FabFilter TIMELESS-2 Users Manual

Table of contents

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About FabFilter Timeless 2

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Welcome to the wobbly world of one of the most versatile delay plug-ins: Fabfilter Timeless 2. At its heart there are two independent, programmable delay lines new modulation features

All these controls provide an almost unbelievable array of sound manipulation possibilities, ranging from simple repeat echo to genuinely original sounds that you wouldn't expect from a delay plug-in.

will get you time-warped where no man has gone before.

. The addition of a high quality filter section and incredible

What's new in Timeless 2?

First of all, FabFilter Timeless 2 contains a vastly improved modulation section, with all the XLFOs (programmable LFOs), envelope generators, envelope followers, XY controllers, and MIDI sources you will ever need! Modulation is more powerful and easier to work with thanks to the new what-you-use-is-what-you-see interface. Finally, the new Mid/Side mode, even lower minimum delay time, and the new Freeze feature ensure that Timeless 2 will let you go even further in regarldless which creative sound-mangling experiment you are engaged in.

Of course, FabFilter Timeless 2 opens all presets from Timeless 1 without problems. See Upgrading to Timeless

2 for more information.

FabFilter Timeless 2 is available in VST, VST3, AU (Audio Units), AAX Native and AudioSuite formats (all both 64-bit and 32-bit), as well as RTAS (32-bit only), for Mac OS X and Windows.

Windows requirements

32-bit: Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista or XP 64-bit: Windows 10, 8, 7 or Vista (x64) VST 2/3 host or Pro Tools

Next: Quick start

See Also

Using FabFilter Timeless 2

Mac OS X requirements

OS X 10.6 or higher AU or VST 2/3 host or Pro Tools Intel processor

Quick start

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The installer will copy the FabFilter Timeless 2 plug-in into the common VST, VST 3, AU (macOS only) and Pro Tools plug-in folders on your computer. On macOS, the global plug-in folders in /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins are used.

In most cases, your host will then recognize the plugin automatically. However, if the instructions below do not work, see Manual

Cubase

Choose an empty insert slot, for example in the Mixer, and select FabFilter Timeless 2 from the menu that appears. To use the MIDI features in Timeless 2, create a new MIDI track and set its output to the Timeless 2 instance you have just created. (The VST 3 version of Timeless 2 can be found in the Delay section.)

Logic Pro

Choose an empty insert slot on one of your audio tracks, instrument tracks or buses and select FabFilter Timeless 2 from the pop-up menu. You will find FabFilter Timeless 2 in the Audio Units > FabFilter section (named FF Timeless 2).

Ableton Live

In Session view, select the track you would like to place FabFilter Timeless 2 on, for example by clicking the track name. At the left top of Ableton Live's interface, click on the Plug-in Device Browser icon (third icon from the top). From the plug-ins list, double-click FabFilter/FabFilter Timeless 2, or drag it onto the track.

Pro Tools

Choose an empty insert slot on one of your audio tracks, instrument tracks or buses and select FabFilter Timeless 2 from the pop-up menu in the Delay section.

Use the Presets button at the top of the plug-in interface to try different settings from the many factory presets that are bundled with FabFilter Timeless 2. Have fun!

installation instead.

Next: FabFilter Timeless 2 overview

See Also

VST plug-in versions Upgrading to Timeless 2 Loading presets

Overview

targets are modulated by this source and let you adjust the amount of modulation. You can very easily

5

FabFilter Timeless 2's interface is divided into multiple sections:

Presets, undo, A/B, help

The Undo, Redo, A/B and Copy buttons at the top of the plug-in interface enable you to undo your changes and switch between different states of the plug-in. With the preset buttons, you can easily browse through the vast library of factory presets or save your own settings so you can re-use them in other songs. The Help button provides access to the help file and other information and options.

Feedback and delays

This is where the magic begins. The delay time is controlled by a big knob and can be synchronized to the host tempo. Both delay lines have there own feedback and cross feedback knobs which determine the amount of repeats. See Delay

Filter section

And in the filter section, the magic goes on! Our state-of-the-art multimode filters let you morph the delayed sounds, adding filtering effects ranging from gentle sweeps up to self-oscillating madness. See

.

Filters

Dry/wet level

Here you control the audio output gain. The dry (unprocessed) signal and the output of the delay lines have their own output volume knobs. (The input gain control is located at the far left of the plug-in.) See

Input/Output stage

Modulation button

The modulation button shows or hides the entire modulation section at the bottom of the interface. FabFilter Timeless 2 offers virtually unlimited modulation possibilities, but all this power might be a bit intimidating. That's why the modulation section is hidden by default, and you can look 'under the hood' when you want to tweak a preset or design your own.

