jsComp (Free compressor with switchable brickwall limiter)

[l0calh05t]

jsComp is a simple, free, peak-based compressor with an additional integrated brickwall limiter (zero-latency, therefore suitable for live use).

Both attack and release are adjustable down to 0ms (attack 0-300ms, release 0-1500ms), so even the compressor itself can act as a brickwall limiter (or clipper!). But the envelope filter also offers a "hold"-knob, adjustable from 0 to 30ms which can be used to reduce low-frequency distortion to an absolute minimum. Ratio is adjustable from 1:1 to infinity:1 (limiting).

To increase flexibility, the compressor offers three stereo link modes (min,max,off/dual mono) and sidechaining capability, as well as a mix knob for NY-Compression.

Download link: http://electric-snow.net/plugins.html


LATEST UPDATE ( 2009-02-02 ):
-Improved metering

UPDATE ( 2009-01-20 ):
-CPU usage reduced (especially with no input signal)
-Crackling bug fixed

UPDATE ( 2009-01-18 ):
-GUI added! (metering not done yet, the meters need to be rescaled and smoothed a little)
-Dual mono mode added
-Switchable integrated brickwall limiter (fixed threshold: -0.1dB) with attenuation
-Now using 64-bit processing (with full VST 2.4 compatibility)

UPDATE ( 2008-11-21 ):
-Attack range increased (up to 256ms)
-Hold range increased (up to 30ms)
-Mix function is now applied before gain (ratio now independent of gain)

UPDATE ( 2008-11-17 ):
-Release range increased (1024ms max instead of 256ms max)
-Extra stereo input pair added with switchable sidechain functionality (for all the REAPER users, and for other DAWs with usable routing...)
-Stereo link mode now switchable (average/maximum)
-Ratio now adjustable up to infinity (is the mapping ok?)

Screenshot of the current version:


Original announcement:

I wrote a small compressor plugin this morning (so don't consider it 100% finished). If anyone is interested, you can find it here: http://www.carolander.net/joe/jsComp.dll

Currently it has no GUI (so your DAWs default GUI will be used), but it has a "peak hold" feature, which seems to be pretty rare, so it's possibly a little more than just another compressor Should you have any suggestions of possible improvements (except adding a gui... gui programming is soooo boring. of course, if you want to make a gui...) please post here or send me a PM

Aside from the peak hold feature, it's mainly a basic peak-based compressor with a ratio between 1 and 20 and attack and release that can be set to 0 ms.

(I assume this is the correct forum for these things?)

[eidenk]

Thanks, another compressor in the collection.

I had to fix the header of the dll a bit so that I can run it on my WinME system btw.

[l0calh05t]

What kind of fixing was necessary? I currently only have an XP system to test my plugins on (and a Vista x64 system, but i'm still having problems with my audio drivers on that system)

[l0calh05t]

UPDATE:

-Stereo link mode now switchable (average/maximum)
-Ratio now adjustable up to infinity (is the mapping ok?)

This means this compressor can now also be used as a brickwall limiter (should you use these things ). Just set attack to 0, stereo link to maximum and ratio to infinity and you are ready to go!

[RunBeerRun]

Thanks, mate! I'll give er a whirly.

[l0calh05t]

np, but don't forget to tell me if you like it (or why not)

[RunBeerRun]

I haven't stuck it in any mix, I ran it after a synth in vsthost, and yup it's a limiter with after-gain, that's useful in itself.

[l0calh05t]

UPDATE:

-Release range increased (1024ms max instead of 256ms max)
-Extra stereo input pair added with switchable sidechain functionality (for all the REAPER users, and for other DAWs with usable routing...)

@RunBeerRun: It's not only a limiter with gain, it was actually designed as a compressor (with limiting capability added on later) If you want it to be a clipper, you can also use it as a clipper: just set attack, release and hold to 0

[eidenk]

What kind of fixing was necessary? I currently only have an XP system to test my plugins on (and a Vista x64 system, but i'm still having problems with my audio drivers on that system)

Just the susbsystem version value to change from 5 to 4 in the header.

It does not work in all cases but in the cases where all the API used is compatible with all MS OSes, this little hack works like a charm.

It seems Microsoft does not want to allow anything compiled with its latest compilers to run on older platforms even if it can in fact run without problems.

Am I thinking correctly in saying that you as a develloper have no option to set that flag to the value you want before compile ?

Anyway thanks again for this freebie on which I won't comment as I am no expert in compressors at all.

[l0calh05t]

Hm, interesting. The subsystem version *can* be set but the minimum is... 5.0 I assume this is not arbitrary, but parts of the new CRT require a newer windows (but not all).

You don't need to be an expert to say if you like it or not

[RunBeerRun]

Compressor+limiter all in one is a handy idea. I have it on the master in a session right now, by tomorrow or so I'll know what she can do.

[RunBeerRun]

Pretty darn good and/or useful in relative permative ways.

Can do light compression, relatively undetectable, or smash it beyond any audiophile's standards.

I give ye thanks on this day.

[l0calh05t]

Pretty darn good and/or useful in relative permative ways.

Primitive is ok, it is my first compressor plugin (and first publicly available plugin)

Can do light compression, relatively undetectable, or smash it beyond any audiophile's standards.

IMO the hold function is really helpful in improving transparency (also decreases THD as measured by VstPluginAnalyzer a lot).. maybe I should add more unusual features... maybe release curve slew rate limiting (which would result in a very primitive program dependency)

I give ye thanks on this day.

You're welcome. (or should that be Thou art welcome? )

[RunBeerRun]

Cool, I didn't give the hold function a good test yet.

[visa tapani]

Should you have any suggestions of possible improvements

Well, I haven't tested the compressor yet. However, I was just thinking the other day - how come there are so few compressors with adjustable attack & release curves? I mean, almost none. So there's a feature request for you - so that you could adjust at least between linear, exponential and inverse exponential curves in how the attack bites and the compression is released...