Compressor 4 / Compressor iOS

Installation and user manual

Contents
2 Setting up the plugin for first use .......................................................... 3
2.1 Installation on desktop (Windows, macOS) .......................................................... 3
2.1.1 Installing the trial/evaluation plugins ................................................................... 3
2.1.2 System requirements (Windows).......................................................................... 3
2.1.3 System requirements (mac OS) ............................................................................ 3
2.1.4 Configuring your host program ............................................................................. 3
2.1.5 Activating a license ............................................................................................... 3
2.1.6 Installing plugin updates ....................................................................................... 4
2.2 Installing on iPad, iPhone or iOS device ................................................................ 4
2.2.1 Installation ............................................................................................................ 4
2.2.2 System requirements for iOS devices ................................................................... 4
2.3 Multi-channel and external side chain support .................................................... 4
3 User interface common controls ........................................................... 5
3.1.1 Controlling Knobs and sliders................................................................................ 5
3.1.2 Sliders .................................................................................................................... 5
3.1.3 Draggers / nodes ................................................................................................... 5
3.1.4 Lasso...................................................................................................................... 5
3.1.5 VU meters ............................................................................................................. 5
3.1.6 Tool bar ................................................................................................................. 6
3.1.7 Hamburger menu .................................................................................................. 6
4 TB Compressor 4 / Compressor iOS ....................................................... 7
4.1 User interface........................................................................................................ 7
4.2 VU meter area (section 1) ..................................................................................... 7
4.3 Controls area (section 2) ....................................................................................... 7
4.3.1 Slider assist............................................................................................................ 7
4.3.2 Threshold .............................................................................................................. 7
4.3.3 Audition ................................................................................................................ 8
4.3.4 Ratio ...................................................................................................................... 8
4.3.5 Complex ................................................................................................................ 8
4.3.6 Make up ................................................................................................................ 8
4.3.7 Auto ...................................................................................................................... 8
4.3.8 Range .................................................................................................................... 8
4.3.9 Knee ...................................................................................................................... 8
4.3.10 Hold ....................................................................................................................... 8
4.3.11 Attack .................................................................................................................... 8
4.3.12 Lookahead ............................................................................................................. 9
4.3.13 Release .................................................................................................................. 9
4.3.14 Adaptive ................................................................................................................ 9
4.3.15 Amount ................................................................................................................. 9
4.3.16 Bypass ................................................................................................................... 9
4.4 Tab area (section 3)............................................................................................... 9
4.4.1 Levels tab .............................................................................................................. 9
4.4.2 Side chain tab ........................................................................................................ 10
4.4.3 Zones tab............................................................................................................... 11

2 © TONEBOOSTERS 2010-2020
2 Setting up the plugin for first use
2.1 Installation on desktop (Windows, macOS)
Download and install the freely-available trial/evaluation versions of the plugins. This will allow you to test the
plugins prior to making any purchase decisions. trial/evaluation versions can be downloaded from the
ToneBoosters.com website. Trial/evaluation plugins may have one or more of the following limitations:
• Trial/evaluation versions will not store nor save settings.
• Trial/evaluation versions will show a reminder to purchase a license.

2.1.1 Installing the trial/evaluation plugins

• The plugins will be installed in the locations given in the table below.

Operating Plugin folder(s)

system
Windows* C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST2\ToneBoosters\
C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\ToneBoosters\
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Avid\Audio\Plug-Ins\ToneBoosters\

Mac OS /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/
/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST/
/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/
/Library/Application Support/Avid/Audio/Plug-Ins/ToneBoosters/
* If 32bit plugins are installed on a 64-bit version of Windows, the path will start with C:\Program Files (x86)\...

2.1.2 System requirements (Windows)

• Windows 7 SP1 or higher
• 32 or 64 bit host program that supports VST plugins

2.1.3 System requirements (mac OS)

• macOS 10.10 or higher
• 64-bit host program that supports 64-bit VST or Audio Unit plugins

2.1.4 Configuring your host program

After installation of the trial/evaluation plugins, you may have to inform your host program about the presence
of new plugins. Most host programs require you to provide the folder where plugins are installed.
• Consult your host program manual how to configure plugin folders. On Windows, make sure you add
the following VST scan path to your host program settings:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST2\
• Refresh and/or re-start your host program to allow it to scan for new plugins on your computer.

2.1.5 Activating a license

To register a plugin you can acquire an activation code in the ToneBoosters online store. The activation code is
sent by email after purchase and consists of a long alphanumerical string that should be copied into the
designated field when opening a plugin from within a host program. The user interface that has the entry field
for your email and an activation code is shown in the figure below. Make sure that the email address entered is
the same as the email address used for purchasing the plugin.

