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Average Price: $181
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$49
$150+
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Based on price data from 3 merchants for "FabFilter Pro-Q 3". Prices shown reflect NEW condition. Tracking began Apr 2, 2026.
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Description
Unleash your creativity with the FabFilter Pro-Q 3, a versatile EQ plugin that stands out in any mix engineer's toolkit. Its sophisticated design allows you to shape sound with precision, whether you're making subtle adjustments or engaging in complex frequency sculpting. The 24-band dynamic equalizer offers a mix of analog warmth and digital precision, thanks to its Natural Phase and Linear Phase modes. This plugin is not just versatile in its sound-shaping capabilities but also in its user-friendly interface, which features a large interactive EQ display that simplifies the process of creating and tweaking EQ bands.
With Pro-Q 3, you can effortlessly identify and eliminate frequency collisions, aided by its revamped spectrum analyzer and Spectrum Grab function. The plugin also supports Dolby Atmos, making it a future-ready tool for immersive audio projects. The inclusion of a Piano Roll display ensures your EQ decisions are always musically informed, while the innovative Auto Gain mode compensates for volume changes, keeping your mix balanced. Whether you are a seasoned pro or an aspiring engineer, the Pro-Q 3 promises a rich blend of features that elevate your mixing and mastering sessions.
Key Features:
- 24-band dynamic equalizer with Natural Phase and Linear Phase modes
- Dolby Atmos support with intelligent per-band speaker selection
- Brickwall LP/HP filter slope for aggressive frequency elimination
- Spectrum analyzer with collision detection and Spectrum Grab function
- Per-band Mid-Side and Left-Right processing modes
- Auto Gain with channel weighting and dynamic gain correction
- EQ Match feature for seamless integration with other Pro-Q 3 instances
- Up to 96 dB/octave filter slope and diverse filter types
- Piano Roll display for musically guided EQ adjustments
- Zero Latency mode for live tracking and performance
Product specs
| Software Type | Dynamic EQ |
| Platform | Mac, PC |
| Upgrade/Full | Full |
| Download/Boxed | Download |
| Bit Depth | 64-bit |
| Plug-in Formats | AAX, AU, VST, CLAP |
| Additional Compatibility | AudioSuite |
| Hardware Requirements - Mac | Intel Core 2 Duo or higher, 4GB RAM minimum |
| Hardware Requirements - PC | Intel Core 2 Duo / AMD Athlon 64 X2 or higher, 4GB RAM minimum |
| OS Requirements - Mac | macOS 10.13 or later |
| OS Requirements - PC | Windows 7 SP1 or later |
FAQs
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What are the main features of the FabFilter Pro-Q 3 EQ plugin?
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The FabFilter Pro-Q 3 offers a 24-band dynamic EQ with Dynamic Range and Threshold controls, perfect analog EQ shape matching, Linear Phase mode, and surround support up to 7.1.2 Dolby Atmos. It also includes mid/side processing options, a brickwall LP/HP filter slope, and an improved spectrum analyzer with frequency collision indication.
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Is FabFilter Pro-Q 3 compatible with my DAW?
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FabFilter Pro-Q 3 is compatible with DAWs that support AAX, AU, VST, CLAP, and AudioSuite plugin formats. It works on both Mac and PC platforms, ensuring broad compatibility across most popular DAWs.
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How does the Dynamic EQ feature work in FabFilter Pro-Q 3?
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The Dynamic EQ in FabFilter Pro-Q 3 allows you to adjust the EQ bands dynamically based on the input signal. It features Dynamic Range and Threshold controls, along with an intelligent Auto Threshold mode, providing precise control over dynamic processing.
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What are the system requirements for running FabFilter Pro-Q 3 on a Mac?
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To run FabFilter Pro-Q 3 on a Mac, you'll need macOS 10.13 or later, an Intel Core 2 Duo processor or higher, and a minimum of 4GB RAM.
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Can I use FabFilter Pro-Q 3 for surround sound mixing?
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Yes, FabFilter Pro-Q 3 supports surround sound mixing up to 7.1.2 Dolby Atmos, with intelligent per-band speaker selection, making it suitable for complex audio environments.
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How does the spectrum analyzer in FabFilter Pro-Q 3 improve mixing?
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The spectrum analyzer in FabFilter Pro-Q 3 includes frequency collision indication and the ability to show the spectrum of any other Pro-Q 3 instance, helping you identify and address frequency clashes effectively during mixing.
