Analog-modeled stereo compressor/limiter plugin with dual emulation modes, integrated gate, and flexible sidechain processing for authentic vintage warmth and precise modern dynamics. Software Download (NO HARDWARE INCLUDED)
$39.63
In stock
SKU
XCH-RVG-1540-1008
Checkout now
Are you an Amazon customer? Pay now with address and payment details stored in your Amazon account.
Sonic Dynamics is a powerful stereo compressor/limiter plug‑in by Rave Generation, inspired by a classic analog dynamics processor design. It delivers authentic vintage character and modern flexibility through detailed analog modeling. Two emulation modes are provided: Modern/Rev D for clean, precise dynamics (using THAT2180 VCA, low noise and fast envelope response) and Vintage/Rev C for colored, “musical” compression (with DBX2150-style VCA, more distortion, ripple-induced saturation and slower, pumping envelopes). Sonic Dynamics faithfully captures soft‑knee curves, separate peak/RMS detection, sidechain gating, and stereo linking behaviors of its hardware predecessor, while adding modern conveniences (mix control, high-pass sidechain filter, etc.). The result is an analog‑flavored compressor/limiter with gate and sidechain capabilities that is equally at home on sources from vocals to drum bus and mix bus.
Feed-forward VCA compressor with controls for threshold, ratio, attack, release, knee, and make-up gain. In Limit mode, it uses a high ratio and fixed attack/release for fast, transparent limiting. Soft knee gives a smooth transition, while hard knee is abrupt; detection can be Peak or RMS.
Low-Frequency Relax (De-Rumbler)
The Lo Freq Relax HPF cleans up sub-bass before detection. It is a cascaded 24 dB/oct high-pass filter whose cutoff is controlled by the knob. Use this to prevent deep bass hits (like kick or low-end rumble) from over-triggering compression. For example, setting it to 80 Hz can avoid excessive pumping on bass-heavy tracks. At 0 Hz this feature is disabled.
Sidechain Routing
The main inputs feed both the audio output and the internal sidechain detector. If an external sidechain is available and Ext SC is enabled, the plug-in uses the auxiliary inputs as the detection source for both compressor and gate. This allows ducking or keycontrolled effects. The Lo Freq Relax HPF is always applied to whichever source is used for detection.
Stereo/Dual-Mono Processing
By default, Sonic Dynamics is a true stereo processor. With Stereo Link on, one envelope (from the louder channel) drives both channels’ VCAs. With Link off, it operates in dual-mono: each channel’s compressor and gate respond independently.
Gate/Expander
After the compressor section, Sonic Dynamics applies a gate on each channel. The gate threshold and decay are set by Gate Threshold and Gate Rate. If the signal falls below the threshold, the gate closes: it remains open for a fixed “hold” time (the Gate Rate setting) then exponentially decays shut. This models the hardware’s gate circuit (100 kΩ/ µF network). Use the gate to silence noise or bleed during quiet passages. The gate detector also follows the selected sidechain source.
Auto and Mode-Dependent Control Behavior
Sonic Dynamics automatically disables or ignores certain controls when specific modes are active, mirroring the behavior of the analog hardware:
Limit Mode : When Limit mode is engaged, Attack, Release, and Ratio controls are disabled. The compressor operates with a fixed, ultra-fast attack, a musical release, and an extremely high ratio (for true peak limiting). Adjusting these knobs has no effect in Limit mode.
RMS Mode : When RMS detection is selected, Attack and Release controls are disabled. In this mode, the envelope timing is set internally for slow, program-dependent behavior, and the knobs are bypassed.
LED Meters : The gain reduction (GR) and output meters remain active in all modes, giving you instant visual feedback on compression, gating, and output levels with no added latency.
User Interface - Main Controls
Threshold (dB) : Sets the compression threshold. Turning it clockwise raises the threshold, resulting in less compression. Below this level the signal is passed through; above it, gain reduction is applied.
Ratio (:1) : Sets the compression ratio. Lower ratios (e.g. 2:1–4:1) provide gentle leveling, while higher ratios (e.g. 10:1 and above) clamp peaks more aggressively. In Limit mode (when Limit is On), the ratio is effectively very high (modeled as ~50:1) for true limiting.
Attack (ms) : Controls how fast the compressor reacts to signal above threshold. It ranges from 0.1 ms (instant attack) to 60 ms (slower attack) by default. Short attack times clamp transients tightly; longer times let initial peaks through for punch.
