I'll start with a standard GS disclaimer: I don't get anything for this. I've just been a beta tester and this thing is fantastic.

Personally I love forward- or original-thinking in design, whether it's plugins or hardware. Something different, looking to do things a new and useful way. I don't want another classic emulation or whatever. So I was very interested when I was introduced to Unisum.

It's essentially a multiband detector behind a full band compressor. No crossovers in the signal path. Each band has fully adjustable peak/RMS detection, weighting and ratio (so you have frequency dependent ratio).

In addition, you have control over the (full band) attack and release timings and curves, depending on what the compressor is doing. You can have a slower release when the compressor digs in, for example, so that the sound stays open, with space behind drum hits. Or have the more typical short release for higher levels of compression (transients etc) and longer release for the rest - this thing can do glue better than anything else I have ever heard.

Speaking of transients, you can also have transients receive different attack and release times, to grab them or leave them alone. And it has a memory effect ie opto control, which is also negatively variable. The more/longer it compresses the more the attack/release are affected. It's got LR and MS modes, variable linking with adjustable peak/RMS bias to keep the vocals centered, or whatever. It also has a tube/transformer style emulation built in ('Hygge').

The main thing to note about the sound is that it is *INCREDIBLY* clean and transparent. Bob Katz has done a bunch of measurements I can't be bothered to do, so that's good enough for me. But it allows a huge amount of sonic manipulation at the same time. Space/tone/groove/energy/feel/whatever can all be adjusted and when you know the thing and it becomes intuitive, you can work fast.

The bottom line is that if you like Kotelnikov, you're going to LOVE this. I would very strongly recommend giving it a good amount of your time. The better you know it, the better it gets.

Big hats off and respect to Rune @ Tone Projects!

Here's the link:

http://www.toneprojects.com/

Looks nice. Too many knobs for my simple drummer's mind, but I'll give it a go. Thanks macc!

I'm a drummer too!! Well, was... might explain why I forgot the link...

Anyway, give the presets and styles a try - great effort has been put into giving you stuff you're familiar with out of the box

Good stuff, Bob!

I've posted a quick overview/short explanation of the unique features, IMHO, in the announcement thread here:

Tone Projects announces Unisum Mastering Compressor

Can you guys talk about how the multiband detector stuff relates to the sc hp and emphasis? Aren't those kinda the same thing?

Yes, I'd like to try to explain.

No, they're fairly different in both approach and result, although both are related to affecting the side-chain by way of frequencies.

The SC HP and emphasis are merely static filtering of the side-chain, i.e. inserting a low cut or parametric boost in the side-chain input.

The multiband detector instead consist of three bands of adjustable detection feeding into the side-chain.

Just like a high pass filter and emphasis filter in the side-chain, this allows you to fine tune how the compressor "hears" the source signal.

But that's where the similarities end, because with the multiband detector you can control very specifically how each band should affect the control signal on the fullband audio.

You can adjust the crossovers for the three bands, the RMS speed, the crest factor (or peak-injection), the weighting, and the ratio factoring.

None of these much more nuanced things are possible with a simple EQ, since the multiband detector directly influences the speed of the compression, not just the amount.

So for instance you could ask the compressor to try slowing down a bit when there's a lot of low frequency contents, but speed up with high frequency contents. Or react in a specific way to peaky midrange material, but not necessarily because there's constantly lots of midrange.

I used the word "try" because all three bands contribute to the final control signal, but of course you can decide how much each band contributes by adjusting the Weight parameter.

.. you are very welcome.

As well as everything Lagerfeldt just said, I wanted to say how much I love the emphasis control. I do want it fully variable but otherwise it's perfect. You can just say '1k4 is a bit annoying', move the control to that and (assuming everything is else set up right) it will just compress a bit more when that area is happening. The net effect is that it opens up the whole sound around that area, it's really nice.

Nothing revolutionary in this control, it's just a SC eq, but whatever shape/boost it is, he nailed it. (Nag nag fully variable freq plz Rune etc etc )

Yeah, I was wondering when to do that shout out - thank you very much for dealing me in. Changed my world, seriously!

Control freaks of the world unite!

thanks guys!

Separately. In your own homes.

Just having a play with this this morning. Seems really promising, although with so many features I wish it had the ability to auto-suggest the amount of makeup gain, like Multiplicity and Kotelnikov (maybe it does and I've missed it).

It doesn't at the moment. There's quite a few small and big ideas planned for coming updates and this is one of the main things I'd like to add. That and more SC Emphasis control as has been suggested on a few occassions

Great! I'll be trying it out on a few projects and will probably buy it if it obviously works better than my usual options for any of them, but that feature would probably make it an instant buy.

Congrats again Rune

During the testing phase I thought about the possibility of having a variable HYGGE function, but didn't wanted to bother you with this, as they're so already many things to deal with on this beast. But I believe I saw Bob (Katz) mentionning it ? Any plan on this ?

I know that my friend Macc is really a good and talented mastering engineer and if advice me something that must really good.So after some tests i’ve decided to buy it! Excellent work guys! And thank you for all those great presets!

I ended up buying it. Definitely with you on the emphasis control, Macc.

Definite thumbs up for this one. Very, very impressed.

Re: auto make-up gain and variable Hygge, I think I annoyed Rune enough with these ones for them to make it onto the list...








.... along with the SC thing

.. also feature wish: User controllable Transient Override amounts. I'd really like to be able to set this "jump" at whatever value I want. All of them, all directions.

Oh and I'd also like to see user variable SPEED for the xRatio and the memory effect. Instead of a toggle, give it a knob to truly fine calibrate that stuff.

Yes, control freaks unite! rockout


EDIT: .. and while we're at it, please introduce a xThreshold control too. Would work exactly like xRatio but instead it'd dynamically shift the threshold position, frequency dependently. Yes I AM insane like that.

I see where this is going

Can you unrelease it so we can spend another 9 months in beta?

I was too nervous to suggest this one. But great minds think alike... well, nerdy minds.

The level of detail and control is impressive and all, but this thing is so damn musical!

Impressive work guys.

Is there a manual somewhere, can't find it on the website.
Seeing that we have beta testers around here, what sample rates does it support?
Cheers!

I thought about looking for a manual but the tool tips within the plugin itself seem to be sufficient.

Yep, it's good.

The manual is installed together with the plugin. It's located in:
Mac: /Applications/Tone Projects/Unisum
Win: /Program Files/Tone Projects/Unisum

I've added it to the website as well: Unisum Manual

The supported sample rates are: 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192 kHz. Haven't tested beyond those.

Cheers,
Rune

I'm having problem with the Help TOOLTIPs option.

After activating, then hover over a knob ... the Hint just flashes for a moment, then disappears.

[Win7-64]

Probably best to report that to the developer and tell them which DAW.

You're right JP .... I clicked the wrong thread 'quote' .... my bad.

Found it thanks. I had missed the tool tips too.
tested up to 352.8 kHz. Seems to be working fine but needs a new and fast machine for "Pristine" quality setting with more than one instance. Fine in 'High Quality" mode even with older machines.

Works fine with reasonable CPU even in the "King of CPU spike Bugs we'll fix in ten years" Pro Tools at 32/192 with "Pristine"