It’s all about options, folks! Output Gain Analog isn’t better than digital isn’t better than analog. The Release is also gentler, which is why some might describe this algorithm as sounding more pumpy, when such an adjective is desirable for your mix. Knee is inaccessible in Vintage mode, as it scales with Threshold. In Vintage mode, the Attack reacts much more quickly (indeed, an 1176 is capable of very low Attack times) but then begins to ease in, which sounds punchier, but less transparent than the Digital mode. Where Digital is a more transparent, surgical compressor, Vintage is more colorful, emulating a number of sonic behaviors from a variety of beloved older analog compressors. Neutron’s Compressor is capable of two very different styles of compression, Digital and Vintage mode. Most commonly, it reduces it using downward compression, but as you’ll discover, Neutron is capable of both upwards and downwards compression. Note that this fader comes before the Warmth processor in the signal flow so it can be used to drive Warmth processor into additional distortion, or to reduce level into sent to it, for a more subtle effect.Simply put, a compressor adjusts dynamic range. Last is the output fader, with a range of -24dB to +12dB. Underneath the Warmth control is a global bypass, as well as the handy and unique “DIFF” button, which allows you to audition the difference between the input and processed signals to help accurately adjust settings. When set to 100% peak input signals, up to +6 dBFS come through without hard clipping or the output signals exceeding 0 dBFS. Similar to the Oxford Inflator, this provides a method for allowing peak levels above digital maximum to still be included in the final output signal without hard digital clipping. And, speaking of parallel, a fully variable “Mix” knob is also included. Utilizing three crossover points to define four bands of processing, this plug-in has some of the most multi-band flexibility of any the transient shapers mentioned in this roundup.īy avoiding crossover filters, Envolution can be used in parallel without introducing phase-cancellation issues. In Trans-X Multi, transient processing can be toggled on or off for each band. By clicking on the value displayed, output gain is adjusted by that exact amount. And the “Trim” parameter shows the difference between the source material’s peak energy and the digital ceiling 0dBFS. The output section provides anywhere from -18db to +18dB changes in gain, so you can level match. The range for this control varies from 0.5ms to 500ms. This parameter defines the recovery time for the gain adjustment to reach 0 dB. “Release” is almost exactly like that of a compressor. Waves has included an extremely wide range with variable control from 0.01ms to 500ms. For instance, “Duration” (similar to the attack time on compressors) defines the attack time of the transients that are detected and processed. Trans-X also includes time-constant parameters, much like you would find on a compressor. This plugin is limited to just the two bands. The “Crossover” control determines the frequency at which the signal gets split into the “Hi” and “Lo” bands, with variable control from 100 Hz to 4000 Hz. The “Punch” and “Sustain” processors can each be applied in “Wide” mode ( covering the entire bandwidth), “Hi mode” (high frequencies only), and “Lo” mode (affecting low frequencies only). Multiband control over transients is also available and is flexible and easy to use. The “Sustain” control also provides up to +/-20 dB of variability but doesn’t include any timing adjustments. Timing adjustments are available via the “Punch Type” control which allows a range of selections from “Slow” to “Fast.” Unfortunately, this parameter doesn’t display any real world time values, so let your ears alone be the guide. But this Transient Shaper also adds some new controls: Substituting “Attack” for “Punch” the attack of a signal can be modified by up to +/-20 dB. Some of the terms here are different, but the concepts are the same.

Neutron transient shaper