Boz Digital Labs Manic Compressor

Manic Compressor offers six models, sidechain control, parallel processing, two EQ sections, and instantly switchable settings.

Manic Compressor makes cumbersome and procedurally intense chores easy and intuitive. With true parallel processing, it features six compressor models and the ability to switch between them instantly without changing settings. Two EQ sections give you sidechain controlas well as the ability to create truly unique sounds unattainable by standard EQ/compressor combinations.

Manic Compressor is not only manic, but also has multiple personalities—six to be precise, each one providing its own unique character. Manic Compressor addresses the creative needs of mix engineers in ways that no other compressor does. Its ability to instantly switch between compressors models without changing settings lets you can choose the most effective compressor for the job without losing perspective or valuable mix time. Along with supreme flexibility, Manic Compressor was conceived with true parallel compression as its core functionality. It also combines the compressor models with two sections of EQ, plus a number of innovative features that give you the ability to drive Manic Compressor as hard as you like, simultaneously creating new and unique sounds while still retaining musicality. Once you hear what Manic Compressor can do, you’ll wonder how you lived without it. Plus, it will be hard to resist the temptation to revisit old mixes with a renewed enthusiasm.

Manic Compressor Features

• 6 Unique Compression models
• Simple Parallel compression
• “Loud Relief” for super transparent compression

User Manual

Manic Compressor—Unique Features:

• Six compressor models designed with parallel compression in mind
• Instantly switch between models with settings retained
• Separate faders for wet, dry, and master levels
• Graphic
• Wet/Dry Mix button lets wet and dry faders act as mix knobs instead of separate faders
• Three-position “Beef” switch with Thin, Neutral, and Thick settings that change the compressor’s response to an input signal
• Variable knee for subtle compression before the threshold is crossed
• “Loud Relief” relaxes response to transients during heavy compression of loud program material, allowing a natural dynamic response with extreme settings
• Tone Signal Application selects which part of your signal chain the Tone EQ affects (wet or dry).
• Mid/Side panner that can be used as a simple stereo widener or fix any mid/side level discrepancies in Mid or Side mode

Manic Compressor—Just the Facts:

• Standard compression controls
• Selectable Dual Mono, Stereo, Mid, and Side operation
• Drive controls input gain and adds analog saturation as gain increases
• Selectable internal or external sidechain
• Sidechain input listen
• Pre/Post sets tone equalizer before or after the compressor
• A/B bank lets you compare settings

Parallel-O-Grammys

Manic Compressor is built for parallel compression right from the drawing board. It comprises six unique compressor models, each optimized for the response you want from bus compression, plus separate faders for compressed, uncompressed, and master levels—offering true parallel compression in a single plug-in. However, if you want subtle compression with natural sound, you can combine the Wet and Dry faders to function like a mix knob.

The Power of Six

With Manic Compressor, you can switch between its six compressors instantly without any change in settings, so you can hear the tonal effect and impact of each in action without losing perspective. Plus, since compression is treated more and more as a creative effect, Manic Compressor is built for abuse, enabling you to go to extremes and achieve unique, musically useful sounds that go beyond the limits (so to speak) of mere level control. One such effect is the Tone EQ in a parallel compression setup.

Built-in Tone and Sidechain EQ

In standard parallel compression schemes, EQ is used to boost or cut various frequencies for pre- or post-compression effects. Ahead of the compressor, EQ can tame sounds going into the compressor, such as cymbals from being too harsh, or, it can prevent low frequencies from pulling down the mix. Used after the compressor, EQ can emphasize lost frequencies or tame those that the compressor over-emphasizes. This involves a lot of extra steps, even in software. Either way, this approach is more utilitarian than creative.

Manic Compressor gives you both practical and creative EQing. It hosts two EQ sections, both with their own preset manager, for the “all-in-one” functionality you’ve come to expect from Boz Digital. The Sidechain EQ, which is not audible, affects the signal going into the detector, determining how it reacts to program material by emphasizing or de-emphasizing selected frequencies. Additionally, the Sidechain input, selectable between internal and external sources, can be monitored in isolation for tweaking purposes.

The second EQ section is the Tone EQ, which does affect the audio output and gives you creative license to go wild if you want to. This EQ is designed to give you control over the frequency bands mainly associated with parallel compression. However, it’s not simply for low- and high-end boost. It follows its own set of rules. You can use extreme settings and blend them in with the dry signal for some truly unique sounds, unattainable by standard compressors and EQs.

Bringing Transients into Sharp Relief

You know you have a great piece of kit when you can crank knobs all the way up and still get a good sound, or an unexpectedly great sound, which is what Manic Compressor is built for—so let’s make some mistakes—that’s what it’s all about. The last “mistake” that spawned a unique compression effect was the “all button mode,” which is so 50 years ago. Among Manic Compressor’s innovative features is its Loud Relief control, which lets you apply extreme amounts of compression while relaxing the compressor’s grip on loud transients for a more natural sound.

With Loud Relief, Manic Compressor lets you visit sonic mayhem on an unsuspecting populace, crushing tracks under your merciless boot heels, and then ease off with Loud Relief, which softens the compression artifacts even under super heavy load.

Once you use Manic Compressor on your projects, we are confident that you’ll realize you’ve been missing out on a whole new world of sound that you didn’t know even existed with compression.