Videos
FabFilter
Introduction to FabFilter Pro-Q 3
Reviews
PROS
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Highly flexible with up to 24 bands for detailed EQ control
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Dynamic EQ capabilities allow for precise frequency adjustments
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Excellent GUI with visual feedback aids in intuitive use
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Transparent sound, ideal for both subtractive and additive EQ tasks
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Mid/side processing enhances stereo field manipulation
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Extremely versatile, suitable for individual tracks and mastering
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Auto-gain feature simplifies gain staging and workflow
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Industry standard, trusted by professionals for reliable performance
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Resource friendly, doesn't strain CPU even with multiple instances
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Exceptional for surgical EQ tasks and problem frequency isolation
CONS
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Some users find it expensive compared to other EQ options
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Lacks the analog warmth of hardware EQs for certain tasks
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about FabFilter Pro-Q 3.
Comparisons
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ToneBoosters EQv4 is highlighted as offering 90% of Pro-Q 3's functionality at just 20% of the cost, providing a more budget-friendly option.
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The JST EQ by Joey Sturgis Tones is suggested as a budget-friendly alternative to Pro-Q 3, sharing many features but at a lower price.
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Kirchhoff EQ is noted as a comparable alternative, particularly for its dynamic EQ control, though it lacks Pro-Q 3's frequency masking visualization.
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Use cases and applications
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The Pro-Q 3's dynamic EQ functionality is praised for maintaining mix clarity when static cuts make the mix sound dull.
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The EQ matching feature in Pro-Q 3 is noted for its utility in reverse-engineering sounds, providing creative sound design opportunities.
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Many users prefer using Pro-Q 3's linear phase mode on vocals for its clean, transparent sound, despite its high CPU usage.
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User experience
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Some users note the minimized version of Pro-Q 3 is efficient on CPU, making it feasible to use as the default EQ on multiple channels without resource strain.
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Users report that Pro-Q 3 significantly enhances workflow speed, especially when working on tight deadlines.
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Owners appreciate the mid-side processing and intuitive UI, which significantly improves workflow efficiency.
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Features and functionality
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Users appreciate the full-screen mode, which maximizes the analyzer display, allowing for quicker identification of problem frequencies.
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The Pro-Q 3's EQ curves maintain integrity near the Nyquist frequency, avoiding the "cramping" effect found in other EQs for high-frequency filters.
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The Pro-Q 3's ability to visualize frequency conflicts between tracks using multiple instances is a unique feature not found in other EQs.
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Pro-Q 3 offers extensive y-axis scale customization from 3dB to 30dB, which can be set as a default preset for consistent visual scaling.
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Users appreciate the ability to sidechain the EQ to different sources, enhancing flexibility in mixing scenarios.
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Pro-Q 3 includes a brick wall function, although it's advised to use it cautiously as it can cause phase issues.
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Dynamic EQ feature allows turning any band into a compressor, providing nuanced control over specific frequency ranges.
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Value and pricing
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Pro-Q 3 is considered a premium plugin, but its extensive feature set and usability justify the investment for many users, despite the availability of cheaper alternatives.
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FabFilter offers significant discounts for students and price reductions when purchasing multiple plugins, enhancing its affordability.
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Critic Reviews
5.0 out of 5
Based on 63 Reviews and 443 Ratings
Best. EQ. Outthere.
Basically the only EQ I use. I do use Maäg EQ4 on the master channel, when mastering projects, but that's it. Pro-Q does everything else.. Sculpting, cleaning, filtering, removing low or high frequencies, mid, side, etc etc.
1822
Unbelievable Versatile Digital EQ!!!
My Favorite Digital EQ (Versatile) works wonderful on just about anything
Exceptional Sound Quality
Solves Problems BIG TIME!
Excellent Control
Worth EVERY Dollar - you will use this on everything - If you only own 1 Digital EQ the THIS should be 'The ONE'!
5454
5 stars, 2nd most used EQ
5 stars, 2nd favorite plugin EQ. Goes Massenburg, ProQ 2. I'd be fine with just the 2 plugin EQ options honestly, I rarely use anything else...ever. Most used plugins I have. The feature set on the Pro Q is nice & a big part of how it gets used as often as it does. It's a solid problem solver.
The Massenburg is a better sounding plugin EQ, but it's feature set is limited. It does what it does very well & that's it. No bells & whistles & that suits me just fine.
The ProQ 2 covers the mid side, the ease of finding problem frequencies, etc. & general problem solving, etc. it's what has made it a go to for EQ work where the Massenburg isn't a fit.
Lastly- the GUI is, I'm sure already mentioned, but refreshing & it's how I wish more developers would think.
It's a plugin for shits sake.
I'm not interested in some massive GUI representation of a NEVE or API.
Actually that, in addition to being a hassle just serves to remind me of said plugins failings.
