Cytomic 'The Glue' Compressor

[MogwaiBoy]

Update installed - thanks for the clear warning re: authorizing on a blank DAW project

So now we can set the phase of the up and down sampling lowpass filter... that's some serious control!

PS - used it on the master bus of this track:
https://soundcloud.com/gangviolins/gang-violins-sana

[andy-cytomic]

Update installed - thanks for the clear warning re: authorizing on a blank DAW project

So now we can set the phase of the up and down sampling lowpass filter... that's some serious control!

PS - used it on the master bus of this track:
https://soundcloud.com/gangviolins/gang-violins-sana

Great track, thanks for sharing this! Very rich and full sounding mix.

I've been fine tuning the oversampling for years now, and I'm pretty happy with where it's at in terms of quality vs latency. For most work with The Glue I recommend the linear phase mode, as this is the most transparent, especially when passing the signal un-compressed.

The latest addition of minimum and intermediate phase modes was actually required to get things sounding right with The Scream. My soundcard actually uses a short digital linear phase FIR filter followed by a switched capacitor analog minimum phase IIR filter, and this produces an intermediate phase response. When processing audio through the analog TS808 vs my plugin they sounded different and I couldn't work out why until I realised it was because of the different bandlimiting filters I was using compared to the ones used by the soundcard. Once I added an intermediate phase mode things matched again. It's pretty amazing that the main difference between my model and the analog hardware was actually caused by differences in the overampling filters prior to the actual processing!

It's an interesting topic, I will write an article on it soon to explain the strengths and weaknesses of each type of filter.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

Andy, is there ever a use-case where we'd want different Up and Downsampling filters? Not sure I get that whole piece of added functionality at all, so even just a quick explanation of the how and why would be much appreciated.

[andy-cytomic]

Andy, is there ever a use-case where we'd want different Up and Downsampling filters? Not sure I get that whole piece of added functionality at all, so even just a quick explanation of the how and why would be much appreciated.

Yes there is, but it is not something quick to explain, and it depends on the entire signal processing chain, including future processing you may do later on the signal.

(edit: for The Glue just stick to Linear phase as this will give the cleanest results. If you are in a situation where you really need less latency, and you have for some reason can't increase the sample rate of the project but you still need oversampling and you won't be doing much further processing on the signal then using the minimum phase mode is a good way to reduce latency - see what I mean about not easy to explain quickly? hehe)

[MogwaiBoy]

Great track, thanks for sharing this! Very rich and full sounding mix.

Thanks Andy - much respect to you sir

It's pretty amazing that the main difference between my model and the analog hardware was actually caused by differences in the overampling filters prior to the actual processing!

It's an interesting topic, I will write an article on it soon to explain the strengths and weaknesses of each type of filter.

Very much looking forward to this article!

Re: The Scream. I play guitar.. and I've never liked Tubescreamers - too honky in the midrange and too much bass cut. Is The Scream still for me? (for electronic music production too, not just guitar).

[andy-cytomic]

Re: The Scream. I play guitar.. and I've never liked Tubescreamers - too honky in the midrange and too much bass cut. Is The Scream still for me? (for electronic music production too, not just guitar).

I would definitely give the trial a go of The Scream as it is a very versatile little plugin. Don't worry about the honk, you can customise the circuit to completely remove it if you want. It does use a decent chunk of CPU, so this may not be suitable if you want to run lots of copies all over the place, but I am working on a lower cpu mode. Every component can be easily change to drastically alter the sound. There is an easy edit page where you can change the drive high pass capacitor to distort more bass, and also change the post drive low pass capacitor to let more top end through - in this way you can remove the honk, or move the mid boost higher up, or lower down to better fit with the instrument being processed, and which parts you want boosted with drive. You can make all sorts of special clipping effects by starving the circuit of voltage, and you can also adjust the bias point to run things too hot or too cold, all of which impart a different tone to the drive.

[electro]

Every component can be easily change to drastically alter the sound. There is an easy edit page where you can change the drive high pass capacitor to distort more bass, and also change the post drive low pass capacitor to let more top end through - in this way you can remove the honk, or move the mid boost higher up, or lower down to better fit with the instrument being processed, and which parts you want boosted with drive.

This thing is the most useful distortion VST in existence. A must own plugin with multiple applications.

[MogwaiBoy]

Email:

We have been busy working on many new products at Cytomic HQ. Soon to be released: a new range of the world's most detailed stomp box emulations, new synths, new tutorial videos, new EQ plugins, and a new HD mode for The Glue (which will be a free update).

High Def? What is this!

[Everglide]

This

When we can expect full analog path simulation of the compressor Glue is based on? I mean on nonlinearities, thd, etc...Hopefully that will be next Glue update!!!

I'm looking into adding an "HD" mode on The Glue, with a full non-linear signal path. If I get good results then I'll make an announcement, but till then I can't really say much, but it is looking promising.

[Everglide]

... and we are getting an EQ, my subliminal messages must be working.

[meloco_go]

Email:

We have been busy working on many new products at Cytomic HQ. Soon to be released: a new range of the world's most detailed stomp box emulations, new synths, new tutorial videos, new EQ plugins, and a new HD mode for The Glue (which will be a free update).

High Def? What is this!

Andy said on GS that he plans to do a full schematic model of SSL quad compressor. Currently, Glue models only sidechain (where most nonlinearity is) but the audio path is clean.

[nilhartman]

Cytomic synths... damn that's promising! Andy, tell us more !!!!

[andy-cytomic]

Andy said on GS that he plans to do a full schematic model of SSL quad compressor. Currently, Glue models only sidechain (where most nonlinearity is) but the audio path is clean.

Yep, I plan on doing a full component model of the DBX VCA chips, and do reasonably detailed models for everything else in the main signal chain that causes audible distortion. I've also got a plan to make the range knob even smoother in operation This will be added as an HD button, and there will be an option to automatically switch to HD mode on render. I am especially interested in being able to deliberately adjust the bias options on the VCA to cause distortion, which could lead to some interesting special effects when you want to mess things up instead of being ultra clean.

[woodsdenis]

Andy are your filters in the new Live 10 wave synth ? They look the same as the Drop.

[andy-cytomic]

Cytomic synths... damn that's promising! Andy, tell us more !!!!

I have done the initial gui layout and DSP algorithms for a very powerful and supremely elegant new analog modelled synth - which is my own design, and not based on any particular hardware. It's still a way off, but I'll start a thread on it as soon as I've got some initial audio examples I can post.