Sonalksis TBK3 Über Compressor !

[kylen]

...and my SV517mk2 EQ graphics fix would be cool to get also...
Am I the only one seeing this - the EQ curve graphics go bonkers and turn into vertical lines...

Fear not- I'm on that - one of the guys saw it happen and sent me a video!
Now TBK3 is out, I'm back on these things - I've already rolled out a few wrinkles, and yours is the very next on my list. With luck it won't take forever (i'm sure it's just something stupid i've done that only pops up on rare occasion), and I can get a batch of fixes to beta soon!

I don't recall that ever happening - how do you make that happen again?

Well.. you don't... it's a rare one. Either it happens for you or it doesn't. :-/

But again, I'm sorry for it taking so long!

Thanks Dave - I figured it seemed rare that's why I was trying to see if there were any silent suffering types out there...

It happens to me within a few minutes of running SV517 - every time. Maybe it's something to do with my WinXP laptop PentiumM - Mobile Intel 915GM/GMS,910GML Express Chipset graphics setup. Who Knows...Thanks in advance for fixing this. I'd like to use the EQ.

[kylen]

Personally I'd love to see mk2 versions of the DQ and CQ as in their current state they are not 'precise' enough for comfortable use in mastering, which is why I haven't bought em, (the sidechain filters could for instance be steeper but an external sidechain would be even more important) but it might not be a good strategy business wise and I'd hate to see Sonalksis go bust!!

I think DQ/CQ use somewhat gentle filter slopes I assumed because of the cost of cpu utilization and latency (if steeper FIR was used). I also assumed that the sidechain slopes kind of reflected the "crossovers" or filter slopes used on the various comp bands. A higher quality/slope filter might be useful for 'de-ess' or other resonance removal type situations.

Another relatively straight forward possibility (remember, I talk in layman terms now as I know nothing about coding!) would be to create a multiband compressor based on the SV-315mk2. I've already done that myself within EnergyXT and can tell you right away that it rocks!

This seems like a nice idea - what crossovers did you use? Were they FIR or IIR?

Now give that compressor separate mid/side processing per band, easy to control "stereo tilt" and variable linking between channels. Add some pre/post-emphasis EQ bands and you have the most powerful mastering compressor. However, it requires extremely good cross over filter design and AFAIK that ain't very simple.

I'm extremely interested in both unlinked and variable linking m/s processing per band as well as control to balance the m/s compression or favor mid or side more.

[sounddesigner]

You guys at Sonalksis have gone mad. This is truly a little monster you've created. I'll be calling the Police on you for this one. You can't keep experimenting with living creatures like this .

[gunnar]

Hey, is it just me, or does the TBK3 tend to wipe out the low end a bit? Or is that just the psychoacoustic effect of the drastic compression?

as far as i know this is a known side effect of all or most compressors. hardware included.

[BASSDRIVE]

Is this plugin good to put over the whole mix? BTW, I make mostly HipHop.

[VitaminD]

Hey, is it just me, or does the TBK3 tend to wipe out the low end a bit? Or is that just the psychoacoustic effect of the drastic compression?

as far as i know this is a known side effect of all or most compressors. hardware included.

just for the record.. I didn't say the above comment.

[gunnar]

sorry,
something went wrong during quoting.
bduffy quoted you and said it.

[bmanic]

Another relatively straight forward possibility (remember, I talk in layman terms now as I know nothing about coding!) would be to create a multiband compressor based on the SV-315mk2. I've already done that myself within EnergyXT and can tell you right away that it rocks!

This seems like a nice idea - what crossovers did you use? Were they FIR or IIR?

I've been using MDA Splitter and also the Sonalksis EQ with it's highpass/lowpass filters to create my own according to "feel" but these rarely give high enough fidelity. The ultimate crossover plugin would have very precise filters with built in all-pass for compensating any phase problems at a tight cutoff or maybe even give the option of using a ridiculously high quality linear phase design that wouldn't have any pre-ring problems.

Now give that compressor separate mid/side processing per band, easy to control "stereo tilt" and variable linking between channels. Add some pre/post-emphasis EQ bands and you have the most powerful mastering compressor. However, it requires extremely good cross over filter design and AFAIK that ain't very simple.

