Troubleshooting

> Most issues with Outboard-EQ fall into a handful of known categories. Here's what to check before contacting support.

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Most issues with Outboard-EQ fall into a handful of known categories. Here's what to check before contacting support.

The plugin window is blank (Windows)

Cause: Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime is not installed. The plugin needs WebView2 to render its UI.

Fix: Install the free WebView2 Evergreen Runtime from Microsoft (https://developer.microsoft.com/microsoft-edge/webview2/ — "Evergreen Bootstrapper", ~2 MB, silent install), then re-open the plugin. If WebView2 is missing, the plugin also shows a native fallback panel with a direct download link you can use instead.

On Windows 11 and Windows 10 builds from mid-2022 onward, WebView2 is preinstalled and this issue should not occur.

The plugin doesn't show up in my DAW

Cause: the DAW hasn't re-scanned plugins since installation.

Fix: trigger a re-scan from the DAW's plugin manager (see Installation for per-DAW instructions). If the plugin still doesn't appear, verify that the VST3 file exists at the correct path:

Windows: C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\Outboard-EQ.vst3
macOS: /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/Outboard-EQ.vst3

The spectrum analyzer is laggy

Cause: typically too many plugin instances are pulling spectrum data simultaneously, or the FFT size is set to Ultra (16384) on lower-end hardware.

Fix: lower the FFT size to Medium (4096) in the Analyzer popover, or disable the spectrum on instances where you don't actively need it (header → Spectrum toggle).

High CPU on session load

Cause: Spectral mode and LinPhase carry a fixed CPU cost that engages as soon as any band requests them. If many instances all use Spectral mode, the cumulative cost adds up.

Fix: flip per-band detector modes back to Peak / RMS / Adaptive where Spectral isn't musically necessary. Spectral is great when you need it, but it's not free.

Crash on plugin close

Cause: Very rare — typically a host-side memory-management issue at session close.

Fix: make sure you're running the latest version. If the crash persists, capture the crash log (Windows: Event Viewer; macOS: Console.app → Crash Reports) and contact support — the log is usually enough to identify the root cause.

Audio glitches when changing phase mode

Cause: Phase mode changes trigger an FIR rebuild on a worker thread and an atomic IR swap. This is normally seamless, but if you're automating phase mode itself, the audio thread may briefly see a stale state for one buffer.

Fix: automate phase mode at silence boundaries (e.g. between sections) rather than in the middle of a sustained sound.

Settings reset when reopening a project

Cause: the host didn't save the plugin state on close — usually a transient issue but sometimes caused by an in-host crash or by saving the project from a "phantom" plugin instance.

Fix: save your favourite starting state as the Default slot (Presets) so even a fresh instance picks up your preferred state. For project state, ensure the host's autosave is enabled.

Sidechain input does nothing

Cause: the sidechain bus is disabled by default in the plugin's bus layout.

Fix: in your DAW, enable the sidechain input on the plugin's bus layout (DAW-specific — usually a button labeled "Side-chain" on the plugin slot). Then in Outboard-EQ, set Analyzer External Source to Sidechain to verify the input is reaching the plugin.