Unexpected MCompressor output

[Support Ticket]

Hello,

I've been trying to figure out MCompressor for a long time, but I am either too dumb, or my plugin is somehow not working.

So, to put it short, whenever I try to do high threshold, fast attack (0.5 - 2 ms) and slow release or even fast release, I expect to turn the peaks down a bit and with fast release, I expect to turn the peaks down even more, but this doesn't really happen.

The only way that I seem to get a result is through aggressive settings (very fast release and attack), which doesn't make any sense. Why does only MCompressor seem to behave that way? The other compressors I've tried work as expected,

So, if there's anyone that can help, it'd be greatly appreciated.

[Hexspa]

It has an RMS setting right? Try lowering that.

[Starship Krupa]

Turn the RMS knob all the way down until it reads "Peak."

Set the knee mode to hard,

You don't mention what ratio you have set, for what you're trying to do it should be at least 4:1. Maybe drop your attack down to 5 or so, release to 50 and go from there.

To get a better idea of what the compressor is doing, click on the vertical bar between the main dynamic display and the meters. This should switch it into histogram mode, which will show you the input signal and output signal over time. At the top will be how the compressor is detecting.

MCompressor is one of the easiest compressors to use when learning the nuts and bolts of compression because it offers straightforward control over the important parameters and has that great dynamic display with the vertical line showing you how the detector is reacting to your input signal

But since it's not constrained to emulating hardware limitations, it doesn't immediately act like an 1176 or LA/2A. It can be set up to emulate their effect, but you have to know what you're doing.

It sounds like you might be going for an 1176 type, so fast attack is the way to get that sound.

[Support Ticket]

Thanks for the responses and explanation, it was indeed the RMS.

[Support Ticket]

Turn the RMS knob all the way down until it reads "Peak."

Set the knee mode to hard,

You don't mention what ratio you have set, for what you're trying to do it should be at least 4:1. Maybe drop your attack down to 5 or so, release to 50 and go from there.

To get a better idea of what the compressor is doing, click on the vertical bar between the main dynamic display and the meters. This should switch it into histogram mode, which will show you the input signal and output signal over time. At the top will be how the compressor is detecting.

MCompressor is one of the easiest compressors to use when learning the nuts and bolts of compression because it offers straightforward control over the important parameters and has that great dynamic display with the vertical line showing you how the detector is reacting to your input signal

But since it's not constrained to emulating hardware limitations, it doesn't immediately act like an 1176 or LA/2A. It can be set up to emulate their effect, but you have to know what you're doing.

It sounds like you might be going for an 1176 type, so fast attack is the way to get that sound.

That histogram mode is very helpful, thanks a lot