The TesslaSE Remake

There were so many requests to revive the old and rusty TesslaSE which I’ve once moved already into the legacy folder. In this article I’m going to talk a little bit about the history of the plugin and its upcoming remake.

The original TesslaSE audio plugin was one of my first DSP designs aiming at a convincing analog signal path emulation and it was created already 15 years ago! In its release info it stated to “model pleasant sounding ‘electric effects’ coming from transformer coupled tube circuits in a digital controlled fashion” which basically refers to adding harmonic content and some subtle saturation as well as spatial effects to the incoming audio. In contrast to static waveshaping approaches quite common to that time, those effects were already inherently frequency dependent and managed within a mid/side matrix underneath.

(Later on, this approach emerged into a true stateful saturation framework capable of modeling not only memoryless circuits and the TesslaPro version took advantage of audio transient management as well.)

This design was also utilized to supress unwanted aliasing artifacts since flawless oversampling was still computational expensive to that time. And offering zero latency on top, TesslaSE always had a clear focus on being applied over the entire mixing stage, providing all those analog signal path subtleties here and there. All later revisions also sticked to the very same concept.

With the 2021 remake, TesslaSE mkII won’t change that as well but just polishing whats already there. The internal gainstaging has been reworked so that everything appears gain compensated to the outside and is dead-easy to operate within a slick, modernized user interface. Also the transformer/tube cicuit modeling got some updates now to appear more detailed and vibrant, while all non-linear algorithms got oversampled for additional aliasing supression.

On my very own, I really enjoy the elegant sound of the update now!

TesslaSE mkII will be released by end of November for PC/VST under a freeware license.

ThrillseekerXTC mkII released

ThrillseekerXTC – bringing mojo back

ThrillseekerXTC mkII is a psychoacoustic audio exciter based on a parallel dynamic equalizer circuit. It takes our hearing sensitivity into account especially regarding the perception of audio transients, tonality and loudness.

The mkII version now introduces:
• Plugin operating level calibration for better gainstaging and output volume compensated processing.
• A reworked DRIVE/MOJO stage featuring full bandwidth signal saturation and a strong
focus on perceived depth and dimension. It provides all those subtle qualities we typically associate with the high-end analog outboard gear.
• Special attention has been taken to the mid frequency range by introducing signal compression which improves mid-range coherence and presence.
• Relevant parts of the plugin are running at higher internal sampling frequencies to minimize aliasing artifacts.

Available for Windows VST in 32 and 64bit as freeware. Download your copy here.

FerricTDS mkII released

FerricTDS mkII – the updated award winning Tape Dynamics Simulator

New in version 2:

• Introducing operating level calibration for better gainstaging and output volume compensated processing
• Metering ballistics revised and aligned accordingly
• Updated tape compression algorithms increasing punch, adding 2nd order harmonic processing, less IMD
• Updated limiter algorithm featuring ADC style converter clipping
• All non-linearities are running at higher sampling frequencies internally
• Adding a sophisticated analog signal path emulation

Available for Windows VST in 32 and 64bit as freeware. Download your copy here.

released: SlickEQ

TDR VOS SlickEQ is a mixing/mastering equalizer designed for ease of use, musical flexibility and impeccable sound.

Three (and a half) filter-bands arranged in a classic Low/Mid/High semi parametric layout offer fast and intuitive access to four distinct EQ modes, each representing a set of distinct EQ curves and behaviors. An elaborate auto gain option automatically compensates for changes of perceived loudness during EQ operation. Optionally, SlickEQ allows to exclusively process either the stereo sum or stereo difference (i.e. “stereo width”) without additional sum/difference encoding.

In order to warm up the material with additional harmonic content, SlickEQ offers a switchable EQ non-linearity and an output stage with 3 different saturation models. These options are meant to offer subtle and interesting textures, rather than obvious distortion. The effect is made to add the typical “mojo” often associated with classy audio gear.
An advanced 64bit multirate processing scheme practically eliminates typical problems of digital EQ implementations such as frequency-warping, quantization distortion and aliasing.

