Hi,
Very general question about EQ. 
New to Sonar.. taking a class on recording and they gave me an assignment with some screen shots of Protools EQ screen to give an idea on EQ. 
So I pulled up Sonitus EQ screen. Look and feel between EQ screens (Protools and Sonar X2) are very different to say the least. Sonar's look is very amateurish. Am I not doing the right comparison? Protools' EQ screen looks so rich!!
Do you guys use an EQ program or the one that comes with Sonar? 
If external, do you have any budget friendly suggestion for EQ to be used for Sonar X2?
Sonitus EQ may be the best quality, but the look of it is very disappointing!! I am a fan of Cakewalk products, so no plan for switch :-)
 
Thanks
Shahed 
Atlanta, GA

Well, a high end EQ like Oxford has a really bogus looking GUI but the sound is incredible so dont be fooled by an attractive GUI!!

Sonitus is great btw, but an even better GUI for Sonar can be found in X3 with the Quad Curve in Pro Channel.

Looks aside, the Sontius EQ is pretty good , especially considering it is ancient by today's standards.  In any case you are not doing an apples to apples comparison.  The flagship EQ in SOnar is the Quad Curve EQ.  It is found in X2 but an even better version is in X3

PT's EQs had a graphic makeover, can't quite remember when...maybe when they acquired the AIR group? The Sonitus EQ is from the late 18th century if I recall correctly :)
 
However don't underestimate the Sonitus plugs, particularly the delay, multiband dynamics, and modulation plugs. I was writing an article and wanted to use a delay other than the Sonitus so I wouldn't look too rah-rah Sonar. Well, I have a lot of delays from a lot of companies, but none of them could do what the Sonitus does.

I currently use the FabFilter ProQ for most things. But if you're still on X2 your money is probably better spent on an upgrade to X3 and as was already mentioned, the QuadCurve EQ from X3 is pretty nice.
 
But definitely try to care less about looks in general. I do like the spectrum analyzer from FabFilter and also the QuadCurve, because it adds something useful. Shiney knobs or some kind of "real gear" look, not so much.
 
 

From X3 perspective Sonitus EQ is legacy otherwise Sonar would have bundled 64 bit VST's by now. So I've stopped using it, even though the way UI displays information extremely clear and  it is perfectly fine, and no doubt it's footprint is fairly small. I wish they would stop bundling it (time to move on) but there are too many examples using it there on the internet for people to let go (and I know other people right now will swim in and disagree with me as they will love this plugin  ... to them I say start a campaign for 64 bit VST 3 versions!)
 
Now if we talk about the Pro Channel EQ in the Sonar Pro Channel that thing is probably one of the best things about Sonar, I don't have a bad thing to say about. The flyout is wonderful, the information you get here is extremely detailed. You have number of options, and above all it reminds me of SSL G Series consoles, an environment I am extremely familiar with.... I just wish they would do a VST 3 version so it can be used away from Pro Channel!!!!!
 
And then you've all these EQ's from NOMAD. More EQ's than I can handle!

Sonitus is very old...had already them in sonar 5 if i remember well.it should be as old as pro tools 6 which was ugly too.
So,yes, GUI is old fashioned,but it sound quite well and is very very easy to use.Also,it's very CPU friendly.
When eqing tracks in console,default eq is the sonitus one until you switch on quadcurve  prochannel.
 
Not flashy,but a nice and effective eq.
 
You can use toneboosters.com eq..it's cheap,sound great,has spectrum analyzer and is very very close to x3 quadcurve
 

I would love for them to make VST3 versions of the Sonitus plugins, but I doubt that happens. i tend to harbor little optimism for abandoned third party acquisitions.  I just doubt there would be any profit in it.  I suspect they would have better luck selling some of the pro channel exclusive plugs as vst3s  than trying to sell a vst3 version of the old plugin.  Those who simply have to have vst3 have already replaced sonitus plugs and those who are attached are content to keep using them as long as they work. I'm sure Sonitus plugs will eventually go away but I hope not any time soon.  The delay is simply better than anything Sonar has ever offered in that area.  i like the Nomad delays and even the overloud one, but I still find myself using the Sonitus as my go to delay within Sonar. Hopefully Sonar will come up with a delay that makes me forget about sonitus delay the way quadcurves has made me abandon sonitus eq