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wolf audio design - release of KomPressor
Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 1:05 am
by wolf
The recent post about parallel compression reminded me on a device, I wanted to release but completely forgot about it
So here we go ..
The KomPressor brings old (and forgotten) tricks and applications of mastering and mixing engineers with a simple mouseclick to your DAW.
The internal flexible routing and combination of the different modes make the KomPressor a multi-purpose tool for tracking and mastering.
It offers emulated behaviours of vintage, classic and modern compressors.
The different modes let you "design" its behaviour and for example mix old & new.
Even if there’s no interest in the compressor itself, the manual might be worth a look.
It contains a lot of compressing strategies and explanations.
features :
- extended mode makes optical or electrical compare stage and knee parameter available
- spectral detection mode
- sidechain resolution parameter
- fast response mode
- true stereo compressing mode (usually left & right are summed)
- mid-side mode to compress the ambience separately from the main signal
- latency compensated sidechain mode (also called parallel compression and not in the sense of the usual sidechaining by routing another sound source to sidechain inputs, but by routing the compressed and clean signal "side by side" to the output, as often applied in mastering)
- look ahead function
- rms/peak mode
- soft clip
- fast attack (down to few miliseconds), long release (up to ten seconds)
For tutorial purposes and as starting point an extensive preset list with over 100 presets is provided.
download manual
download demo
Buy online for 49,- Eur
have fun !
Wolfgang
Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 4:01 am
by hubird
reads like a monster app...
good looks

Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 5:22 am
by hifiboom
looks like a well build device.
Well made manual as well.
Thats how I like it!
edit: I did try it and this is a decent compressor having its own flavor.
The fine thing is it never pumps like a comp. Very well build comp!
Some presets even expand the stereo field!
I think I will buy it, cause its well price too.
hands up , wolf !
+++
Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 6:21 am
by dawman
Thank You Very Much,
Great information on different uses, and techniques as well.
Scope Is On Fire,
Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 6:24 am
by hifiboom
i have to say the more i am playing around with this tool, the more am I IMPRESSED BY THIS comp.
It so subtle on the one hand, on the other hand the mixes get really loud and even glue together.
a great mastering tool.
Seems like top notch quality product.
Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 7:54 am
by Shroomz~>
Nice work Wolf !! There's some really smart features in this device !!
I like the way the quality of your work speaks for itself without you feeling the need to state how great or fantastic something is. I guess you know yourself that the work is of a high standard & that most people here know that too...
keep rockin' !
regards,
Shroomz
Re: wolf audio design - release of KomPressor
Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:07 am
by astroman
wolf wrote:
The recent post about parallel compression reminded me on a device, I wanted to release but completely forgot about it

...

then thanks to the starter of the thread, whoever it was...
didn't make it through the manual yet and only played (of course) with a couple of bass presets as a starting point...
this is world class it is sooo smooooth and deep - you made my night
still kompressed, Tom
Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 2:29 am
by MCCY
You allways have been on top (with softtube, algorithmix, adern & sonic timeworks) of my personal FAVOURITE SCOPE DEVELOPERS. All you do is straight forward and you never hold back some tips for us creeping sdk-insects - and that makes you & your devices UNIQUE!
Still I hope to meet you some day in real life what is more realistic than meeting jimmy v.

I think.
B.t.w. anybody here going to the hughe music-fleemarket in Ibbenbüren/Germany tomorrow? I'd like to meet some scopers...
Martin
Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 2:40 am
by kylie
MCCY wrote:
B.t.w. anybody here going to the hughe music-fleemarket in Ibbenbüren/Germany tomorrow? I'd like to meet some scopers...
it's not around the corner, unfortunately...
so you won't meet me, that's for sure.
-greetings, markus-
Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 1:00 pm
by moxi
hi,
the "parallel compression" mode sound great (another thing I learn today

) but I don't see on the control surface a knob to balance the two signal (or at least the dry one), or maybe there is a "dry output" on the module? In the same time, I never use this technique, but it seems that you have to play with the balance between the two resulting track to find out the better result?
In case of using it as insert effect, a knob on the device would be more appropriate for the job..
best regards
Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2007 2:54 pm
by wolf
Hey guys,
thanks again for all the kind words !
Martin, if you happen to be in Hamburg you're welcome in my home for shure !
Moxi, the big output knob on the right controls the level of the wet signal to mix it into the dry signal, if in sidechain mode. In addition you can set an input level for both wet & dry.
cheers,
Wolfgang
Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 5:39 am
by MCCY
Yeah, cool! My brother & my girlfriends sister live in hamburg, so this won't take tooo long
Thanks
Happy Martin

kommpressor
Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 8:27 am
by musurgio
The only thing I can say is UNBELIEVABLE !!
This kind and sound of compression is to be heard only from amstering houses.
I bought it immediately also because the price was so tempted too !
I was around to see if the DAS compressors were on a sale or something but this comp came along and really made my DAYS !!
Now I will reremix all my stuff again !!!
Thanks Wolf !
Regards,
Dimitrios
Kompressor
Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 8:44 am
by musurgio
Did I say that I am overwhelmed ??!!
I have never heard a compressor like this !
Try the demo preset Premastering---Presence 1--- and use the res knob at 4
-23.4 db threshold and 4.5:1 ratio on rock mixes !!!!!!!!
I am totally amazed.
It evens out all instruments and keeps a constant level of transparent compression and glue everything together !!
Come on Wolf.
Make more plugins !!
With regards to you.
Dimitrios
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 9:02 am
by firubbi
i guess it sounds better than vinco

compressor
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 9:13 am
by musurgio
Vinco sounds worse than most other high end compressors

I never liked it !!
Regards,
Dimitriios
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 9:21 am
by firubbi
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 9:37 am
by Shroomz~>
Is anyone handing out tin hats?

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 3:50 am
by firubbi
hi wolf,
i was looking for something that made my radio commercials sound big and LOUD like hell. so do i need LochNess +Kompressor or Kompressor is enough (i have BX ) or anything else in mastering chain.
Thanks
Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 7:23 am
by wolf
Hey firubbi,
unfortunately there's no definitive answer to your question as this greatly depends on the source signal, so see the following as options.
LochNess raises low-level frequencies more than high-level frequencies, which makes the signal more dense and more "airy" if applied to the highs.
If needed to enhance highs, use it only very gentle (I wouldn't use it on lows in a masterchain).
BX (or any other mid-side de-/encoding eq) is a good choice to remove low frequencies from the side signal and thus making the signal more compact. The goal of this is, that the following compressor can do its job better (more compression is possible).
Also I sometimes use a brickwall limiter with gentle settings before the compression to remove spikes (again to gain more compression in the very end).
For more presence, punch, breathing or raising ambience the KomPressor is shurely a good thing.
Having said that my weapon of choice as last tool in the chain is usually Optimaster as it allows additional drastic loudness changes while retaining the intial (but prepared) sound.
I hope, that helped a little bit
cheers,
Wolfgang