Newfangled Audio Fixate-Midrange 1.0.0

Fixate:Midrange is an intelligent midrange correction plugin developed by Newfangled Audio and distributed by Eventide, designed to solve one of the most persistent challenges in mixing: getting a clean, translatable midrange. Announced May 12, 2026, Fixate:Midrange is available as an AU, VST3, and AAX plugin for macOS 10.14 or later and Windows 10 or later, and requires an iLok account for authorization (no physical USB dongle needed). Version 1.0.0 was the plugin's initial release, developed by Newfangled Audio founder Dan Gillespie, a former Eventide engineer, who described wanting to build "a tool that made perfect midrange easier for those who struggle and faster for those who've already mastered it." What sets Fixate:Midrange apart from a traditional parametric EQ is its intelligent, audio-aware approach: rather than requiring manual frequency hunting, the plugin analyzes incoming audio using critical-band resonance detection modeled on human hearing, identifying resonances and imbalances across multiple frequency bands that can go unnoticed with traditional analyzers. It targets six specific midrange problems — Mud, Thinness, Honk, Nasalness, Harshness, and overall Spectral Balance — each handled by its own dedicated intelligent dynamic processor that applies correction only when needed, preserving the original character and tone of the source rather than imposing a static EQ curve. Built for the master bus but flexible enough for individual tracks, Fixate:Midrange includes dedicated profiles for vocals, guitars, and other sources, can learn a custom tonal profile from any reference track dragged into the plugin, and is specifically designed to improve how a mix translates across AirPods, phones, car stereos, laptops, and streaming codecs.

Run the Mac installer, choosing which plugin formats (AU, VST3, AAX) to install. Complete iLok authorization using your iLok account credentials; no physical dongle is required. Open your DAW and load Fixate:Midrange on your master bus, a vocal track, or another critical midrange source. Let the plugin analyze the incoming audio, reviewing the visual hints that highlight potential problem frequencies. Select a built-in profile suited to your source material, such as vocals or guitars, or build a custom profile. Drag in a reference track if you want the plugin to automatically learn and match its tonal character. Adjust the manual controls for Mud, Thinness, Honk, Nasalness, Harshness, and Spectral Balance as needed, then save your settings as a recallable profile for future sessions.