Beside the primary controls, the plug-in comes with an array of additional helpers: Advanced preset management, undo/redo, quick A/B comparison, copy & paste, an online help, editable labels, mouse-wheel support and much more.

SlickEQ is a collaborative project by Variety Of Sound (Herbert Goldberg) and Tokyo Dawn Labs (Vladislav Goncharov and Fabien Schivre).

Key specs and features

• Intuitive, yet flexible semi parametric EQ layout
• Full featured, modern user interface with outstanding usability and ergonomics
• Carefully designed 64bit “delta” multi-rate structure
• Three EQ bands with additional 18dB/Oct high-pass filter
• Four distinct EQ models: “American”, “British”, “German” and “Soviet” with optional non-linearity
• Four output stages: “Linear”, “Silky”, “Mellow” and “Deep”
• Advanced saturation algorithms by VoS (“stateful saturation”)
• Highly effective and musically pleasing loudness compensated auto gain control
• Oversampled signal path including stateful saturation algorithms
• Stereo and sum/difference processing options
• Tool-bar with undo/redo, A/B, advanced preset management and more

Availability

TDR VOS SlickEQ is a freeware audio plug-in available for Windows and Mac in VST and Audio Units format (both 64-bit and 32-bit). VST3 and AAX formats will follow later.

All downloads are available via the Tokyo Dawn Labs website.

Related Links

• vladg/sound
• KVR page
• forum talk
• SlickHDR – final teaser & release info
• what I’m currently working on – Vol. 12
• sharing the same vision …

SlickEQ – some more release info

Just a couple of days ago we introduced the upcoming release of SlickEQ and lots of questions raised already. So, here is what Fabien already committed about it in a public forum:

• Win/Mac, AU/VST2/VST3 (+AAX planned and in process), x32/x64
• No linux builds planned, sorry.
• The name is “TDR VOS Slick EQ” and it will be available for free.
• Release is a matter of days. Maybe a week or two.

As of today I just want to add: With the introduction of TDR VOS SlickEQ, quite a number of amazing and previously unheard DSP algorithms will see the light of day – including (but not limited to) several Stateful Saturation algorithms running within an audio signal path entirely upsampled to a constant high sample rate for maximum precision.

Expect smoothness, best-in-class.

Related links:

• thread at kvraudio.com
• what I’m currently working on – Vol. 12
• vladg/sound
• sharing the same vision …

RescueMK2 2.1 update available

working ITB at higher sampling rates

Recently, I’ve moved from 44.1kHz up to 96kHz sampling rate for my current production. I would have loved to do this step earlier but it wasn’t possible with the older DAW generation in my case. With the newer stuff I was easily able to run a 44.1kHz based production with tons of headroom (resource wise – talking about CPU plus memory and disk space) and so I switched to 96kHz SR and still there is some room left.

I know there is a lot of confusion and misinformation floating around about this topic and so this small article is about to give some theoretical insights from a developer perspective as well as some hands-on tips for all those who are considering at what SR actually to work at. The title already suggests working ITB (In The Box) and I’ll exclude SR topics related to recording, AD/DA converters or other external digital devices.

the side effects of intermodulation in audio processors

typical IM distortion in a digital compressor

The general and most obvious effect of intermodulation components in audio signals is distortion of course – hence the concept of “intermodulation distortion” (aka “IM distortion” or simply “IMD”). IM distortion and harmonic distortion are two pairs of shoes and must be defined individually as already shown in the short essay about “myth and facts about aliasing” but more on this later on.

The existence of intermodulation components can affect the performance of an audio production in various ways. In the best case, IMD components are a desired artistic effect e. g. to obtain heavily crushed audio effect signals but in the worst and rather common case, they are one of the contributing factors which deteriorate the overall audio quality and might ruin a production.

preFIX 1.0 – out now!

preFIX – getting those alignments done

preFIX – final teaser and release info

preFIX - gate and expander section with detailed sidechain fitering options