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 After entering your email and the activation code in the designated fields, click on ‘Activate’ to activate your
license. Alternatively, without a valid activation code, you can try the plugin in demo mode.

2.1.6 Installing plugin updates

Simply download and run a more recent plugin installer from www.toneboosters.com to update your plugins.

2.2 Installing on iPad, iPhone or iOS device

2.2.1 Installation
Follow the instructions from the Apple App store to install the app on your iOS device. The following versions
will be installed:
• Stand-alone app, compatible with inter-app audio (IAA) protocol
• Audio Unit v3 (AUv3) app extension

2.2.2 System requirements for iOS devices

• iPad or iPhone; iPad highly recommended
• iPadOS or iOS version 11.0 or up
• Host program compatible with AUv3 or inter-app audio (IAA) applications

2.3 Multi-channel and external side chain support

Some plugins support multi-channel audio input, possibly including 5.1, 7.1, and Dolby Atmos channel-based
formats. Plugins may also provide support for an external side chain input. In general, the following restrictions
apply for the various plugin formats:
• VST: only mono or stereo input; no external side chain input
• VST3: can typically run up to 16 channels, and can have external side chain inputs
• AAX: can typically run up to 16 channels, and can have external side chain inputs
• Audio Unit: can typically run up to 16 channels, and can have external side chain inputs
• iOS app including IAA support: only mono or stereo input; no external side chain input
• iOS AUv3: mono or stereo input, with external side chain support.

Not all plugins will support multi-channel audio or external side chain input. Please refer to the web page of
the respective ToneBoosters product to see what configurations are supported. Please refer to your host
program's manual to see what channel and external side chain input configurations are supported by the host
program.

4 © TONEBOOSTERS 2010-2020
3 User interface common controls
3.1.1 Controlling Knobs and sliders
The various knobs and sliders on the graphical user interfaces (GUIs) of the plugins can be controlled by left-
mouse clicks (for switches) or left-mouse drags (for rotary controls and sliders). The following key combinations
apply that modify the behavior of the GUI elements:

3.1.2 Sliders
• Drag up/down or left/right to change the value
• Hold 'Shift' for fine-control micro edits
• Double click to reset to the default value
• Click on the numeric value to allow manual entry of values trough the keyboard.

3.1.3 Draggers / nodes

• Drag left/right or up/down to change the position and value

• Hold 'Shift' for fine-control micro edits
• Double click to reset to the default position
• Use mouse wheel to change the rotary value (for example the Q value)
• Hold 'Control' to allow for vertical movement only
• Hold 'Alt' to allow for horizontal movement only
• Left mouse click to activate (if supported)
• Right mouse click to de-activate (if supported)

3.1.4 Lasso
Some plugins may provide a lasso function to select multiple draggers/nodes and move them all simultaneously.
To activate the lasso, drag around the nodes you want to capture. To release the lasso, click once outside the
lasso range.

3.1.5 VU meters Maximum peak level observed

in the last 5 seconds
Plugins equipped with VU meters will typically show
both peak and RMS levels in the same meter. The VU
meters will show two segments with slightly different
colors. The lower segment is the RMS (root-mean- VU meter of current peak value
square) value; the peak value is shown by the upper
segment. Peak hold values will be shown numerically Threshold slider (click to enter
and by two horizontal lines in the meter. RMS levels are numerical value)
unweighted and computed with a 400-ms time
constant.
Click on the VU meter to reset the peak hold value (if VU meter of current RMS value
supported).

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3.1.6 Tool bar
Most plugins have a common tool bar at the top of the user interface.

The tool bar shows the plugin version number, and will also indicate if a newer version is available. Next to the
version number is the hamburger menu, used to save and load settings. The second row contains the following
tools:
• Program selector: click to open the list of programs, or double click to edit the current program name.
When first opened, all programs in the bank will come as presets which you can change individually.
• A/B toggle to quickly toggle between two configurations (A and B). This toggle button can be used as
follows:
o Click on the A/B toggle switch to activate configuration A.
o Modify any plugin parameter that you would like to be set for configuration A.
o Click on the A/B toggle switch to activate configuration B.
o Modify any plugin parameter that you would like to be changed for configuration B.
o You can now quickly switch between configurations A and B by clicking on the A/B toggle
switch.
• Undo. This will undo previous changes.
• Redo. This will redo changes that were undone previously.
• Copy. This will copy all current parameter settings to the internal clipboard.
• Paste. This will copy the settings in the clipboard to all parameter settings.
• Scale factor for the user interface
o Click to open a drop-down menu with commonly used scale factor settings;
o Double click to enter a numerical value.
• Color theme for the user interface. Choose any of the supplied color themes.

