LVC-Audio releases PreAMPed

[random_id]

LVC-Audio is happy to announce the release of PreAMPed, a virtual preamp modeling plugin.


PreAMPed is an audio plugin that recreates many of the qualities of analog preamplifiers. PreAMPed has 13 distinct preamp models with separate EQ curves, saturation sounds, transient responses, crosstalk, and a many other specifications. Overall, PreAMPed utilizes over forty separate parameters to determine each of the 13 different preamp modules within PreAMPed.
As a tool, PreAMPed can be used on multiple tracks to provide subtle enhancement and saturation to individual track elements, or on overall mixes. PreAMPed includes many controls that are common on mixing consoles and separate hardware preamps, as well as some unique controls. These include:

• - Common hardware preamp controls, including gain, phase, and left/right channel swapping
  - Four-band EQ, including high and low shelf filters, and two parametric mid band EQs
  - Drive control that simulates increasing or decreasing the internal gain of a hardware preamp, while maintaining a consistent output level
  - Stereo controls, including balance, stereo width, and mid/side processing option
  - Adjustable output clipper
  - Additional saturation with controllable high pass filter
  - Selectable oversampling
  - User-friendly graphical input and output metering with VU-style, PPM-style, and loudness meters

System requirements and specifications
Windows: VST and VST3 plugin formats. PreAMPed requires Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8 machines with a processor that supports SSE2 (AMD or Intel processor from around 2004 or later)
OSX: AU, VST, and VST3 plugin formats. PreAMPed requires OSX 10.5 or later, and an Intel Core2Duo processor (or better)


Download PreAMPed
A demo version of PreAMPed can be downloaded at http://lvcaudio.com. The demo version of the plugin is fully functioning except for occasional bypassing of the plugin's processing (approximately 1 time per minute, for 4 seconds). Before purchasing PreAMPed, please download and test the demo version of the plugin to ensure that it works on your system and with your chosen DAW software. For any questions or problems with PreAMPed, please use the Contact Page.

Purchase PreAMPed
PreAMPed is available for purchase at the price of $47.70 USD. To purchase PreAMPed, visit the Purchase Page. If you are a previous LVC-Audio customer, you can receive a 10% discounted price for PreAMPed. Please use the Contact Page to receive a link to complete the purchase at a discounted rate.

[xx JPRacer xx]

Anyone want to comment on this? How do you think this compared to other similar products, like SDRR?

[RunBeerRun]

Sounds pretty good, lots of interesting saturating colors.

I've been turning up the trim so the drive is more noticeable, but the volume goes up, the master volume knob barely turns it down at all. It goes from like 100% volume down to 99% and it's way too loud.

[random_id]

Sounds pretty good, lots of interesting saturating colors.

I've been turning up the trim so the drive is more noticeable, but the volume goes up, the master volume knob barely turns it down at all. It goes from like 100% volume down to 99% and it's way too loud.

Thanks for trying PreAMPed.

If you want more distortion, you can try increasing the Drive control, and the Saturation knob. Both knobs together should add more noticeable distortion without affecting the overall output level. If you still want to add more distortion, you can try to increase the Trim (i.e., input gain). This will change the level at the output. If you add the output clipper, you should be able to get a pretty nasty sound that includes saturation from the preamp models, extra saturation from the Saturation control, and clipping distortion.

Incidentally, the Saturation control and corresponding high-pass filter use a different algorithm than any of the preamp models to produce the saturation. The Drive control just increases the natural saturation of the preamp model, but the Saturation control adds something different.

[sunny_j]

downloaded the demo. The mix knob does not work as expected if oversampling is enabled. I'm guessing it is due to the oversampling filters being used. when set to say 50%, one can notice the hf attenuation (weird notches, when analyzed through vst analyzer). would be nice if this is resolved.

regards,

[random_id]

Yes, you are right about the problem with oversampling. I just tested it myself.

I have a short list of items for version 1.0.1. One of those items is to change the method I am using for oversampling. Right now, I am using a method that does not have any plugin latency, but has phase issues in the high frequencies. My plan is to switch to another method that has a small amount of latency, but the phase problems should be corrected. Although there will be some added latency, the CPU usage should also drop in comparison to the current setup.

[sunny_j]

Also, on my win 8 machine, the text beneath the eq knobs does not scale properly as your pic in the first post.

[VariKusBrainZ]

Also, on my win 8 machine, the text beneath the eq knobs does not scale properly as your pic in the first post.

Me too
Win8 32bit

[random_id]

Thanks for the screenshot. That helps.
It looks like Windows 8 renders the font one size bigger. I will add that to the revision list for 1.0.1.
To be on the safe side, it might make more sense to bump-out the whole plugin and make the interface slightly larger. Some of the controls are really tight as is.

Would a slightly bigger GUI work?

[sunny_j]

a bigger GUI is actually a better idea.

Also, I believe the oversampling is fixed at 2x. Any chance for a switchable button for higher orders?

regards,

[random_id]

a bigger GUI is actually a better idea.

Also, I believe the oversampling is fixed at 2x. Any chance for a switchable button for higher orders?

regards,

Yeah, that is part of the oversampling issues I have been dealing with. On the other LVC-Audio plugins (ClipShifter and Transector), you can select between 2x, 4x, and 8x. I went with a different filtering method with PreAMPed.
The other plugins have the slightest attenuation above 18kHz. For ClipShifter and Transector, I don't believe this roll-off affects usability; however, I really wanted the preamp models of PreAMPed to not be affected when oversampling is enabled. That is why I tried something else.

There has been some really good talk on the Developer's Forum about Voxengo's r8brain resampler. The developer recently released the code, so I am going to look at using that. Putting back in the 4x and 8x should not be a problem then.

[DuX]

Using Aleksey's resampling algo is a really great idea.

It wouldn't be bad to also encourage people to buy some of his incredible plugins, either. He gave so much to the community. He's got the greatest freeware plugins of all, and now he open sourced his great resampling algorithm. He definitely deserves some credits.

It's really nice that there are still people like him who put their accomplishments above material gains, or at least keep them somehow on the same level. Some developers would like to get paid for every little piece of cr*p they release... it's not that I'm not thankful for those, too, but there is a difference since Aleksey's freeware plugins are completely on a professional level. I mean just take a look at SPAN. Some developers make analysers but they're not nearly as good and still require payment for those. I wish them good luck... Voxengo's standards are really hard to beat.

[VariKusBrainZ]

Other than the readout below the knob its really difficult to see what position the knobs are at.

When the knobs are turned to the extreme left and right the 'indent' is visible but when set in the middle ranges the setting 'indent' is lost in the knob indent renderings between 3 and 9 oclock.

So either get rid of the knob render indents between 3 and 9 oclock or have it so the outer knob indent rendering is lit up similar to the Drive and Output knobs.

Does that make sense, Ive had a few beers :p

[DuX]

It's true that the knobs are pretty much useless as a visual indicator except the ones that have lights around them. That is a common error these days, the days of non functional beauty everywhere.

Knob is not there to look beautiful, it is there to show you the value. Otherwise it can be just a plain window with a numerical value and even that would be far more functional than a huge knob or a little knob that tells you absolutely nothing about where it's at.

[VariKusBrainZ]

It's true that the knobs are pretty much useless as a visual indicator except the ones that have lights around them. That is a common error these days, the days of non functional beauty everywhere.

Knob is not there to look beautiful, it is there to show you the value. Otherwise it can be just a plain window with a numerical value and even that would be far more functional than a huge knob or a little knob that tells you absolutely nothing about where it's at.

My brain prefers graphic hints over numerical readouts :p