"Molot" VST Compressor (freeware) 0.3

[Jazz Franco]

Have to try this tonight, not because I'd need another compressor, but because the name always makes me smile.

I guess it would get censored so I just paste what wiktionary says molo means in finnish - 1. (vulgar) penis

Actually, it means hammer in russian

[D.H. Miltz]

Thank you.

[bmanic]

Hey Vladg! Welcome to KvR.

Thanks for this awesome freebie! Looks and sounds really interesting. What are those nice stereo linking options in between dual mono and mid/side? I can hear the compressor working on either the mid or side but how is the incoming signal processed? Something happens to the input.. for compensation purposes or just for fun? Some cross feed of some sort?

Cheers!
bManic

[vladg]

The controls freeze in Wavosaur!!!!onetwothree!!!

Icicles gui!

Confirmed. I'll try to fix it soon.

2RunBeerRun

I think I fixed it. Please check this one:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/18475891/molot-r118.zip

I wait for your confirmation to refresh download links.

Also I've been reported about problems in Sonar 8.5.2. I'll try to deal with it soon.

I guess it would get censored so I just paste what wiktionary says molo means in finnish ...

I have another association with name and Finnish. Molotov cocktail and Finnish winter war. Sorry for offtop, nothing personal

[vladg]

What are those nice stereo linking options in between dual mono and mid/side?

Thanks! It's M and S modes (compress M or S channel only). I'm not sure they are useful enough and maybe it's better to replace one of them to <L,sidechain> mode to get ability to feed external sidechain signal.

When the interface words are switched to EN it would look better without the light background rectangles. I really like what you have done with the GUI and it sounds good too.

Tastes differ I think original interface labels are too dark and I'd better like english ones. For english words I tried to make something if you wrote new labels on paper and glued down them on device but I didn't have enough artistical strength to paint it

[RunBeerRun]

Thanks again for the update, works normally in Wavosaur, before, you technically were still turning the knobs but the gui showed them as frozen.

Edit-I had a good test with it, nice soft compressor slaps, easy to use/understand controls. The limiter's light only goes on with high threshold, not sure why exactly. Turning the thresh to the left for more compression, turns off the light.

Ran a volume plugin before it to test the limiter, not sure what's limiting, but it distorts pretty quicklty. Great as a compressor though.

[bmanic]

What are those nice stereo linking options in between dual mono and mid/side?

Thanks! It's M and S modes (compress M or S channel only). I'm not sure they are useful enough and maybe it's better to replace one of them to <L,sidechain> mode to get ability to feed external sidechain signal.

Hmm, it can't be just Mid or Side for the sidechain signal itself only because running the compressor with zero compression still results in a very weird stereo image. This means that the input signal itself (the one being compressed) is getting some processing. Is there some weird but nice mistake in the mid/side matrix on the input? Or is the compressor doing low levels of compression even when the meters do not move?

When nulling these settings against the original signal you are left with a slightly strange mix of side and mid information, mainly side though.

EDIT: the dry mix knob works a bit strange as well. It seems it's not a true global wet/dry but rather an "almost dry" at full settings and only on the corresponding compressor sidechain channel. This means that if you are running it in the Mid only mode and turn up dry to 99% (full) you'll still get a strange stereo effect on whatever track the Molot compressor is on.

NOTE! I'm not complaining or implying this is buggy. I simply take note of it's quirkiness and I actually LIKE it this way! It gives the plugin some character and unpredictability!

Cheers!
bManic

[xiq]

Great tool!

The Makeup could use a greater range, at least up to +18 dB would be very useful with heavily squashed signals (they always are just a bit too quiet at +12 dB).

A separate Bypass switch would further enhance usability.

Can you make the saturation optional? I think there already are great free plugins for that purpose (Variety of Sound FerricTDS or TesslaSE come to mind).

The Upsamling could go up to 16x or even 32x, since most of the more recent CPUs can still handle it with ease.

And finally: How can I donate?

[vladg]

Hmm, it can't be just Mid or Side for the sidechain signal itself only because running the compressor with zero compression still results in a very weird stereo image. This means that the input signal itself (the one being compressed) is getting some processing. Is there some weird but nice mistake in the mid/side matrix on the input? Or is the compressor doing low levels of compression even when the meters do not move?

The indicator shows only compression level but doesn't show saturation, limiting and EQ. For you case I suppose it's saturation to change stereo image.

Hmm, the saturation is not symmectric so on S channel it really does damage for stereo field. I think I should fix it by turning off saturation in "S" mode.

Or by replacing S mode with something more useful

[Lying Low]

Or by replacing S mode with something more useful

*claps*

[vladg]

A separate Bypass switch would further enhance usability.

Can you make the saturation optional?

It's not a big problem to add any number of new VST parameters. The main problem is to place them in current GUI design. I think the GUI already overloaded with elements. Maybe it's very nice to draw a lot of new switches as tiny DIP-switches but there was no DIP switches in soviet military devices

So at the one hand I can add new invisible parameters. You can edit them using host automation or switching GUI to "simple parameter list" if your host supports it.

On the other hand I can do it in special knobs positions. For example turn saturation off in 1x oversampling. (actually the saturation sounds very dirty without oversampling). Or extend Dry Mix knob to 100% and for 100% of dry we've got true bypass.

The Upsamling could go up to 16x or even 32x, since most of the more recent CPUs can still handle it with ease.

I tried to do it in early versions but upsampling higher than 8x doesn't bring anything new to the sound. Supersampling can help when hard clipping or hard waveshaping curves used. But all curves used in this compressor are very smooth (except peak limiter but this is optional feature).

I think the Makeup would benefit from a greater range, at least up to +18 would be very useful for heavily squashed signals.

Sorry about that but it's impossible for now. This plugin stores preset parameters as relation knob position values and if I extend range the people will have problems on plugin upgrade with old projects where plugin was used. It's a bit my fault.

And finally: How can I donate?

Let's wait for a couple of version updates for plugin to get "mature"

[Tp3]

Thanks !

Keep 'em coming !

[vladg]

Thanks !

Keep 'em coming !

Just updated version to 0.2.121.

Fixed race conditions with some hosts. WavoSaur, Sonar.
Fixed phase shift between M and S channels.
Added new mode "R-S.chn" (get sidechain signal from R).

http://vladgsound.wordpress.com/2011/01 ... d-some-qa/

or

http://vladgsound.wordpress.com/downloads/

[Vitaly]

Thanks!

[futurefields]

hello

does the latency of Molot remain @ 2 samples regardless of oversampling?