Hi,

[update]

I've updated XPressor to beta 2.
- The GUI got a more serious look...
- Threshold and compress controllers work better now.
- Threshold meter now in correct dB values.
- Output meter now in correct dB values.
- Some small improvents to the algoritm.




[/update]

Features:
- Smooth softknee compression
- Build-in stereo enhancer
- Threshold and ratio meter with integrated controller.
- Output meter with clip detector.
- Bypass button
- Attack range 1ms - 1000ms
- Release range 1ms - 10000ms
- 0.5% CPU here on my p4 2.8

This is still a beta version and only tested in Cubase SX.
Note that the threshold and ratio meter still need some fine-tuning.
Enjoy! And let me know what you think about it!

Download (45kb)

Regards,
PJ

thanx again

Really nice!

But would it be possible to get values displayed for thresold and ratio (just numbers that could appear when your mouse is rolling over the sliders)?

Quote:

But would it be possible to get values displayed for thresold and ratio (just numbers that could appear when your mouse is rolling over the sliders)?

Yeah, that would be possible... I'm still finetuning the controlls. The thresold and ratio meters don't display the right values at the time... so that should be fixed too.

PJ

Very cool. I definitely like the visual representations below the threshold and ratio sliders. Very intuitive.

I am digging the new GUIs btw (both Lo-Fi and XPressor). Very clean and useable.

very nice GUI,
downloading now

Excellent work. I like this a lot (and I'm difficult to please).

Brilliant on drums and pretty damn good on vocals.

The input and gain reduction meters seem a bit nervous, but the sound is where it's at, and that's very tasty. Ta very much!!!!

Haven't had time to try it yet, however I love your stuff so I'm very confident this is excellent. Gonna grab it now and play around with, I'll get back to you with a comment later on. Cheers mate and merry x-mas!

/Majken

extreme cute and stylish GUI !!!

here's the *verdict*

- maybe find out which attack/release range suits xpressor best, for my ears, somewhere between 10-350 for attack and 1-500 for release
- shouldn't ratio be *rotated* 180°?
- stereo enhancer could use separate m/s controls
- meters could be gradients
- print out values of sliders

Sounds kinda.. crunchy, yet not hard or blunt. GUI is a little too cartoonish for me, but I think I can use this

-R bert

very cool piece of comp!! THNKS !!!

Two feature requests, which I think might be easy to implement, and would make this my all-time favourite compressor:

1) Input drive - with LOTS of gain (perhaps 36db).

2) Independant Wet/Dry level control (not a single mix knob, but two seperate level controls!)- so I can mix in some uncompressed signal (or the other way, mix in some compressed signal) for that cool "parallel compression" sound.

A saturator output stage would be icing on the cake, but it's not that critical because I could just as easily add another plug after Xpressor.

Forever,




Kim.

Jeez wrote:

Two feature requests, which I think might be easy to implement, and would make this my all-time favourite compressor: 1) Input drive - with LOTS of gain (perhaps 36db). 2) Independant Wet/Dry level control (not a single mix knob, but two seperate level controls!)- so I can mix in some uncompressed signal (or the other way, mix in some compressed signal) for that cool "parallel compression" sound. A saturator output stage would be icing on the cake, but it's not that critical because I could just as easily add another plug after Xpressor. Forever, Kim.

Bloody hell mate, you want jam on it don't you!!!

But I agree 100%, those would all be very, very cool and very useful features.

Sounds good

Holy f*... i totally forgot about this plugin
When i got some time, and finish other things i'm working on, i'll start on this one again.
Thanks for the feedback.

PJ

CaptainMark wrote:

Excellent work. I like this a lot (and I'm difficult to please). Brilliant on drums and pretty damn good on vocals. The input and gain reduction meters seem a bit nervous, but the sound is where it's at, and that's very tasty. Ta very much!!!!

wot?? captain mark likes a vst compressor??



actually, this one DOES sound rather nice. looking forward to you releasing this one ephonic (and yes, i can wait)

Thanks for the plugin

I like the GUI on this one - it doesn't sound hugely different from some other comps, but it works well enough - what I like about it though is the fact there aren't the times and ratios etc - I often find I get all politically correct with comps... I try to use sensible settings and get distracted by having the right attacks, ratios etc. But this comp makes me just set it until the material actually sounds right (which I know is what I should do all the time anyway....) but you know how flashy GUIs can get in the way sometimes - this one's pretty but doesn't distract me by telling that my ratio is at 2.375:1 and my attack is 13.75mS with a threshold of exactly -10dB - it just lights up and I twiddle happily away not knowing what I'm setting and then I stop twiddling when my channel sounds nice.

