it was right."

The BAX Sound, Inside the DAW
The BAX EQ Plugin brings the broad, intuitive response of the original design into the
DAW. On kick and bass, it adds resonance, authority, and warmth. On vocals, pads, and
strings, it opens the top with smooth air and dimension. Across stems, the mix bus, or a
mastering chain, it helps the music come together without sounding heavily processed.

Key features include:
• The only BAX EQ Plugin certified by Dangerous Music
• Broad high- and low-frequency shelves based on Chris Muth's original BAX circuitry
• Phase-coherent Low Cut and High Cut filters
• Classic, Expanded, and Dual Mono views
• Mid-Side processing for independent center and side shaping
• Independent left and right operation
• Final output control for level matching and gain staging
• VST3, AAX, and AU formats for macOS and Windows

A Collaboration Grounded in Real-World Listening
The BAX EQ Plugin was developed together with Dangerous Music Digital and Acustica
Audio, in collaboration with Luca Pretolesi of Studio DMI. Acustica Audio brought its DSP,
sampling, and software-development platform. Dangerous Music supplied the reference
units, measurements, converters, listening feedback, and product sign-off. Pretolesi
contributed the perspective and ears of a longtime BAX user working across high-level
mixing and mastering sessions.

"I've used the BAX hardware for years because it lets me make broad moves that feel
musical and finished very quickly," said Luca Pretolesi, founder of Studio DMI.
"The plugin responds the way I expect BAX to respond, and knowing Dangerous Music stayed
involved through the final listen matters. It feels like a BAX hardware unit, but in the DAW."

Pricing and Availability:
The Dangerous Music BAX EQ Plugin is available beginning July 28, 2026 through
Acustica Audio for $179/€155. It is offered in VST3, AAX, and AU formats for major DAWs on
macOS and Windows. A fully functional 30-day trial is available so engineers can hear the
plugin in their own sessions before purchasing.

More information:

• BAX EQ

• NAMM 26: BAX EQ In 500-Series Format 23-Jan-26
• Dangerous Music Debuts Its First Plugin 01-Dec-25
• New Dangerous Music Analog Summing Mixer 04-Jul-22
• Dangerous Music Reference DACs Ship 09-Jul-15
• Dangerous Music Unveils The 2-BUS+ 15-Jun-15