Is the Melda MTurboComp the last Compressor you will need?

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lolilol1975 wrote:
do_androids_dream wrote:No.. you can never have enough compressors. You never know quite what they're going to do to a source. I like to have a lot of choice.

Unfortunately I've never been much impressed with any Melda stuff - I found the freebie compressor to be amongst the worst I've used - reminded me of reacomp.
What's wrong with Reacomp ?
I find it just kills anything you put through it - sounds flat and lifeless more often than not.
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Robert Randolph wrote:
MeldaProduction wrote: As for units - it's in percents for a reason - the original units on the original pieces of hardware are nonsense, they are just wrong. So why confuse users with that ;). The goal was to make all comps controlled the same way, and it's quite a success.
This is definitely true for the most part, however it's also because of different ways of measure when a parameter's value has occurred/terminated.

I think you'd have much happier users if you found a way to communicate what you've said here in the interface.
Hmmm, I think it's in the documentation! :o :D I'll check though ;).
Vojtech
MeldaProduction MSoundFactory MDrummer MCompleteBundle The best plugins in the world :D

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Vojtech,

In Melda's documentation it states "generalized compressor interface", in part to simplify for the user. Obviously easier for the coding as well. However, I've found I 've spent more time trying to get used the simple interface and incorrectly printing mixes with 40% ratio assuming its 4:1 only to find out later on a buried advanced edit screen that actually equals 2:1. Not knowing if attack/release times 1.5% is actually equal to 1.5ms, 015ms, or 23ms has also required extra time trying to figure out how to set a 'modeled' compressor of which I was previously familiar with the timings. I found I could get a millisecond reading if I dig into edit screens, but that takes more time/clicks and now I'm faced with two release times?!? I just wanted *** 1 Release time in milliseconds, especially on the main screen.*** ***If it has to be a percentage, what is it a percentage of? How many ms is 100%? Is it always that same at 100% for each preset model?***

To be fair, I know in the real world company A's attack time of 10ms vs company B's attack time of 10ms can definitely grab the sound differently. Yes it would be nice to have a standard for which Melda is trying to do at least within their own plugs. Perhaps they should refer to it as M-Time or M-Metering, (sorry Bob K) :)

Regardless it has thrown me off from A/B ing to other plugs and using in general as well as slowing my production down, since I'm not familiar with it. It would be awesome if there was a ***preference to enable milliseconds and standard ratios*** on the main screen. More work on the developers of course but would have made my life, and possibly others easier.

On flip side I feel this is one of the most powerful, creative, feature rich compressors available with superior metering to many. How does it sound? I've been able to achieve some very nice dynamic control and color. It's no slouch. The problem is it has taken me longer to get the results than I would have expected. Additionally, I'm just about out of trial time so I fear I'm not going to be used to the interface soon enough to make me a convert.

Melda MTurboComp - An awesome product yes. Can I learn the new interface values quickly and efficiently for production? Jury is out still out on that.

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DrReacto, I understand. The thing is, if you are well familiar with the original, then this is like learning again (it should be far quicker though). You know yourself how messy the analog world is, and you probably spent a lot of time making it work, and now you know what parameters works with what etc. But MTurboComp doesn't really try to be "a perfect emulation of these". It takes the character of the originals, but usually it has more features, a little more extended ranges etc. And all compressors try to behave in sort of the same way. It is definitely a big slower for you being an expert in the originals, but it's also a huge slower for those, who don't actually use the originals and don't want to spend years with that. And the reality is that this is the majority. I'd like to give some rest to the past and focus on the future, no matter how disappointing it could be for some.

To you I'd simply suggest whenever you feel like trying, plug it in move the Compression knob and see if you like it, if not it's up to you if you'll dare messing with percentual units :) or not.
Vojtech
MeldaProduction MSoundFactory MDrummer MCompleteBundle The best plugins in the world :D

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Good points Vojtech. You understand who your market is and no product should be marketed to every demographic.
I was hoping that it would work for me because it is so flexible but I feel that very flexibility is what slows me down, and the lack of familiarity with the interface.

Didn't DEVO sing:
Freedom of choice Is what you got
Freedom from choice Is what you want

One could definitely grow comfortable with it.
Nice product.

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Thanks! And don't worry, perfectly understood ;)
Vojtech
MeldaProduction MSoundFactory MDrummer MCompleteBundle The best plugins in the world :D

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So, I'm trying this again due to the %50 off sale.

Is it just me or is it unusually difficult to get sounds out of it that are not clicky or distorted?

I've managed to get some decent sounds by diving in to the editors, but the time spent to get to a decent sound seems disproportionate to grabbing some 'named compressor'.
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do_androids_dream wrote:amongst the worst I've used - reminded me of reacomp.
Them's fightin' words right there. :x :hihi:

I think ReaComp is the only compressor that actually gets used in every single project I do. Not even the world-famous MJUC can hold that honor.

There's something to be said for how ugly it is; it lets me know my eyes aren't playing tricks on my ears.

