Drum Hits XL from Plugin Alliance is an extended collection of drum processing plug-ins with an emphasis on dynamics. The SPL Transient Designer combined with elyisa´s punchy compressor can hugely impact drum levels, with a second modeled compressor also provided. The bundle is further enhances with a collection of mono, stereo and M/S Dynamic EQs, a Bass Drum booster, and a Drum Replacer complete with sample library.
The bx_boom! from Brainworx is a simple bass drum sound enhancement plug-in featuring only two parameters and an intuitive graphic design for tuning, attenuating, or boosting the impact of a bass drum sound. The plug-in can be used on individual sounds, but also to treat the bass drum sound in a stereo drum loop. The mono version is a very easy and useful EQ when used on a bass-drum insert.
The bx_ dynEQ V2 from Brainworx is a dynamic EQ plug-in using innovative M/S features and an Inverse Mode that allows for results not possible with standard EQs. A dynamic EQ is a filter that is not limited to a specific gain level, but which changes gain settings according to the dynamics of a trigger signal. This trigger signal can be the whole signal running through the plug-in or just a filtered part of that signal, using the internal filtered sidechain.
The plug-in comprises three parts: bx_dynEQ mono, bx_dynEQ stereo (L/R) and bx_dynEQ stereo (M/S). The M/S mode features a "cross-feed" setting which allows the mid and side signals to "trigger" each other. A comprehensive selection of filter types is included. Preset knobs in the GUI enable the engineer to easily find starting points for any desired processing. In addition to being an EQ, the software can also function as a dynamics processor.
The bx_limiter from Brainworx is a simple but effective low latency limiter plug-in with features that make it an excellent mastering tool, but also useful for mixing duties. Use the dry/wet control to smash up drum beats, pull up vocal details in mixes, control bass sounds, etc., and then seamlessly blend from linked to unlinked mode for stereo mastering.
Additional processing can be achieved by driving individual tracks or stems hard into the limiter to trigger saturation while still maintaining overall levels. Parallel processing can create vintage drum and vocal sounds or special effects of all kinds. And in this case it is important to keep multiple-track peak levels under control, rather than trying to do all the work on the master buss.
The mpressor from elysia is a native based plug-in that closely emulates the company's hardware creative compressor. The original's all discrete circuitry and special characters have been translated into software in great detail, delivering a universal compressor as well as a dynamic effects machine.
Functions include Auto Fast that makes life easy even on longer attack settings and the Anti Log feature offers an alternative release curve that can be engaged for instant pumping effects. In addition to standard ratios, the plug-in also provides negative values.
The gain reduction limiter regulates the virtual control voltage and keeps even the most extreme settings under control and the additional filter is a perfect for changing the sound character of the compressed signal. An external sidechain input adds further flexibility.
All the major plug-in formats are supported for both 32- and 64-bit operating systems.
DrumXchanger from SPL is a drum replacement plug-in that uses the company's Transient Designer technology for sound recognition, allowing the processor to faithfully recognize even the faintest ghost notes, regardless of their dynamic level. The plug-in actually includes two Transient Designer processors, one for the original and one for the sampled sound.
Two different thresholds can be set for a more accurate recognition of drum hits - a level threshold and a transient threshold. The sample plays back as soon as both of these values are reached, resulting in simple operation of the software.
Additionally, the software is a powerful tool for optimizing drums tracks in its own right. The processing possibilities without the need to replace any sounds are almost limitless, while sound replacement can be done gradually in order to mix both the original and the sampled sound to taste.
Transient Designer from SPL is a dynamics processor plug-in modeled after the company's well respected analog hardware. It approaches the issue in a very different way to conventional compressors in that it has two main controls that can reshape the attack and sustain characteristics of any audio file.
Amplifying or attenuating these two components of a sound opens up much greater possibilities for sound shaping than can be achieved using a chain of compressors. Level-independent processing means that threshold setting is not necessary, while other common controls, such as ratio or parameters for time-constants, are automated and optimized in a musical manner.
Additionally, internal code supports mouse wheel control for the rotary controls. Place the mouse cursor over a control and move the scroll wheel to adjust the setting.
The VSC-2 from Vertigo is a compressor plug-in based on the company's well respected VSC-2 Quad Discrete Compressor hardware. Made in close cooperation with Brainworx, the plug-in recreates all the fine nuances of the flagship VCA compressor.