KVR Audio

Aiynzahev · Post by **Aiynzahev** » Fri May 17, 2013 2:07 am

It would be nice to know what others make of this. At first I thought this was an amazing plug-in compressor, then gradually I became unsure of it's acutual compression character and tone.

A lot of what I really liked about it was really the M/S gain differences and the filter. Both of which can be done for free though it is really nice to have them in the plug-in.

I find it's best for 1db or 2db on the master, no more, as a mix bus compressor.

Mainly dance music. So what do you guys think of the actual compression?

filter303 · Post by **filter303** » Fri May 17, 2013 2:20 am

I am a big fan of Alpha on the masterbus (dance music with the gr hitting 1-2's). I really don't know why I like it other than most of the time I am able to get better results than from other compressors. It just sounds almost "magical" to me. The drawback is that it takes some time getting there. It might be because of the M/S as you say? I have always thought that the compression action it has sounds quite transparent.

oh... I never use the softclip because it sounds so ugly.

I guess I don't have many compressor plugins that I have suddenly started to dislike. Only one such plugin comes into my mind (I really shouldn't have compared the plugin with the hardware).

schnapsglas · Post by **schnapsglas** » Fri May 17, 2013 2:25 am

Dance music I am starting to have my own doubts for expensive compressors, but at $99, it does add quite a bit of character... the mix version is special, and soft clip when it's done properly, is also special.

It is definitely not for everyone, but ... really, for master bus compression that only compresses and nothing else, this is the compressor.

But you know this by already, I'm sure.

Aiynzahev · Post by **Aiynzahev** » Fri May 17, 2013 11:41 am

It's compression isn't really "characterful" but it's easy to take for granted how it does work on just about all material. That 1-2dB GR provides a bit more control and adds movement.

But if I use only compression and level match carefully I often find the compressed version more lifeless.

I suppose that's just a drawback of compression.

Endor-8o8 · Post by **Endor-8o8** » Fri May 17, 2013 11:52 am

Aiynzahev wrote:It's compression isn't really "characterful" but it's easy to take for granted how it does work on just about all material. That 1-2dB GR provides a bit more control and adds movement.

But if I use only compression and level match carefully I often find the compressed version more lifeless.

I suppose that's just a drawback of compression.

A mastering compressor is generally meant to be transparent, with a very low ratio (from 2 to 4:1) and a fast attack to eat some undesirable transients. Mastering is not really about coloration but more about subtle corrections and dynamic control to adapt your program to a specific format (CD, mp3, flac, video etc)...
To me this plug is perfect for this task, definitely love it.

ObsoleteAcc99 · Post by **ObsoleteAcc99** » Fri May 17, 2013 12:00 pm

[DELETED]

K-Slash · Post by **K-Slash** » Fri May 17, 2013 12:12 pm

Endor-8o8 wrote:A mastering compressor is generally meant to be transparent, with a very low ratio (from 2 to 4:1) and a fast attack to eat some undesirable transients. Mastering is not really about coloration but more about subtle corrections and dynamic control to adapt your program to a specific format (CD, mp3, flac, video etc)...
To me this plug is perfect for this task, definitely love it.

I'd say up to 2:1 at max in general.

I'd say that 1:2, 1:5 and 2:1 are the mostly used ratios in mastering.

Endor-8o8 · Post by **Endor-8o8** » Fri May 17, 2013 12:17 pm

K-Slash wrote:
Endor-8o8 wrote:A mastering compressor is generally meant to be transparent, with a very low ratio (from 2 to 4:1) and a fast attack to eat some undesirable transients. Mastering is not really about coloration but more about subtle corrections and dynamic control to adapt your program to a specific format (CD, mp3, flac, video etc)...
To me this plug is perfect for this task, definitely love it.
I'd say up to 2:1 at max in general.

I'd say that 1:2, 1:5 and 2:1 are the mostly used ratios in mastering.

Well I agree with you but I saw some high ratios on some mastering units, the Shadow Hills one can go up to 10:1. But yeah generally mastering doesn't exceed 2:1 ratio. Thanks for making things clearer !

