EQ Magazine - March 2008 - (Page 62)

Hard Lines KJAERHUS MPL-1 PRO SE Definitely Not “Just Another Mastering Limiter”. . . Kjaerhus’ MPL-1 Pro SE. by Garrett Haines Do you remember that really cool Golden Compressor GCO-1 plug-in that Craig Anderton reviewed in the February 2005 issue of EQ? Well, the company that created that sweet little product has put something new on the market—the MPL-1 Pro SE. In short, it’s a cross-platform plug-in that plays nice with both Windows and Mac operating systems, is available in VST, RTAS, and AU formats, and is targeted for mixing and mastering applications. Interested? Sure you are. And we got the intimate details for you, too. OVERVIEW There are a few features that make this limiter unique, with the most significant being Kjaerhus’ over-sampled peak detecting algorithm (Figure 1). This new approach ensures that high frequency peaks are more accurately detected, resulting in both better high-frequency performance and elimination of output clipping. Another highlight is the stereo linking function, which is a kind of stereo/not stereo/stereo again deal. When enabled, the linking code allows peaks to be limited individually on each channel, while longer-lasting gain reductions remain linked. The benefit in the real world is that peaks in one channel do not produce artifacts in the other channel (“not stereo”) while the average compression still remains the same in each channel to avoid disturbances in the stereo balance (“stereo again”). Other nice-tohave features with the MPL-1 Pro SE include silent knobs, A/B comparisons, and parameter control via a “MIDI learn” function. The GUI for the MPL-1 Pro SE has a clean, streamlined feel. Controls are neatly spaced, while values and meters are easy to read. There are four stereo meters (with peak-hold and AES 17 compliant RMS output), and the entire window takes up just enough space to get the job done. This is worth mentioning as lately I’ve encountered what seems a disproportionate amount of plug-ins that seem to take up too much or too little screen real estate. I guess we must be in a state of flux when it comes to common display resolutions, but it can make day-to-day work a pain. IN USE I tried the VST version of this plug-in in mixing and mastering settings with Magix Sequoia. In general, the MPL-1 Pro SE exemplifies how much better limiter plugins are getting. Translation: The plug-in imparts little, if any, coloration to the sound. I was completely sold on the MPL-1 Pro SE as a mixing limiter, as I found it to be unobtrusive on almost any instrument I threw at it. On electric bass guitar, the plug-in was able to tighten up an inconsistent performance on a rock track with ease. On piano it stayed out of the way until the occasional peak tried to sneak through. On drum overheads, the MPL-1 Pro SE retained much of the space and room sound while refusing to be pushed around when limiting time came. I suspect this is a direct result of Kjaerhus’ research and implementation of the MPL-1 Pro SE’s peak detection algorithm. To test my hunch, I tried similar settings using another popular plug-in limiter. While the results were similar (the benchmark plug-in utilizes a well-conceived auto release control), the MPL-1 Pro SE was just a touch more open and less “in the signal chain.” And even with this strong performance, the plug-in was more efficient in terms of CPU usage than most of the limiter plugins I use. It would not be out of the question to use a dozen or more mono or stereo instances and put little strain on today’s computer systems. For mastering, the plug-in worked best when each setting was evaluated for each track (meaning preset settings should not be trusted blindly). At light settings (threshold of –1 and ratio of 1.5 to 1), the MPL-1 Pro SE is clear, and, at times, difficult to hear working—and this is good! At these values, the compressor should just smooth out the sound. In terms of the stereo linking function, I found it best to leave the feature off, or to fine-tune the stereo link milliseconds value to the given music. To my ears, using too short a release seemed to pinch the natural width of most tracks, resulting in a tighter, but more mono feel. As 62 EQ MARCH 2008 www.eqmag.com http://www.eqmag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of EQ Magazine - March 2008

EQ Magazine - March 2008 Contents Talk Box Sounding Board Punch In Tool Box Dream Theater Nick Drake LO-FI Recording Tricks Guitar Trax Bass Managment Key Issues Drum Heads Vocal Cords Mix Bus Cheat Sheet Tascam Gigastudio 4 Cakewalk Sonar 7 Crane Song Avocet Cad Signature Series Mic Packs Waves GTR3 Kjaerhus MPL-1 Pro SE Ableton Live 7 Centrance Micport Pro, Tapco LINK.midi 4x4, Multi-Gigabyte USB 2.0 Memory Sticks Digital Redux Electrotech, Nine Volt Audio Action Drums, Big Fish Audio Hadeeth 2 Room with a VU

EQ Magazine - March 2008

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