3.1.7 Hamburger menu

The hamburger menu opens up a drop-down menu with various options.
• Show tooltips: enable or disable tooltips that will appear when the
mouse is moved to a control and held on that position for a certain
amount of time.
• Load / save program: open the program manager to load or save a
program. The program manager includes options to rename, categorize,
delete and sort programs.
• Save default settings: save all current programs, user interface size and
color theme as default for new instances of this plugin.
• Clear default settings: delete the default settings; this will cause new
instances to open with factory settings.
• Import / export xml program: import or export a program (as xml file)
using the native file browser.
• Import / export xml program bank: import or export all programs (as
single xml file) using the native file browser.
• Load factory programs: reset all programs to factory defaults.
• About: show user, computer, and audio configuration information.
Programs and program banks are imported and exported as xml files. On iOS, not all options are available due
to sandbox restrictions of the Apple iOS ecosystem. XML files are intended to be cross-platform compatible, e.g.
a program (bank) exported on iOS can be imported into the desktop version of the same plugin and vice versa.

6 © TONEBOOSTERS 2010-2020
4 TB Compressor 4 / Compressor iOS
4.1 User interface
The user interface of TB Compressor consists of 3 areas:
1. VU meter area, showing peak, RMS and compressor gain in real time;
2. Controls area, providing controls for a variety of compressor settings such as the threshold, ratio, attack
and release times;
3. Tab area, which can show levels, side chain parameters, or compression zone parameters.

4.2 VU meter area (section 1)

This section shows the output level in dB, including peak, RMS and peak hold values for each output channel.
The VU meter left to the output VU meter shows the compressor gain, including peak and peak hold
functionality. Click on the VU meter to reset the peak hold values. You can enable or disable the VU meters by
clicking on the 'VU' button just below the meters.

4.3 Controls area (section 2)

4.3.1 Slider assist
The Slider assist function will show real-time information on several controls / sliders in the controls area to help
you set the right values quickly. Please refer to the individual controls below for more information on the Slider
assist functionality.

4.3.2 Threshold
Set the threshold input level in dB above which compression becomes active. When the Slider assist function is
enabled, this control will also show the input level of the compressor in real time, so you can easily see how the
threshold interacts with the current signal levels and whether the input level is below or above the current
threshold.

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4.3.3 Audition
Click on the Audition button to listen to the signals affected by compression in isolation. If the output becomes
quiet with the Audition button enabled, the compressor is not applying any compression.

4.3.4 Ratio
Sets the amount of compression. A ratio of 4 indicates that input levels 4dB above the compressor threshold will
be reduced to 1dB above the threshold. A higher value will introduce stronger compression; a value of 1.0 will
not introduce any compression.

4.3.5 Complex
Enables the complex input analysis mode. When enabled, a complex multi-band method is used to determine
the input signal level, as opposed to a single-band approach in most conventional compressors. The multi-band
method provides an input level that is more consistent with how humans perceive loudness, resulting in a
cleaner and meaningful result.

4.3.6 Make up
Sets the make-up gain applied after compression to compensate for the reduced loudness as a result of
compression. When the Slider assist function is enabled, it will show the overall gain (e.g. the combination of
compression and make-up gain). This will allow you to set the make-up gain such that the overall gain is typically
hovering around 0 dB (at the top of the slider).

4.3.7 Auto
This will enable an automatic make-up gain that is based on the compressor settings, attempting to create an
output level that is approximately equal to the input level. You can adjust the make-up gain using the Make-up
slider even if the Auto make-up function is enabled; both the auto make up and manual make up will be added
together.

4.3.8 Range
Sets the maximum compression attenuation. A value of 20 will limit the compression attenuation to 20 dB. When
the Slider assist function is enabled, the currently applied compression gain is shown as well, allowing you to
easily observe how much of the maximum range is being applied.

4.3.9 Knee
Sets the soft knee for a smoother compression behavior near the threshold point : A soft knee applies the ratio
exponentially as the signal approaches the threshold point. With the right setting, it gives a more transparent
sound. For instance, using a 6dB knee and a -12dB threshold, subtle compression will begin at -18dB (6dB below
the threshold) and will gradually become stronger until the maximum compression is obtained at -6dB.

