Apogee FX Rack

Lowest Latency. Premium DSP-Native Plugins. Simple Workflows.

Superior Sound Quality

Meet Apogee FX Rack with Dual Path Recording

Apogee FX Rack Plugins are made with the same quest for quality and obsessive attention to detail as Apogee hardware products. Thanks to Apogee’s unique DualPath DSP-Native technology,  Apogee FX Rack plugins can run both on the hardware DSP in Ensemble Thunderbolt and Element Series interfaces and as native plugins on your Mac. Apogee’s DualPath technology opens up a variety of popular, simplified workflows, always with the lowest latency.

No other audio hardware and plugin platform offers a more powerful combination of professional sound quality and workflow flexibility.

Apogee FX Rack Plugins

Buy Apogee FX Plugins

Pultec EQP-1A
FX Rack light theme, FX Rack dark theme, Native

Pultec EQP-1A

Program Equalizer

fx rack native icon

AU/VST/AAX | macOS only

  • – Precisely recreates the Pultec EQP-1A’s unique characteristics:
    • – Broad EQ curves, to gently but powerfully shape your sounds while maintaining their integrity
    • – Interaction of Bands, to create characteristic EQ curves used by engineers for decades
    • – Circuit Non-Linearites, to add the “magic” that hardware units are renown for
  • – Developed with Pulse Techniques, current manufacturer of hardware Pultec EQs
    • – Apogee plugin modeled from brand new Pultec unit
    • – Officially Licensed and Endorsed by Pulse Techniques
  • – Includes FX and FX Rack versions
  • – Run natively in your favorite DAW on your Mac, no Apogee hardware required
  • – Runs on Apogee hardware DSP in Element Series and Ensemble Thunderbolt audio interfaces and features DualPath Monitoring for near zero latency recording

Pultec MEQ-5
FX Rack light theme, FX Rack dark theme, Native

Pultec MEQ-5

Mid-range Equalizer

fx rack native icon

AU/VST/AAX | macOS only

  • – The Apogee Pultec MEQ-5 Midrange Equalizer plugin precisely recreates the original hardware to sculpt critical midrange frequencies with precision and warmth
  • – Developed with Pulse Techniques, current manufacturer of hardware Pultec EQs
    • – Apogee plugin modeled from brand new Pultec unit
    • – Officially Licensed and Endorsed by Pulse Techniques
  • – Includes FX and FX Rack versions
  • – Run natively in your favorite DAW on your Mac, no Apogee hardware required
  • – Runs on Apogee hardware DSP in Element Series and Ensemble Thunderbolt audio interfaces and features DualPath Monitoring for near zero latency recording

Pultec bundle
FX and FX rack plugins included

EQP-1A + MEQ-5 (Pultec bundle)

Program Equalizer + Mid-range Equalizer

fx rack native icon

AU/VST/AAX | macOS only

INCLUDES:
Pultec EQP-1A
Pultec MEQ-5

Apogee and Pulse Techniques Partnership

In our obsessive quest to reproduce every nuance of the Pultec Program Equalizer and Mid-range Equalizer, we had a worthy partner –  Steve Jackson of Pulse Techniques, the current manufacturer of new Pultec hardware. During the 10 years Steve spent to recreate the legendary EQP-1A, he learned the intricate secrets of each component from the only person alive who knew them – Eugene Shenk, the original Pultec designer.

Legendary recording engineer Bob Clearmountain has used original Pultec EQs as an integral part of his mixing process since early days at New York’s Power Station studio, so he was thrilled to audition Steve’s re-creations. After careful listening, Bob determined that the new units were sonically identical to the originals. He uses new and original units interchangeably at Mix This, his Los Angeles-based studio.

After careful analysis of several vintage and new Pultec EQP-1A and MEQ-5 units, Apogee chose to model our plugin after Steve’s new hardware – it was like unboxing brand new units in 1959.

We’re proud that Apogee’s software Pultecs are the only EQP-1A and MEQ-5 type plugins endorsed and fully licensed by Steve and Pulse Techniques.

Apogee/Pultec Artists

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Stargate (Mikkel Eriksen and Tor Erik Hermansen)

“We love the FX Rack from Apogee. We have our own setups and templates so that you know you are instantly up and running with the Pultec EQ and it sounds great.”

Grammy Award Winning Producers/Songwriters

Beyonce, Rihanna, Ne-Yo, Pink, Sia, Coldplay

Anthony Saffery

“I’ve tried just about every Pultec plugin there is and am totally amazed with Apogee’s Pultec emulation. Before I touched anything it has the sonic feel of a Pultec, the source sounds better immediately and pushing up some 10k gives you that magical opening you’re looking for. The ‘low end’ trick dials in easily. For something that sounds so good it has little CPU penalty: how did you do it Apogee? Best Pultec emulation yet!”

Producer/Mixer

Madame Gandhi, Portugal the Man, Dirty Vegas

Matt Kiichi Heafy – Trivium

“With the Apogee FX Rack plugins, I’m able to use the exact same rack gear sounds that I’ve used in professional studios with all of the top producers Trivium has worked with. It’s insane that I can have the same tones at my fingertips – this easily – with Apogee.”