I'm extremely interested in both unlinked and variable linking m/s processing per band as well as control to balance the m/s compression or favor mid or side more.

Yes it's incredibly powerful and yet very few people seem to understand the true potential of variable linkable Mid/Side processing. Having the side channel react to the mid information at a 70:30 ratio is extremely useful. This way you don't get a "tear" in the stereo image but you still get the benefits of mid/side compression! Any compressor with an external sidechain can be setup to have variable linking in a modular host environment and I do this all the time with the Sonalksis SV-315mk2.

Which makes me wonder why nobody has made a de-esser or multiband compressor with proper Mid/Side processing. It is quite common to have 'ess' problems in the side material of pop music as the harmonies are usually panned hard left/right. So, a mid/side de-esser could treat just the problem area and cause less artifacts because of this. Same goes with a multiband compressor working on the bass, instead of treating the whole signal one could tame just the middle..

Cheers!
bManic

[DaveSonalksis]

So, from a purely business perspective I'd say:

1) it's smart to upgrade them to mk2 status, IF, it is not too much of burden

2) leave them alone and create something that is easier to sell to the masses (how about an analogue modeled transient designer thingy? You probably have some usable code bits in TBK3 for a full blown transient designer plugin, no?)

Well, 2) would probably also mean losing come customers, losing future investments of those customers and having some people out there that feel higly emotionalized about that and will never again say one good word about Sonalksis - but express their disappointment .....

Hehehehe

besides side chaining also preset management and such is overdue for the dynamic plugs

Sidechaining is obvious enough, but... umm... what do you mean by preset management..?

but a transient designer (that is more like the real thing with release control) would be great anyways.

Yes. I think transient designer would be lovely too...

Dave.

[DaveSonalksis]

You guys at Sonalksis have gone mad. This is truly a little monster you've created. I'll be calling the Police on you for this one. You can't keep experimenting with living creatures like this .

You gonna send them a message in a bottle?

[DaveSonalksis]

Hey, is it just me, or does the TBK3 tend to wipe out the low end a bit? Or is that just the psychoacoustic effect of the drastic compression?

as far as i know this is a known side effect of all or most compressors. hardware included.

Indeed. It's the reason there's a "Bass Expander" on the Focusrite Compounder.
During development, we didn't find it was SO strong as to require such a feature...
Is it a bit, or a lot?

Dave.

[DaveSonalksis]

Is this plugin good to put over the whole mix? BTW, I make mostly HipHop.

You could do, but I find it more enjoyable (I did a lot of testing with hiphop grooves) to put it on the mix on a track-by-track basis, and tweak each TBK3 for maximum crunch

If you don't have the time, then just slap one over the mix and it'll make you sound considerable more like Dilla (RIP)

Dave.

[z15]

You guys at Sonalksis have gone mad. This is truly a little monster you've created. I'll be calling the Police on you for this one. You can't keep experimenting with living creatures like this .

You gonna send them a message in a bottle?

OUCH! That was quite a... uhm... Stingy reply

Can't wait to try this out as soon as my new audio interface arrives.

[rydan]

Maybe we should start a financing service where we charge a few bucks monthly using "Sam's Office Lunch Express" on the bill or something..

No, you should start "Office Software Services" or something equally unspecified, selling the plugs like "SysSoft support service renewal". That way, most everybody can get away with letting the company they work for pay the bill... ;o)

Greeeeat compressor by the way. Totally mean on it's own, and also great for parallel compression I think...

[Shy]

Hey, is it just me, or does the TBK3 tend to wipe out the low end a bit? Or is that just the psychoacoustic effect of the drastic compression?

as far as i know this is a known side effect of all or most compressors. hardware included.

Indeed. It's the reason there's a "Bass Expander" on the Focusrite Compounder.
During development, we didn't find it was SO strong as to require such a feature...
Is it a bit, or a lot?

Dave.

It's quite a lot, Dave. Considerably less bass especially on electronic kick drums, especially short ones like the one in that sample I posted some pages back. I equalized the mid high/high end in that sample, or else it sounded very unbalanced compared to the original. It's nothing special of course. I'm well aware of exactly the same problem with any compressor that allows extreme settings. So it would be very nice to have an option to keep some focus on the bass.