Only used it on some brass the other day and it worked nicely - I'll try it out on some drums later.

Anyway - thanks E-Phonic.

Quote:

this one's pretty but doesn't distract me by telling that my ratio is at 2.375:1 and my attack is 13.75mS with a threshold of exactly -10dB -

Actually, the attack and release are in ms. The rest of the GUI isn't really finished.
The meters arn't displaying correct values yet.
Maybe this compressor needs more 'digital fishphones'-like parameters, like 'fast' &' slow'.

Regards,
PJ

e-phonic wrote:

Holy f*... i totally forgot about this plugin

I love my e-phonics.

How about making a compressor with just 3 parameters?

input
compress
output
[bypass]

+ 3 mode switch for different optomodes:
1. Bulb
2. Led
3. Electroluminence (freq dependent attack and decay is what im after as a feature)

+ allow the user to go 'too far' for riding the thing.

Quote:

How about making a compressor with just 3 parameters?

That's cool... but i rather have a little more control:

- input
- compress (threshold and ratio)
- response (attack and release)
- stereo enhancer
- saturate (i'm gonna add asymmetric and symmetric saturation)
- output

PJ

no please. leave it as is, maby just an additional output limiting. all these overeasy to use compressors sucks when it gets to special things like high compression on drums or so. please let there be attack AND release AND threshold.

btw. it sounds great

aldi wrote:

no please. leave it as is, maby just an additional output limiting. all these overeasy to use compressors sucks when it gets to special things like high compression on drums or so. please let there be attack AND release AND threshold. btw. it sounds great

i agree

I like it much as it is........if I had any greedy wish, it would probably be for..........................................

A sidechain?

Thank you for this plug-in. You create some great stuff, and as a graphic designer, I think you have a stylish and logical approach to GUIs. I wish all my software looked as good.

-Shane

Quote:

Maybe this compressor needs more 'digital fishphones'-like parameters, like 'fast' &' slow'.

Please don't do that. I like the fishphones comps, but I never liked that part. Classic comp parameters are much better (like it is now).

Quote:

Thank you for this plug-in. You create some great stuff, and as a graphic designer, I think you have a stylish and logical approach to GUIs. I wish all my software looked as good.

Well, i'm in the 'graphical scene' too (i work for a multimedia company in Amsterdam)...
Many people prefer the hardware look instead of usability for some reason.
Not that my VST plugins are extreamly userfriendly, but at least i'm trying to let all the unnecessary 'blink' out.

Quote:

Please don't do that. I like the fishphones comps, but I never liked that part. Classic comp parameters are much better (like it is now).

Ok, i'll keep it like it is...
Still don't got time to make improvements. But i will when i have time.

Thanks again for all the feedback!

PJ

Quote:

Well, i'm in the 'graphical scene' too (i work for a multimedia company in Amsterdam)... Many people prefer the hardware look instead of usability for some reason. Not that my VST plugins are extreamly userfriendly, but at least i'm trying to let all the unnecessary 'blink' out.

I figured as much. I am so glad you use pixel fonts for things. I can't stand GUI's that use nasty anti-aliased fonts for tiny text.

BTW, I got your email with the updated banner. Thanks. It is now live on my site.
As you can see, I am already on KVR as you had asked. I love this forum, too.

Do you happen to know Bram Bos? He's in Amsterdam, too, and is the author of the fantastic program called Tuaregs. If you don't know him, he seems like a great guy from what I've experienced of him on the Tuareg Yahoo forum. You both have a lot in common as he is a programmer and a multimedia designer. I think he lectures at a university, too. His website is www.BramBos.com

-Shane

tuareg - woo, that was in previous millenium

hey, PJ why wouldn't you make expressor a sidechain?

Shane Sanders wrote:

I am so glad you use pixel fonts for things. I can't stand GUI's that use nasty anti-aliased fonts for tiny text.

Amen!

Quote:

BTW, I got your email with the updated banner. Thanks. It is now live on my site. As you can see, I am already on KVR as you had asked. I love this forum, too.

Thanks for placing the banner!

Quote:

hey, PJ why wouldn't you make expressor a sidechain?

No, making a sidechain would be a whole lot of extra work and new stuff to figure out. I'm already happy when this plugin is 100% like I want it to be
So that's my first priority for this one.

PJ

Beta 2 now available...
See here.

I also added XPressor to the downloadpage on my website.

www.e-phonic.com

PJ

Thanks mate - will d/l when at home.

looks fantastic, sounds good, works flawless so far in chainer
thank you