This document provides a parameter list and description for the AMEK Mastering Compressor plugin. It includes over 30 parameters organized into sections for general controls, channel processing, sidechain filtering and monitoring, and meters. The parameters allow for detailed customization of compression, EQ, stereo imaging, and more. Key features include soft and hard knee compression, dual RMS detectors, mid/side processing, and full sidechain control.

1. AMEK Mastering Compressor - BETA

2. Parameter List
Name Type
GUI
Element
Range Default Description
General controls
Master Input
Level
Continuous Knob +/- 15dB 0dB
A simple level trim right at the input of the signal chain
.
Works on all channels simultaneously and equally.
Master Output
Level
Continuous Knob +/- 15dB 0dB
A simple level trim right at the output of the signal chain.
Works on all channels simultaneously and equally.
Mono Maker Continuous Knob 20Hz - 2kHz off
This tool is a critical component to several Brainworx processors, and it is an invaluable
tool when mastering or tightening up a mix. Sweepable from 20Hz to 2kHz, this
parameter folds the processed sound to mono at and below the frequency set. The most
common setting is between 50-200 Hz, which ensures minimal loss of width while
improving translation for lossy codecs and vinyl cutting.
Stereo Width Continuous Knob 0% - 400% 100 %
Make your mix wider than it originally was by increasing the Stereo Width without
losing the center of your recordings! You will not lose bass drum power or vocals by
making your mix wider this way... and it will not sound different played back in mono at
all. If you notice your Correlation Meter (e.g. bx_meter) showing less than 90°, dial up
the Mono Maker a bit to tighten up the low-end until acceptable levels are shown.
Mid/Side Binary Button on/off off
Enables or disables the stereo-to-mid/side encoding at the start of the signal chain and
decoding at the end of it. The labels on the GUI will change to re
fl
ect that mode of
operation and designate the left channel as "M" and the right channel as "S".
Parameter Link Binary Button on/off on
When switched on, this feature links the channel parameters of both channels to allow
for easier and faster work on stereo material.
Headroom Continuous Toolbar dial +/- 15dB 0dB
Applies gain or attenuation before the processing and an inverse factor after it. This is
useful to quickly try more or less gain reduction without changing any settings or to
adjust a factory preset to your own material with just one control.

3. VCA Clip Continuous Knob -6dB → +6dB 0dB
Sets the signal scaling factor around the wave-shaper that models the soft-clipping
behaviour of the VCA at high signal levels. The setting represents the hard clipping
threshold in dBFS, but the harmonics will already start to appear a few dB lower
because of some inherent soft knee transition. The 3-color LED should provide a good
indicator for
fi
nding a sweet spot when the peaks are slightly rounded but not lopped off
(mostly green and yellow LED
fl
ashing, only occasionally red), providing some punch
and presence to the transients without killing them.
TMT Mode Binary Button Analog/Digital Analog
Sets the TMT channel mode. The Analog mode more closely resembles a real-world
unit, while the Digital mode allows for perfect stereo matching in both frequency
response and dynamics timing constants.
TMT Channel Discrete
Knob and
buttons
1/2 → 19/2
0
1/1 → 20/20
1/2
This parameter lets you choose from the variety of subtle variations resulting from
modeling electrical component tolerances.
TMT Random
Ch.
Momentary Button / /
This button chooses a random TMT channel, or a consecutive pair of them if in Analog
mode.
Sidechain Link
Amount
Continuous Knob 0% - 100% 100 %
This is an extension to the regular on/off sidechain link. Instead of offering only linked
and unlinked modes, this dial lets the user choose the in-between settings as well, where
the highest level channel in
fl
uences the other just to a certain degree. Nice for wide
stereo, mid/side, or multi-channel operation.
Sidechain Link
Mode
Binary Button Peak/Average Peak
Another extension to the original hardware feature that lets the user choose between
peak (maximum of all channels) or average (average of all channels) linking of the side
chain control signals. The latter prevents single-channel peaks from disproportionately
effecting the overall compression.
Channel section
Channel IN Binary Button on/off on This is a per-channel bypass.
Ext. SC Binary Button on/off off
External sidechain switch that allows the user to route an external signal to the sidechain
input of the compressor. Enables the classic kick drum ducking on the bass guitar trick
and numerous other creative uses.

4. Threshold Continuous Knob 0 → 20 0
This control could also be labeled "compression amount", at least in the hard-knee
compression mode. Instead of simply lowering the threshold, it also provides some gain
at the same time, effectively changing only the amount of gain reduction at almost unity
gain. There is no auto-gain behavior in soft-knee mode, the Threshold control simply
pushes the signal ever further into the steeper parts of the compression ratio
characteristic.
Timing Continuous Knob
0 → 2
0
(slow → fast)
10
Timing control decides the attack and the release time of both RMS detectors. This
might seem constraining at
fi
rst, as it basically replaces 4 knobs, but it works remarkably
well in conjunction with the Crest and Hysteresis controls, allowing for a wide range of
timing responses. Clockwise rotation means faster attack and release times.
Release
Hysteresis
Continuous
+ Switch
Knob with
off position
off, 1 → 10 off
This mode of operation wires the fast RMS detector’s output into the slow detector’s
charging circuit down to a threshold level set by the Hysteresis control. Consequently,
the attack and release timing are that of the fast detector above the setting and that of the
slow detector below it. It's another
fl
avour of a dual attack/release timing that can
otherwise be achieved by setting the Fast or Peak Crest control high enough to take
priority on signal peaks. Clockwise settings shift the overall character more towards the
fast detector.
Fast Continuous Knob 0 - 20 0
This control sets the DC offset of the fast RMS detector's output in the detector
comparator part of the processing. By "helping" the fast detector to higher levels, it will
eventually peak higher than the default, slow detector and take priority, taming sharp
peaks that would otherwise escape through the Slow RMS detector's attack.
Peak Continuous Knob 0 - 20 0
Similar to the Crest Fast control, it provides a positive DC offset to the Peak detector's
output, allowing it to take priority on sharp peaks. The difference to the Fast RMS
detector is in the instantaneous attack and a much longer, static release time.

