KVR Audio

VitaminD · Post by **VitaminD** » Fri Jul 25, 2025 11:09 am

I'm looking for Channel Strips that have a Mono frequency control. That is, a control that allows you to mono the width based around a frequency. So you're not setting the whole track to mono, just the frequencies under a cutoff. Preferably also a Stereo Spread control too.

I don't think the SSL or UAD Channel Strips, any of them, have such features.

So far, the only one I've seen is the bx_masterdesk Pro and the Amek 9099 channel strip. Are there any others?

jtsterays · Post by **jtsterays** » Fri Jul 25, 2025 11:20 am

Does it have to be in the channel strip? You could just download the free A1 StereoControl and have both features. Or combine a side channel highpass in a M/S EQ like Pro-Q with Voxengo MSED (free) for spread.

VitaminD · Post by **VitaminD** » Fri Jul 25, 2025 11:25 am

Yes channel strips only, please.

slackhead · Post by **slackhead** » Fri Jul 25, 2025 4:00 pm

The Plugin Alliance BrainWorx bx_console AMEK 9099 and bx_console AMEK 200 channel strips feature exactly this with a Mono Frequency control and a Stereo Width control for the remainder. Very useful feature!

VitaminD · Post by **VitaminD** » Fri Jul 25, 2025 5:36 pm

slackhead wrote: Fri Jul 25, 2025 4:00 pm The Plugin Alliance BrainWorx bx_console AMEK 9099 and bx_console AMEK 200 channel strips feature exactly this with a Mono Frequency control and a Stereo Width control for the remainder. Very useful feature!

Yes, indeed. But I have already mentioned the Amek in my post above. I wonder if there are others?

slackhead · Post by **slackhead** » Fri Jul 25, 2025 6:28 pm

Oops sorry I missed the mention of Amek.

VitaminD · Post by **VitaminD** » Fri Jul 25, 2025 9:06 pm

No worries!

I did see Softube has a Bus Processor which is really just compression and saturation but it does have the spatial controls. They also have several channel strip plugins but they seem to be designed to work only with their hardware controller. From the screenshots, they may also possess spatial controls too. Hmmmmm

The Main Event · Post by **The Main Event** » Sat Jul 26, 2025 3:43 pm

Depending on what you use this feature for, i would suggest differnet tools.

adash123 · Post by **adash123** » Sun Jul 27, 2025 9:55 am

SSL Native channel strip 2 has a width control. Under settings you can select full high or low modes and the threshold frequency. Its also on sale quite often. I picked that up in a bundle with the bus compressor for about £50. The 4K G channel strip is currently on sale for $49 and appears to have the same features.

jens · Post by **jens** » Sun Jul 27, 2025 10:11 am

Afaik ALL PA channel strips have this feature.

Edit: no, wrong.

audiorea · Post by **audiorea** » Sun Jul 27, 2025 10:34 am

What do you think about Waves AR TG Mastering or CLA MixHub?
They’re not exactly as convenient as a one knob mono maker like Brainworx CS, but both offer full M/S control for all filters and EQs, and they also have a Spread knob.
If I were in your situation and didn’t want to use the Amek 9099, I’d probably go with MixHub and set up a few presets with just a side high-pass filter engaged. That way, I could flip through presets quickly depending on the track I’m working on.

VitaminD · Post by **VitaminD** » Mon Jul 28, 2025 1:06 am

adash123 wrote: Sun Jul 27, 2025 9:55 am SSL Native channel strip 2 has a width control. Under settings you can select full high or low modes and the threshold frequency. Its also on sale quite often. I picked that up in a bundle with the bus compressor for about £50. The 4K G channel strip is currently on sale for $49 and appears to have the same features.

That's a nice suggestion, thanks.

Though it doesn't seem to fully monoize the low frequencies in Low mode. I've got the Steinberg Supervision phasescope loaded and can see there is still a bit of stereo stuff going on when the width knob is set to 0% and the higher frequencies are removed (so I don't believe it's a case of higher frequencies affecting the phasescope output).

Plus, I can just hear there is still some stereo spread ongoing.

When I use Bozlabs Mongoose (with the SSL CS2 and the phasescope) and cut the low width to 0%, the sound instantly flattens as does the pattern on the phasescope -- it becomes a sharp vertical line.

Softube Bus Processor seems to do something similar.

Both plugins (SSL CS2 and Softube Bus Processor) are otherwise really high quality plugins though I find. Really nice.

Hoffstein · Post by **Hoffstein** » Mon Jul 28, 2025 9:20 am

I know you said channel strips only, but if you are on Cubase (assumption since you mentioned Supervision), the stock “Imager” plugin makes it dead simple to set a cutoff frequency and can be saved in a track preset that effectively gives you a reusable channel strip.

VitaminD · Post by **VitaminD** » Mon Jul 28, 2025 12:00 pm

Hoffstein wrote: Mon Jul 28, 2025 9:20 am I know you said channel strips only, but if you are on Cubase (assumption since you mentioned Supervision), the stock “Imager” plugin makes it dead simple to set a cutoff frequency and can be saved in a track preset that effectively gives you a reusable channel strip.

Oh that does indeed properly monofy the signal. And I can set it to 2 band to recreate Mongoose. But I was looking for something to reduce plugin count not just replace one plugin with another.

That may not be possible it seems. In any case thank you for the suggestion as that at least reduces my 3rd party plugin use.

Hoffstein · Post by **Hoffstein** » Mon Jul 28, 2025 3:37 pm

Yes, Cubase’s stock plugins are very solid and extremely lightweight in my experience. And the fact that you have built-in pregain, filters, EQ, gate, compression, saturation, etc. on every single channel really cuts down on plug-in count if that’s your goal. Most of my channels have 0-1 plugins vs. previously using 3-5 in other DAWs.

Channel Strips with Mono frequency control?