Robmobius · Post by **Robmobius** » Fri May 17, 2013 12:18 pm

I like this one too... As op said, it's designed to be pretty transparent for the master.

But (as was already mentioned) I fricken love mix version - it's very special indeed.

I use it on DnB/Industrial as well as metal. It pretty much works on anything...

Aiynzahev · Post by **Aiynzahev** » Fri May 17, 2013 12:23 pm

TheoM wrote:Sami, did you try the psp mastercomp? I am really enjoying this especially for the insane price i paid for it. I think it's an easier to use mastering comp than the alpha and works great on dance stuff! But as you know i own alpha also, and as you are, i am kind of up and down with it.. but it's more pro than con at this stage.

Yes it's more pro than con for me here too. I think to me, it seems most compressors if you give a lengthy attack and a short release it will let the transients through then clamp down on the rest of the signal.

Alpha doesn't seem to act like a normal compressor. But then it's specialized.

Yes I have the PSP mastercomp too, I do like it but actually Alpha gives more options and is easier to set up.

bmanic · Post by **bmanic** » Fri May 17, 2013 12:32 pm

I love the Alpha compressor. I use it all the time to subtly shape the impact of a song on either the drum bus or master bus. It's also great on individual instruments that need some "control".

I frequently use it with very long attack times.

These are my "go-to" settings (my Reaper default) for Alpha comp on the master bus:

Feed Forward mode
Attack at maximum 150ms
Attack auto-fast disengaged, sometimes I keep it on if the song has a lot of transient detail
Release very much depending on the song tempo and type but usually 300-500ms, auto-fast release is usually on
Ratio 1.1 or 1.2
Threshold all the way down and then I drive the song into the unit, usually a few dB over digital full scale (no problem within a 64bit host) so that I get between 1.5dB to 3dB compression. Then compensate on the output and after the plugin.

Works very well for a different kind of punch and glue than a SSL type compressor.

It's what I would call a "subtle song maker" thing.. that is, it makes songs sound coherent and finished but in a different way than the SSL.

You can also play with the sidechain filters to change the behavior.. for instance you can carve out some of the high-mids and higs to force the bass to drive and groove the song, or vice versa.

Most commonly I run it in left/right unlinked mode. Sometime Mid/Side unlinked mode but that's quite rare as I think it disturbs the stereo balance in a not so pleasing way.

Cheers!
bManic

recursive one · Post by **recursive one** » Fri May 17, 2013 12:35 pm

Sorry for somehow derailing the thread, but if we are speaking about the transparency in mastering compression, like of a kind what PSP Mastercomp offers, does it mean that along with the compressor a saturation plugin should be used on masterbuss if I want tight and dense dance track? Or all the saturation is better done in the mix at separate channels and busses?

Aiynzahev · Post by **Aiynzahev** » Fri May 17, 2013 12:41 pm

recursive one wrote:Sorry for somehow derailing the thread, but if we are speaking about the transparency in mastering compression, like of a kind what PSP Mastercomp offers, does it mean that along with the compressor a saturation plugin should be used on masterbuss if I want tight and dense dance track? Or all the saturation is better done in the mix at separate channels and busses?

I've never been happy with saturation on the master bus.

Edit, well I guess I have sometimes. Still it's up to you I guess.

bmanic · Post by **bmanic** » Fri May 17, 2013 12:45 pm

Alpha compressor is also awesome as a "harshness"/high frequency splashyness tamer. Then I usually set it to around 2.0 ratio, FeedForward mode, attack fastest possibl, release fastest possible and then the sidechain filter to cut from around 1500kHz down by more than 15dB.. or even set it to full highpass filtering.

Or as a tight bass control. It's a very flexible unit.

It's main strength is as a utilitarian tool rather than a sweetener/character machine.

EDIT: I've also had some very good results running it in reaper as a multiband compressor, keeping things nicely tight and controlled, especially the bass.

Cheers!
bManic

Fred_Abstract · Post by **Fred_Abstract** » Fri May 17, 2013 1:05 pm

it s very good but still have a plugin sound caractere

Elysia Alpha Compressor. Please give your opinions