5. Ratio
Continuous
+ Switch
Knob with
off position
soft, 1:1 → 1:inf 1:2
In the fully counter-clockwise position, the Ratio is switched to the soft-knee mode. In
this case, the ratio gets progressively higher for higher input signals in a smooth,
exponential fashion. In most cases, with moderate threshold settings, the ratio will
fl
oat
around 1:3 and occasionally jump to something like 1:6 on peaks, but with the
Threshold knob in the last third of the range, it can be pushed well into the >1:10 range
.
In hard-knee mode, the compression knee is actually hard, or sharp for that matter. The
ratio above the knee is decided by the Ratio control, ranging from almost imperceptible
1.1:1 to brick-wall 1:inf (probably something like 1:40, but that doesn't really matter
anymore at that point). The ratio control will, because of the particular circuit topology,
interact slightly with the Threshold control. This is not to be feared, as it actually helps
with the automatic unity-gain operation.
Output Continuous Knob -6dB → +14dB 0dB
This is the makeup gain, provided by a simple DC offset to the VCA's control signal
with a range that complements the behaviour of the soft- and hard-knee ratio modes.
Sidechain
fi
lter and monitor section
SC Filter IN Binary Button on/off off Turns the sidechain
fi
lters on or off.
SC HPF
Continuous
+ Switch
Knob with
off position
off
,
20Hz → 300Hz
off
A progressive-Q, 2nd-order HPF in the sidechain. Turn fully CCW to turn it off
completely or adjust to taste to get rid of low-end pumping.
SC Low Gain Continuous Knob +/- 15dB 0dB Gain control for the low band of the sidechain EQ
fi
lter.
SC Low Type Binary Button peak/shelf peak Switches between the peak and shelf shapes of the low band.
SC Low
Frequency
Continuous Knob 50Hz → 1kHz 300Hz
Frequency control for the low band. Use it to control the in
fl
uence of the low-end on
overall compression.
SC High Gain Continuous Knob +/- 15dB 0dB Gain control for the high band of the sidechain EQ
fi
lter.
SC Low Type Binary Button peak/shelf peak Switches between the peak and shelf shapes of the high band.
SC High
Frequency
Continuous Knob 200Hz → 12kHz 3kHz
Center frequency control for the high band. Use it to decide the in
fl
uence of the lead
vocal on the overall compression or to incentivize compression at high-frequency peaks,
effectively doing full-band de-essing.

6. Ambience Binary Button on/off off
The Ambience control, inspired by the one found on the Amek 9099 console, sends the
difference of the compressed material to the output, so the user can, for example, hear
the timing constants more clearly or adjust the threshold to catch just certain elements.
Auto Listen Binary Button
on/of
f
(XOR Latch)
off
Enables the automatic routing of the sidechain signal to the output every time a user
grabs one of the sidechain EQ controls. Good for quick adjustments without additional
clicks into the Latch SC Listen mode
.
(Mutually exclusive with SC Latch)
Latch Listen Binary Button
on/of
f
(XOR Auto)
off
Sends the sidechain signal to the output of the plugin in a "latched" mode, so touching
the controls doesn't
fl
ip back to normal operation. Good for
fi
nding the initial settings of
the sidechain EQ
.
(Mutually exclusive with SC Auto)

7. Meter Lis
t
Name Type Range Description
Input Meter Sample peak -48 dBFS to 0 dBFS Input Meter before all processing
Output Meter Sample peak -48 dBFS to 0 dBFS Output Meter after all processing
Inpu
t
Clip Indicators
2-state, resettable Clipped (with hold) / Off
Turns on if the input signal is >0dBFS per channel, stays on if there have
been overshoots before. A click resets all clipping indicators.
Outpu
t
Clip Indicators
2-state, resettable Clipped (with hold) / Off
Turns on if the output signal is >0dBFS per channel, stays on if there have
been overshoots before. A click resets all clipping indicators.
Level Control Meter 41-segment display -20dB → +20dB
A direct reading of the VCA control signal. Shows both the static make-up
gain and the dynamic gain reduction.
Ratio indicator LED 3-colour LED Green-yellow-red
Only active in Soft knee mode; the green LED lights up right after the
departure from the 1:1 characteristic, the yellow at ~4:1 ratio and the red at
~20:1 ratio.
THD indicator LED 3-colour LED Green-yellow-red
The green LED lights up at ~3dB before clipping, the yellow at ~1.5dB and
red at hard clipping.
Detector Activity
LEDs
3 LEDs
/
3 illuminated words
on/off
The three LEDs next to the Crest controls and the three illuminated words
next to the Detector Activity Monitor light up according to the currently
highest detector above the threshold
.
This enables the user to
fi
netune the faster detectors' "threshold" and thus
control the amount of sharp peak control. Green is Slow, Yellow is Fast, Red
is Peak (instant attack).

8. Detector Activity
Monitor
Running history
window
no scale,
threshold indication
Displays the relation between the three level detectors to visualize timing
behavior and Crest parameter settings. It also features the Threshold level
indication for easier threshold setting.