2019 Grammy Nominee – Best Metal Performance

Opto-3A
FX Rack light theme, FX Rack dark theme, Native

Opto-3A

Vintage Compressor/Limiter

fx rack native icon

AU/VST/AAX | macOS only

– Optical Compressor/Limiter
– Reproduces the reactive compression characteristics of modeled hardware
– Extended Hf emphasis functionality
– Sidechain HP filter
– Dry/FX Mix
  • – Includes FX and FX Rack versions
  • – Run natively in your favorite DAW on your Mac, no Apogee hardware required
  • – Runs on Apogee hardware DSP in Element Series and Ensemble Thunderbolt audio interfaces and features DualPath Monitoring for near zero latency recording

ModEQ 6
FX Rack light theme, FX Rack dark theme, Native light theme, Native dark theme

ModEQ 6

Modern 6 Band Visual Equalizer

fx rack native icon

AU/VST/AAX | macOS only

– 6 Band Parametric EQ
    – Lo Pass, Hi Pass
    – 2 Peak/Shelf
    – 2 Peak/Notch
– Visual user interface
– Spectrum Analyzer
– Band Solo
– Proportional/Constant Q
  • – Includes FX and FX Rack versions
  • – Run natively in your favorite DAW on your Mac, no Apogee hardware required
  • – Runs on Apogee hardware DSP in Element Series and Ensemble Thunderbolt audio interfaces and features DualPath Monitoring for near zero latency recording

ModComp
FX Rack light theme, FX Rack dark theme, Native light theme, Native dark theme

ModComp

Modern Visual Compressor/Limiter

fx rack native icon

AU/VST/AAX | macOS only

– Modern Compressor/Limiter
– Visual user interface
– 3 User Selectable Styles, Punch, Easy and Level
– 2- Band Sidechain EQ
– Auto Makeup
– Dry/FX Mix
  • – Includes FX and FX Rack versions
  • – Run natively in your favorite DAW on your Mac, no Apogee hardware required
  • – Runs on Apogee hardware DSP in Element Series and Ensemble Thunderbolt audio interfaces and features DualPath Monitoring for near zero latency recording

Complete bundle

All Apogee FX and FX rack plugins

fx rack native icon

AU/VST/AAX | macOS only

INCLUDES:
Pultec EQP-1A
Pultec MEQ-5
Opto-3-A
ModEQ 6
ModComp

Apogee FX Rack Workflow

Follow Your Own Path

With Apogee FX Rack you decide how you want to work

With Apogee’s DualPath Monitoring, DSP-Native technology, Apogee FX Rack runs both as a native plugin in your DAW and on Apogee hardware DSP found in Ensemble Thunderbolt and Element Series interfaces. With this unique flexibility, the Apogee FX Rack plugins adapt to your workflow, not the other way around.

DualPath Monitoring Workflow

The innovative approach that makes direct monitoring with plugins easy and intuitive

Play Video

Watch the DualPath Monitoring Overview Video

 

Direct monitoring – where a second audio path is routed through a separate mixer while recording – is a well-accepted and popular way to experience low latency even when your DAW buffer is set high for maximum plugin processing. The only downside? You’ve got two windows in two different apps to manage. Adding plugins only makes the workflow more counterintuitive.

In DualPath Monitoring mode, you set up and control everything – Apogee FX Rack’s, direct monitoring level, even mic pre gain – right from the Apogee FX Rack in your DAW. No need to bounce between mixer windows, the ApogeeFX system transparently applies and updates plugin processing where needed. Plus, there’s no need to print plugins – you can dynamically shape your sound all the way to the final mix.

Apogee FX Rack + Logic Pro X, the Ultimate DualPath Experience

Logic Pro X users enjoy the ultimate Apogee FX Rack and DualPath Monitoring experience, thanks to unique hardware-software integration features, such as the Logic Pro X Direct button and Audio Device Control view. And, it can all be controlled from a single window in Logic, no need for an additional mixer or console app. With Apogee FX and DualPath Monitoring, the pieces are now in place for a user experience that’s unsurpassed in simplicity, power and quality.

Native Workflow

ApogeeFX Rack is available in AU, AAX and VST formats, so it runs as a native plugin in your favorite DAW even when you’re working mobile without Apogee hardware.

Reviews

Apogee Hardware DSP Enabled Audio Interfaces

Apogee FX Rack Requirements and Compatibility

System Requirements

  • • Mac OS X 10.12.6 or higher, 10.14 Mojave fully supported
  • • 4 GB minimum RAM, 8 GB or higher recommended
  • Free Pace iLok account – physical iLok not required
NOTE: All prices and promotions are subject to change

Tested & Supported DAWs

• Logic Pro 10
• Pro Tools 12, Ultimate  ( ProTools 11 and lower not currently supported )
• Ableton Live 10
• Cubase 9.5  VST 1 & 2  ( VST 3 not implemented in this release )
• Please note that any AUv2, VST 1&2m, or AAX fully compliant DAW should work