I don't have much experience at all EQ'ing and Compressing "in the box".  I did all mine through hardware and only used Cakewalk's stock effects for vocal and guitar stuff.  With this new DAW, I want to do more in the box.  
 
But there's way too many plugins out there for me to know what's what.  What plugins do you all recommend for EQ and Compression processing with good quality sound? 
 
I would like a good visual parametric EQ plugin, particularly.  Compression needs to be good quality too.  I just don't know where to begin.  

Good questions...as others may add info....if you searched this forum looking for those topics you'll find some good information .

Fabfilter Pro-Q2. What you can't do with it you don't need to do. Simple and intuitive to use. https://www.fabfilter.com/products/pro-q-2-equalizer-plug-in
 
For compression I'd suggest two. Klanghelm's MJUC is great and cheap: https://klanghelm.com/contents/products/MJUC/MJUC.php
Slate Digital's Virtual Mix Rack will have you covered for a long time: http://slatedigital.com/virtual-mix-rack/

Voda La Void
But there's way too many plugins out there for me to know what's what.  What plugins do you all recommend for EQ and Compression processing with good quality sound? 

Any. Choose an EQ that has an interface you like.
Same with compressors really, although there are subtle differences in how they behave and measure signals over the threshold and so on. If you want free and easy, Blockfish is ancient, but good. It seems to behave a bit like a DBX160.
http://www.digitalfishpho...p?item=2&subItem=5

I use Waves.
i have a bundle,
but buying individually is an option too.
 
EQ's:
Waves H-EQ is at the top of the list.....
waves Q10 EQ, a perfect workhorse, as is any of the "Q" eq's...
PuigTec EQs
 
compressors:
H-Comp Hybrid Compressor, prolly my fav
Waves CLA-76
Waves SSL Channel
waves C1 Compressor / Gate
for waves plugin latency:
https://www.waves.com/sup...h-specs/plugin-latency

when i'm processing offline,
my favorite eq is the linear phase EQ,
favorite compressor is the linear phase multiband,
favorite limiter is the L2.

Tokyo Dawn Labs Nova EQ is the visual parametric EQ you have been looking for! (and more)
 
http://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-nova/
 
Free one is fully functional, deep and amazing.
 
Sidechain ftw.
 
 

Fabfilter Pro-Q2. 
The only other one I reach for is the Maag EQ but that's just for the "air band" and what it does for vocals.
Between those two I never reached for the Quad EQ built into SONAR.

For something a little different, look at the "dynamic EQ" from Izotope:
https://www.izotope.com/en/products/master-and-deliver/ozone/features-and-comparison/dynamic-eq.html
 
It is a compressor that can be constrained to particular frequency ranges.  You can side-chain it so that you duck a track whenever the signal is strong on another source -- but you can limit the ducking to the spectrum where there is contention.

You didn't say what your budget is, but if you can swing the fee, you won't go wrong with FabFilter's Pro-Q 2 and Pro-C 2. 

Best GUIs in the business, packed with features, and won't eat your CPU.
 
Cheers,
Eddie
 

A Tube Amp.