ME COMPRESSOR!

[kritikon]

Is the bouncing ball the reduction?

I think so. I used to think it was just the imput level of the source, but it doesn't correlate with any figures you get in dBs from any channel. So I assume it's the reduction, but it may be the input level above threshold rather than actual compression - there's no way to tell, and the manual doesn't give any clues whatsoever.

Hey - let's write them and ask them to upgrade it. They still include it, I'm sure it would be a half-assed job for one of their programmers.

That's actually a very good idea. It would be one of those things that makes workflow just that little bit easier (for me at least).

[griffin]

It's good to know that other people are confused by the readings on this thing. One thing i'd like to know is with the freq bands when you raise or lower the volume is it the input feeding the comp or output after comp of the band?

[Kingston]

the best thing to do with steinberg multibands is to throw them away and never think about them again.

No matter what the UI, the sound hasn't changed in about 7 years, and it shows. It sounds like crap and is definitely not up to todays standards.

If you absolutely must use a multiband compressors, something like voxengo soniformer, or Sonalksis multibands will do a great job.

Generally multibands should be the absolute last resort, even in mastering. You'll get much better results with good modern EQs and sidechainable singleband compressors.

[bduffy]

the best thing to do with steinberg multibands is to throw them away and never think about them again.

No matter what the UI, the sound hasn't changed in about 7 years, and it shows. It sounds like crap and is definitely not up to todays standards.

If you absolutely must use a multiband compressors, something like voxengo soniformer, or Sonalksis multibands will do a great job.

Generally multibands should be the absolute last resort, even in mastering. You'll get much better results with good modern EQs and sidechainable singleband compressors.

What the hell? You can't be serious.

Gimme a break man, we're not talking about frigging mastering here. No one ever said the ME Compressor is the bestest mastering compressor ever, go master your album with this. We're just discussing it as a fun tool, and we like the sound - for a FREE PLUG-IN.

And the last time I checked, multiband compressors are a widely used and recommended mastering tool. Many engineers would counter that single-band compressors don't offer enough control. But to each their own, right?

[kritikon]

Yep, it's personal opinion whether you like multibands or not...it is definitely not a fact that no engineers use multibands, because I've come across heaps that do regularly. Those TC finalisers were pretty well ubiquitous at any studios I visited, so even if the master engineers didn't use a multiband, that would probably be mainly because they knew the studio already had.

And as for the SX one being bad - disagree mate. I prefer it's sound to many others out there. It's clean and sharp. You have to push it hard to destroy a mix. It's lagging behind in that it's purely p.d. with no manual over-ride for band settings. But the p.d. works well for most styles of music. I don't personally use the soft-clip feature on it, as it is far too muffled, but the actual compressor is a good one. No, it's not that useful for channel compression, but it seems to me it was designed for mix compression rather than channel compression. having said that, it is perfectly useable for channels.

The SX Multiband is probably one of the better Cubase included FX IMO. Along with the filters, the chorus and the vocoder. Cubase FX are not all bad by a very long shot.

[kritikon]

It's good to know that other people are confused by the readings on this thing. One thing i'd like to know is with the freq bands when you raise or lower the volume is it the input feeding the comp or output after comp of the band?

It's the input feeding the comp, as far as I remember.

[bduffy]

Yep, it's personal opinion whether you like multibands or not...it is definitely not a fact that no engineers use multibands, because I've come across heaps that do regularly. Those TC finalisers were pretty well ubiquitous at any studios I visited, so even if the master engineers didn't use a multiband, that would probably be mainly because they knew the studio already had.

And as for the SX one being bad - disagree mate. I prefer it's sound to many others out there. It's clean and sharp. You have to push it hard to destroy a mix. It's lagging behind in that it's purely p.d. with no manual over-ride for band settings. But the p.d. works well for most styles of music. I don't personally use the soft-clip feature on it, as it is far too muffled, but the actual compressor is a good one. No, it's not that useful for channel compression, but it seems to me it was designed for mix compression rather than channel compression. having said that, it is perfectly useable for channels.

The SX Multiband is probably one of the better Cubase included FX IMO. Along with the filters, the chorus and the vocoder. Cubase FX are not all bad by a very long shot.

Agreed, Sir.

And don't forget QuadraFuzz! That thing is total genius. Oh yeah: and Magneto...and Rotary...and the Waldorf synths......and the delays...