Version: FabFilter Pro-Q 2851
Probably the Best Equalizer I have Used
This is one of if not the best equalizer plugin that I have used. I use it up front on each channel in the mix to shape the signal right out of the instrument plugins. For example, I use it on a synth as the first plugin in the chain. I also use it in my master chain as the first plugin. The thing I like about this EQ is that it allows me to see what I am doing so clearly. I almost don't have to hear the music to know what it is going to sound like. And, this version 2 has an auto gain feature that while not perfect does a great job at keeping the levels going out of this plugin quite even with what was going into it. That is always a chore during the gain staging process and this EQ takes easily an hour out of the process for me.
Version: FabFilter Pro-Q 2205
Most popular EQ plugin out there, possibly the best.
This EQ plugin is practically an industry standard, and has a really nice GUI. It comes standard with lots of presets, too, which can be a good thing if you just want to try and stick them on your sounds in the mix or use as examples to go off of. I will say, though, that sometimes it can be easy to overlook DAWs simple, but effective, built-in EQ plugins.
213
The Perfect EQ.
The Perfect EQ.
Everything about this EQ is perfect. The sound, the look, the features, the workflow. I love this EQ because, although I use it mostly for subtractive EQing, the additive EQ sounds super transparent, especially in the higher frequencies.
I'd recommend getting to know whatever EQ you have already, but if you have the money to spend, get to know this one instead and it will most likely improve your production quality.
Version: FabFilter Pro-Q 2185
Best workhorse EQ on the planet
Like the title says, simply the best EQ on the planet. Why? It is highly flexibel, has awesome workflow and sounds awesome. And on top of that it is beautiful to look at. My go to EQ everyday. I wouldn't use it for coloring because it is very transparant. But there's plenty of other coloring EQ's on the market today.
Version: FabFilter Pro-Q 2166
The best EQ
This is an amazing EQ plugin and it is very very quick, i like how it more or less guesses whether you want a HPF or LPF according to where you click. The HD display also makes it much easier to see every single frequency you want to manipulate on its spectrum analyser. Also the amount of points and curves you can make allow so much freedom to mix however you want. The frequency automation is also very responsive which is great.
Version: FabFilter Pro-Q 1238
This is the pre-eminent EQ
As far as subtractive EQ goes, this plugin is a workhorse for mixing. Does alright with boosts too but they lack the flavor of analog gear, so I use them sparingly in favor of other EQs.
Artist usage
Add artist
In this screenshot from a Martin Garrix Instagram story, he's "working on new show outro" and several of his plugins can be seen. Amongst them is FabFilter Pro-Q.
At 0:08 into the video, Hardwell can clearly be seen using the FabFilter Pro-Q 2 plugin in his Logic DAW session.
On the Splice page of Tiësto's song, Secrets, it lists FabFilter Pro-Q Equalizer as one of the plugins used.
Used on Sheeran's vocals for Justin Bieber's "Love Yourself", as stated by Purpose mix engineers Josh Gudwin and Andrew Wuepper in this May 2016 Sound on Sound interview about the mixing of the title track and others.
“Below the trumpet section are Ed’s vocals, on which I have the [Avid] BF76 compressor and a channel strip, and at the top is his vocal bus, on which I have the FabFilter Pro-2 EQ. I also had the Bricasti on Ed’s voice, as well as a UAD LA2."
His Twitter post : "I feel like FabFilter Pro-Q 2 made me a better producer and, probably, a better human being spiritually."
Used on "Hymn for the Weekend", as mentioned by A Head Full of Dreams co-producer Rik Simpson in this Sound on Sound article.
“The guitars have the Soundtoys PanMan to give them some movement, and also some corrective EQ from the Pro–Q 2, and the UAD SSL E Channel strip, which is one of my go–to plug–ins, because it sounds so similar to the original SSL, a desk I was brought up on. There’s also an eBow guitar hook at the end of the song that has the Wavesfactory TrackSpacer plug–in, which side–chains the guitar to the vocal, so it clears the space when the vocal is present.
W&W used the FabFilter Pro-Q 3 EQ plugin in their track "The One," as shown in their Instagram post announcing the release of a new track.
Used on "Hymn for the Weekend", as mentioned by A Head Full of Dreams co-producer Rik Simpson in this Sound on Sound article.
It was very important to get the development and arrangement of the vocals right. Many of the 45 tracks are effect tracks. There’s only one lead vocal track each for the verses [LV Verse], for the bridge [LV Bridge], and the choruses [LV Chorus], and then Chris sang a number of bridge and chorus vocal overdubs. The main verse vocal has the Avid Channel Strip, which is taking out some low end, an SPL TwinTube, which adds some saturation, the UBK1 compressor adding more crunch, and the UAD Fairchild 670 and SSL E Channel. I don’t use a great deal of compression from each unit. I will just tickle it a little bit with each one, and each one adds a different characteristic. I could just add a whole load of compression from one plug–in, but like this it doesn’t sound over–compressed. The Pro–Q 2 is, again, a high–pass filter. In the sends there’s a Waves H–Delay that I recorded elsewhere, and sends to a main D–Verb and two QL Spaces aux tracks. I have different reverbs and delays for each part of the song so that the vocal sound evolves during the song.