4.3.10 Hold
Sets the hold duration for the compressor to delay the release phase. A higher value will cause the release phase
to be delayed by the same amount. This effect can improve the audio quality for certain types of content, and
can be used creatively, for example for external side-chain compression.
When the input signal level increases, the compressor will respond by attenuating the signal within a certain
time interval, which is set by the attack control. Similarly, when the input signal level decreases, the compressor
will respond by increasing its gain (the release phase). The release control determines how quickly the gain will
be adjusted in the release phase.
Conventional compressors with a hold function will keep the gain constant in-between the attack and release
phase for a duration set by the hold control. This behavior can cause issues as such hold behavior causes a non-
smooth gain riding function, which can cause undesirable artifacts. To eliminate such undesirable side effects of
keeping the gain constant, ToneBoosters Compressor has a 'soft hold' in which there is a gradual transition
between the hold and release phase, producing a smooth gain riding curve.

4.3.11 Attack
Sets the time to respond to increases in input level. A short attack time will not let strong transients through; a
longer attack time will cause a slower decrease in gain when the input level increases.

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4.3.12 Lookahead
Allows the compressor to look into the future and start responding to peaks and transients before they occur.
Lookahead can help catching strong transients, and provide a cleaner, more transparent compression for
dynamic content. Enabling the lookahead function will introduce a small amount of latency in the plugin that
will be fully compensated for by the host program if the host supports plugin latency compensation (PLC).

4.3.13 Release
Sets the time to respond to decreases in input level.

4.3.14 Adaptive
Enables the adaptive release function. When the adaptive release function is enabled, the compressor uses
multiple concurring compressors internally, each with their own attack and release times, and uses a
combination rule to determine a signal-adaptive release behavior. The adaptive release will often generate a
much more transparent compression behavior. The effective release time will never be shorter than the release
time set by the release control, but it can be longer. Adaptive release is therefore most effective in combination
with short release time settings.

4.3.15 Amount
Sets the amount of compression between 0 and 100%. Values in-between produce output that is equivalent to
parallel compression or New York style compression.

4.3.16 Bypass
Bypass the compressor to listen to the input signal directly. The bypass function can help identifying differences
before and after compression and adjust settings accordingly. When enabling the bypass function when the
audition function was active, the audition function will be automatically disabled.

4.4 Tab area (section 3)

4.4.1 Levels tab
Disable the Sidechain and Zones tab to see input levels (filled area) and the resulting compressor gain (curve)
over time.
• Click on the Scroll button to switch between continuous scrolling of the graph versus filling up the
screen and do an occasional scroll to make space for new data.
• Use the Zoom button (magnifier symbol) for automatic vertical zooming depending on the threshold.
When zoom is enabled, the VU meter and graph will zoom vertically automatically for higher threshold
values to show details more clearly.
• Use the Curve button to show or hide the compressor curve.
• Drag the horizontal threshold indicator to change the compressor threshold.

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4.4.2 Side chain tab
The side chain is the signal that the compressor uses to determine input levels. The side chain can be a copy of
the main bus input or can be an externally provided input signal (external side chain) if supported by your host
program. The side-chain signal can be modified to change the compressor behavior. These modifications include
channel selection and equalization and will not be applied to the main input signal; they will only affect how the
compressor responds to determine the compressor gain.
• Use the spectrum analyzer to see the frequency power spectrum of the side chain signal in 1/50th
octave bands.
• Use the integrated equalizer to attenuate or boost certain frequencies in the side-chain signal.
• Use the channel selector (SC1, SC2, Mid, Side, etc) to select the channel configuration for the side chain.
For stereo input, you can enable or disable the channels independently, or use mid or side
configurations when the first two inputs are both enabled.
• Use the External button to enable the external side chain input (if supported by the host).
• Use the Audition button to listen to the side chain signal, including any modifications such as channel
selection and equalization.

10 © TONEBOOSTERS 2010-2020
4.4.3 Zones tab
The zones tab allows you to select which channels and what frequency range to apply the compressor gain to.
Use the channel selector to select which channels to apply compression to. For stereo input, you can also apply
compression to the mid or to the side channel only.
The compression frequency range is visualized as a spectrogram. The two horizontal indicators can be used to
limit compression frequency range. The number they indicate is the cross-over frequency in Hz.
• When both sliders are enabled, compression is only applied to frequencies in-between the two sliders,
or outside the range of the two sliders, depending on what order you put the two sliders in.
• When only one slider is enabled, compression is only applied to frequencies above or below the active
slider, depending on which slider is active.
The spectrogram indicates the spectrum energy density as a function of time (in the horizontal direction), and
as a function of frequency (in the vertical direction, with low frequencies at the bottom and high frequencies at
the top of the spectrogram). Different shades of grey indicate different amounts of signal energy for the
corresponding time frame and frequency.
When compression is or was applied to a certain time frame and frequency, colors will be used instead of shades
of grey so you can quickly see where compression is active across both time and frequency.

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