Hello Guys,
I think most plugins that work better than EQ3 are going to be less DSP efficient.
What I personally do (and some of you might consider it a capital sin) is that when I record (using PTHD7.4) I use the EQ3 to cut off any odd harmonics with narrow Q on drums and color the tracks a little bit with SSL EQ (not DSP efficient).
Then when I'm done recording, I copy the original tracks into a virtual track on the playlist (just to have the unaffected track) and Audiosuite all plugins to each track. That way I still get the same color, no DSP use, plus I can always go back to the original uncolored tracks. IF I use any compression, I wont Audiosuite it.
Now, back to the original thread subject:
I find very useful the URS EQs (any of them) but they have a distinctive sound that says: "URS in use here!".
The EQ3 I try to use it only for narrow Q attenuation, nothing else, I think it sounds pretty much fake for other tasks, unless I'm running out of DSP power!
The REQ from Waves, rarely use it, but sometimes comes in handy, for example when boosting highs on BGVs and Low pass or Hi pass filtering.
The Qparagraphic from Waves is just TOO fake for me.
API from Waves, I find it too heavy colored (not in a good way like real APIs should) and not punchy enough.
Sonalksis is fairly good (only demoed, not enough time to find a specific use to it) but it didn't shake my grounds.
Wavearts, I haven't used the EQ that much but the other plugins are really cool.
EDIT: Sorry, forgot the Sonnox EQ, Great stuff!.. Don't own it but have used it in other studios. Try it out.
So basically, I'll stick to the SSL EQ and URS A/S/N, Fulltec and as far as compression goes Massey CT4 (this one rocks!), SSL Buss Comp, UAD 1176, sometimes URS comp in very specific needs (it gets a little tricky with this comps) and for last in use when running out of DSP, the Comp/Limit3 from Digi.
Thanks for reading such a long post and sorry!