“The main chorus lead vocal has the FabFilter Pro–Q 2 EQ, the Waves Rennaissance Vox, again the UBK1, two instances of the FabFilter Pro–DS de–esser, two instances of the UAD Pultec EQP–1A, and the FabFilter Pro–MB multi–band compressor. I like the FabFilter de–esser. I am still trying to find the ultimate de–esser, because it’s quite a hard thing to do right. I have two because one is doing high top sibilance, and the other lower stuff around 2kHz. The sends on chorus lead vocal go to aux tracks with the Waves H–Delay, the FXpansion Bloom with a lush, wide stereo delay, a small chamber from the QL Spaces plug–in, a mono delay from the UAD Echoplex, and several other delays. The sends to the delays are all automated independently, with different words getting different delays.
“One thing of note is that there also is a ‘Hope House M80’ vocal track, recorded when Chris was still using the Telefunken M80, and it’s mixed in very low. There’s also a lead-vocal double that has ‘251’ marked, indicating that Chris was also using that mic. But the main vocals were recorded using the Soyuz. There are two tracks marked ‘251 Melo Lead’ and ‘251 Melo Double’, again mixed in low. ‘Melo’ stands for Melodyne, and these tracks are raised two semitones. They were recorded in a different key for a different version of the song, and detuning them added a certain alien quality to these vocals which we really liked. At the bottom of the session are the Beyoncé vocal tracks, on which I mainly used the SSL E Channel strip, UBK1, L2, SoundToys Echo Boy, Avid ModDelay and the QL Space.”
Album Usage
The FabFilter Pro-Q 3 has been featured on the following albums:
bittersweet
Madison Beer (2025)
Are We There
Breaka (2025)
american dream (nightcore version)
21 Savage (2024)
Open Your Eyes
Funkin Matt (2024)
Modern Girl
Bleachers (2023)
Lucky
Bad Snacks (2022)
snowfall
Øneheart (2022)
Neon Medusa
The Midnight (2021)
Good News
Megan Thee Stallion (2020)
Exciting New Sound
Will Sparks (2020)
Ex Machina
Metrik (2020)
Say So (feat. Nicki Minaj)
Nicki Minaj & Doja Cat (2020)
Old Town Road (Remix)
Billy Ray Cyrus & Lil Nas X & Mason Ramsey (2019)
Echoes
Ben Duffy & Kove (2019)
Obsidian
Huminal (2019)
KIRK
DaBaby (2019)
Gravity
Metrik (2019)
Can't Erase
Rebecca & Fiona & Nause (2019)
bad guy (with Justin Bieber)
Justin Bieber & Billie Eilish (2019)
Be Honest (feat. Burna Boy)
Jorja Smith (2019)
Crumbling
Mid-Air Thief (2019)
Macropsia
Huminal (2018)
How Does It Feel
M-22 (2018)
Dead Inside
Taska Black (2018)
All The Stars (with SZA)
Kendrick Lamar & SZA (2018)
Sober
Cat Dealers (2017)
Lots to Say
Mark Villa & Keanu Silva (2017)
Bodak Yellow (feat. Kodak Black)
Cardi B & Kodak Black (2017)
Breathe
Jonas Aden (2016)
Is It Love
3LAU (2016)
Blau & Pink
Dat Adam (2016)
Sweet & Sour (Extended Mix)
Mike Williams & Mike Williams (2016)
Memories (feat. Sirah) [Radio Edit]
Bassjackers & KSHMR (2015)
Secrets (Remixes)
Tiësto & KSHMR & Vassy (2015)
Secrets (Diplo Remix)
Tiësto & KSHMR & Vassy (2015)
Secrets (Radio Edit)
Tiësto & KSHMR & Vassy (2015)
Edge EP
Neonlight (2015)
See You Soon
Michael Brun (2015)
The One
W&W (2015)
The End (Megaphonix Remix)
Lucky Date & Megaphonix (2015)
Memories (feat. Sirah)
Bassjackers & KSHMR (2015)
Heartbeats
Matt Nash (2015)
Here Comes The Sun
Will K (2015)
Rattlesnake
Rogue (2015)
A Head Full of Dreams
Coldplay (2015)
Purpose (Deluxe)
Justin Bieber (2015)
Turn It Around
DubVision (2014)
Turn It Back
Deepend (2014)
Party Face
Victor Porfidio (2014)
Max Ammo
Firebeatz (2013)
Retaliate
Angerfist (2012)
In The Mode
Roni Size & Roni Size / Reprazent (2000)
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use FabFilter Pro-Q 3, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
Community setups
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