Release (ms) : Sets the release time (50–500 ms by default) for how quickly gain reduction returns to zero after the signal falls below threshold. Longer release smooths gain changes; shorter release is more “” In RMS mode, the plug‑in uses internal long attack/release constants and ignores the Attack/Release knobs.
Output (Make-Up Gain) (dB) : Adjusts the output level (0 to +20 dB). This compensates for gain reduction or introduces analog-style saturation when pushed. Typical analog practice is to add a few dB of make-up gain after compression, sometimes driving into subtle soft clipping for warmth.
Peak/RMS : Selects detector mode. Peak responds to signal transients for fast, punchy compression. RMS uses an averaged detector for smoother, program-level control—attack and release times are fixed internally in this mode, so the Attack/Release knobs are bypassed. Use Peak for percussive material, RMS for transparent leveling.
Knee (Hard/Soft) : Switch between hard-knee (abrupt onset of compression) and soft-knee (smooth transition around the threshold). Use Hard knee for precise limiting or effect compression; Soft knee for more transparent or musical leveling.
Bypass/Comp : Engage or bypass compression. In Comp mode, the compressor processes the signal normally. In Bypass mode, the input is passed through untouched (use this to compare processed vs. dry). In hardware this was a hard switch; here it toggles DSP processing on/off.
Gate Threshold (dB) : Sets the gate (expander) threshold from –60 dB to +10 When the input (or sidechain) level falls below this threshold, the gate closes (attenuates signal). Clockwise increases the threshold (making gating more aggressive). The gate uses an envelope that immediately opens when the level exceeds this threshold.
Gate Rate (ms) : Sets the gate release (decay) time from 20 ms up to 2000 ms (2 s). When the signal drops below the threshold, the gate stays open for the set time, then smoothly fades closed.
Stereo Link (Off/On) : Toggles linking of the two channels. When On (linked), the compressor computes a single envelope from the louder (max) channel and applies that gain reduction to both channels. This prevents stereo imbalance (gain changes in one channel are “tracked” by the other). When Off (dual-mono), each channel is processed independently.
Revision (Rev C/Vintage ; Rev D/Modern) : Selects the hardware revision emulation. Rev D (Modern) is the default: it models a pristine version of the hardware (low noise, tight response). Rev C (Vintage) models an earlier revision with more noise, hum, and distortion (plus slower envelope). See the Rev C vs Rev D Emulation section for details.
Limit (Off/On) : Engages Limiter mode. With Limit on, compression acts as a peak limiter: the ratio is set very high and attack/release are effectively maximized so that strong peaks are held at the threshold. This provides “brick-wall” style limiting. In this mode, the attack and release controls do little (the plug‑in uses near-instant attack and long release to catch peaks).
Lo Freq Relax (Hz) : Applies a sidechain high-pass filter (0–250 Hz) in cascade (24 dB/octave). Turning up this knob reduces the compressor’s sensitivity to low frequencies (preventing “pumping” from deep bass). At 0 Hz the filter is bypassed (full bandwidth). Typical use: set 40–100 Hz to let sub-bass fluctuate without triggering gain reduction.
Ext SC (Off/On) : External Sidechain enable. When Off, the compressor and gate detect on the main input signal. When On, they use the external sidechain inputs (if your DAW route provides a sidechain input) as the detection source . This allows, for example, ducking the signal with another track, or de-essing by feeding a de-esser EQ into the sidechain.
Mix (%) : Dry/Wet mix control (0–100%). At 100%, only the compressed (wet) signal is heard. At 0%, the signal is fully dry (bypassed). Intermediate settings blend the two equally (true parallel compression). Use this for parallel processing (e.g. heavy compression on the wet blend while retaining dynamics on the dry mix).
Main Out (dB) : Final output level trim (–20 to +20 dB). This adjusts the overall output volume of both channels. It can be used for additional make-up gain or to attenuate the output after clipping.
Clip 0dB (Off/On) : Optional 0 dB hard clip. When On, the output waveform is clipped at 0 A small amount of soft saturation is applied just before clipping for a smooth transition (mimicking analog saturation near its rails). Use this as a safety limiter to prevent digital overs, or as a creative “brick-wall” effect on peaks.
Meters : Below the controls are four meters: GR L/R (Gain Reduction) and Level L/R (Output Level). The GR meters show the instantaneous gain reduction in dB for each channel. The Level meters show output level in dBFS for each channel (smoothed peak). Watch the GR meters to see compression amount and the Level meters to monitor output peaks, especially when Clip 0dB is on.
Login and Registration Form