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Robert Randolph wrote:So, I'm trying this again due to the %50 off sale.

Is it just me or is it unusually difficult to get sounds out of it that are not clicky or distorted?

I've managed to get some decent sounds by diving in to the editors, but the time spent to get to a decent sound seems disproportionate to grabbing some 'named compressor'.
That's just you ;)
I'm very happy with this compressor and only have great results. If it's clicky maybe lessen the attack? None of the included presets are distorting here.

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Robert Randolph wrote:So, I'm trying this again due to the %50 off sale.

Is it just me or is it unusually difficult to get sounds out of it that are not clicky or distorted?

I've managed to get some decent sounds by diving in to the editors, but the time spent to get to a decent sound seems disproportionate to grabbing some 'named compressor'.
Same here. Demoed it long time and compared it to the machines & strips that gave their name to the presets. Never got a sound out of it that was good or close enough. Once I did but I had to spent too much time tweaking some hidden settings. So to me it wasn't a timesaver nor a workflow enhancer like it should have been. Glad I didn't bought it.

I also didn't manage it to change volumes especially output gain without changing the saturation. So to me this plugin was also a big no in terms of gain staging.

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Soundplex wrote:
Robert Randolph wrote:So, I'm trying this again due to the %50 off sale.

Is it just me or is it unusually difficult to get sounds out of it that are not clicky or distorted?

I've managed to get some decent sounds by diving in to the editors, but the time spent to get to a decent sound seems disproportionate to grabbing some 'named compressor'.
Same here. Demoed it long time and compared it to the machines & strips that gave their name to the presets. Never got a sound out of it that was good or close enough. Once I did but I had to spent too much time tweaking some hidden settings. So to me it wasn't a timesaver nor a workflow enhancer like it should have been. Glad I didn't bought it.

I also didn't manage it to change volumes especially output gain without changing the saturation. So to me this plugin was also a big no in terms of gain staging.
Yeah, the gain staging in it is very confusing. It does make sense after you read the manual and then learn all of the parameters, but there's ultimately no benefit from all of this. It just seems to be a lot of words to say things that have already been said better, and in fewer words.

Like I said, I was able to eventually get some decent sounds after a good bit of time tweaking settings in the edit windows, but I didn't come up with anything that sounds better than just throwing a decent emulation from another developer on the track.
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sqigls wrote:The name!! [insert facepalm] …any plugin with the word "turbo" in it is enough to scare people off really.
I own one Melda plugin, but every time i open it, my eyes bleed.
Agreed with the first point - Turbo is an awful word to incorporate into a plugin. To the extent that it is one of the few Melda's I haven't even demo'd (however this thread has reminded me to do so).

Regarding the appearance - Yes, agree they are never going to win any beauty pageants and I had never even paid them attention due to what I incorrectly thought was a clunky interface. I readily admit to being suckered in by skeuomorphic GUIs as much as the next guy (great example is I am currently demoing Slate Verbsuite alongside Reverberate and trying not to be swayed by aesthetics). However, once I got around to demoing some of their plugs I was blown away by what can be achieved and in the space of a month they have become one of my favourite devs up there with u-he (in fact - they combine well when you combine u-he's pleasing tone with Melda's flexibility).

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Robert Randolph wrote:Is it just me or is it unusually difficult to get sounds out of it that are not clicky or distorted?
I just tried again and put MTurboComp on the master bus and I have no idea what you are doing to make it "easily" distort. If you drive the Compression knob all the way to either side (or turn up the saturation knob :lol: ) it will distort yes but any compressor does that at extreme settings.

Regarding the name — come on guys, does that really matter at all? The word Turbo is not completely unrelated to actual audio compressors if you make a google search.

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I agree Robert on the saturation. I easily got the effect of saturation, even with saturation knob down. I found I had to really pay attention to gain staging, and the meters. Keeping the levels away from the top for sure. I actually had to read the instructions to understand how the meters worked. With that and accessing the advanced features controls, I was able to get some very nice sounds.

Melda is a great developer but it just slowed me down as I wasn't used to that work flow.
I would have gotten it if it was easier and faster for me.

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Soarer wrote:
Robert Randolph wrote:Is it just me or is it unusually difficult to get sounds out of it that are not clicky or distorted?
I just tried again and put MTurboComp on the master bus and I have no idea what you are doing to make it "easily" distort. If you drive the Compression knob all the way to either side (or turn up the saturation knob :lol: ) it will distort yes but any compressor does that at extreme settings.
No, "any compressor does that at extreme settings" unless you have ridiculous release settings. Some do saturate, but MTurboComp's is comparably unpleasant.

I compared settings to well-respected emulations that I own of various products referred to in MTurboComp. MTurboComp almost always was more distorted than the comparable product at even moderately high compression settings.

The attack on a few of the models did not sound remotely correct either. A lot of clicking even when using 0% attack values.

As mentioned before, I was usually able to ameliorate these issues by manually going in and editing a number of parameters, but by then what's the point?
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