AutomaticDynamic

Parallel mid-side compression with transparent automatic gain staging.

 

AutomaticDynamic is a compressor plugin that handles its own gain-staging. The threshold and make-up gain are continuously updated by an algorithm, freeing the user to focus on more-musical decisions.

Instead of a traditional threshold control, the plugin has a Compression dial that controls how far the automatic threshold rides below the peaks in your signal. Meanwhile the device tries to maintain neutral LUFS impact.

You don't always want a compressor's threshold to ride up and down based on the music. This device will appeal to producers and engineers who are trying to inject dynamic movement into their groove, and want it to work on both the quiet and loud parts of their material.

Because the plugin matches the loudness (LUFS) of the wet signal to that of the dry input signal, you can turn the Dry/Wet Mix knob without large changes in level. The plugin tries to hold LUFS steady as you (gently) move parameters such as the Compression and Ratio dials. This helps you to hear subtle differences without loudness bias.

AutomaticDynamic handles mid-side compression and saturation seamlessly, without the need to manually configure separate threshold and drive parameters for the mid and (usually quieter) side channels.

The plugin also sounds great. It has sophisticated gain-reduction dynamics, including a transfer curve that moves in response to the signal, and complex ballistic behavior designed to preserve transients. There's a subtle box tone, even without any compression.

AutomaticDynamic is designed to start sounding good as soon as you drop it on a track.

Features

• Automatic compression threshold—use the "Compression" dial to control how far the threshold rides below the peaks in your signal
• Adjustable compression ratio (1–4x) and attack/release times
  
• Optional 0-10ms look-ahead
• Sidechain detector EQ filters and external sidechain capability
• Simple automatic gate with adjustable range up to 6dB
• Subtle box-tone saturation with automatic gain-staging (oversampled if project sample rate is below 160kHz; bypassed when external sidechain connected)
• Parallel processing via gain-matched dry/wet mix control for compressor and gate (does not affect box tone)
• Automatic make-up gain targeting neutral LUFS impact
• Mid-side processing (100% unlinked)

How to use

• Use AutomaticDynamic on your master bus or on individual audio tracks
• Set the release time to where it best complements the groove of your material
  
• Click the gain reduction display for instant A/B test (bypass mode continues to use CPU in order to keep the plugin calibrated to the incoming signal)
• On a stereo source, click "M" or "S" within the display to toggle Mid or Side processing on/off
  
• Connect a sidechain signal to use the device in ducking mode (in the AU plugin version, also click "Sidechain" in the display)
• Double-click a dial to reset it to its default value, or hold <CTRL>/<CMD> to fine-tune
  

Technical notes

• Available in VST3, AAX & AU formats for Windows and MacOS
• Requires a compatible Digital Audio Workstation or other plugin host
• 0-1ms latency, plus up to 10ms latency from optional look-ahead feature
• Plugin is designed for common audio signals such as music and voice; may not react meaningfully to artificial test signals such as chirps, impulses and bursts

Please download and evaluate the free demo version of AutomaticDynamic before purchasing. Demo version here.

See here for information about versions and changes.

Note that we also offer a free, simplified version of AutomaticDynamic called AutomaticLite.