Source selection bar

The source selection bar shows all modulation sources at a glance and lets you easily scroll around and create new sources. FabFilter Timeless 2 offers XLFO

and XY Controller sources. See also Modulation.

MIDI

Modulation slots and sources

The bottom section contains the modulation sources. The modulation section in Timeless 2 is fully modular — but without the cables! We found a simple way to show you everything that is modulating, and what is modulated by what. Above each modulation source, the modulation slots show exactly what

.

lines.

, Envelope Generator (EG), Envelope Follower (EF),

set up modulation connections with drag-and-drop. All in all, we think we made sound design easier and

more fun!

6

MIDI Learn, channel mode, output options

The bottom bar contains the MIDI Learn parameter. Next, we find the channel mode option for Mid/Side channel mode, the auto-mute self-

feature which sets up any MIDI controller to control any plug-in

oscillation option, and a monitoring option that lets you listen to the dry input and side-chain signals.

Resize

The resize button in the lower-right corner lets you choose between normal and wide interface layouts. The wide layout eliminates scrolling in the top part of the interface and provides more space for the modulation sources at the bottom of the interface. Most hosts support dynamic resizing of the interface; otherwise just close and re-open the interface window.

Next: What-you-use-is-what-you-see

See Also

Component routing Quick start

What-you-use-is-what-you-see

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Often an impressive feature list results in an impressively difficult-to-use interface full of controls for parameters you might never even use. For almost every plug-in developer one of the greatest challenges when making a complex full-featured plug-in is to design an interface that is easy to use. And we think we did it! FabFilter introduces a revolutionary new interface concept: What-you-use-is-what-you-see.

The idea is simple yet powerful. At all times, the interface only contains the modulation sources and slots that you are actually using. This results in an intuitive user interface that experienced producers and novices alike will embrace.

You can easily create more modulation sources. Do you want another XLFO? Just add one! Do you want an envelope generator? Just add one and start modulating things! Of course there is a limit to the number of sources you can create, but in practice it feels like you can create as many sources as you will ever need.

To give you an idea, a simple preset without modulation looks like this:

... while a more complex preset, with various modulation sources and an expanded filter section, looks like this:

To help you understand even the most complex presets, modulation slots are grouped with each source. Each

component, knob or controller that is being modulated is marked with a little M button. Simply click the M to

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highlight the modulation source and slots responsible for the modulation. See also Modulation Another interface innovation are the filter buttons in the filter section. You can control the main filter

parameters simply by dragging on the filter buttons, which makes for an uncluttered interface that is easy to

.

overview. Next: Knobs

See Also

Modulation Overview

Knobs

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It is easy to control FabFilter Timeless 2's parameters with the large round knobs. They will light up when you move the mouse cursor around to indicate that you can adjust them. The moment you move the mouse cursor over a knob, a parameter value display will pop up, which shows the name and the current value of the parameter.

All knobs support four ways of control:

1. Vertical mode Click on the center area of a knob and drag up or down to rotate it. The knob reacts to the speed with which you are dragging, so if you move the mouse slowly, you make precise adjustments.

2. Rotate mode Grab the arrow of the knob and drag it around. By moving the mouse cursor further away from the knob while dragging it, you can make precise adjustments.

3. Mouse wheel mode Perhaps the easiest way to make adjustments is by using the mouse wheel when you hover over a knob. This mode works for all the knobs and possible panning rings. (On Windows, you might need to click in the plug-in interface first to make sure it is the active window.)

4. Text entry mode Double-click a knob to enter an exact value using the keyboard.

Tips

To reset a knob to its default position, hold down the Ctrl key (Windows) or Command key (macOS) and click the knob once. Note: In Pro Tools, Timeless 2 uses the default Pro Tools keyboard shortcut for reset: Alt+click.

To fine-tune a value when using vertical drag mode or the mouse wheel, hold down the Shift key while dragging or moving the mouse wheel. Note: In Pro Tools, Timeless 2 uses the default Pro Tools keyboard shortcut for fine tune: Ctrl+drag on Windows or Command+drag on macOS.

There are several handy shortcuts in text entry mode. With frequency values, you can type e.g. '1k' to set the value to 1000 Hz, and also 'A4' for 440 Hz, or even strings like 'C#3+13'. With dB values, you can type e.g. '2x' to get +6 dB (the value that corresponds to two times louder). With all values, you can also type a percentage (e.g. '50%' will put a knob exactly in the middle position).

Sometimes, knobs in our plug-in interfaces are linked: these be adjusted simultaneously by holding down the Alt key (Shift key in Pro Tools) while dragging on one of them. For example, an output level and input level setting of a plug-in could be adjusted simultaneously (in the opposite direction) this way.

Next: Delay lines

See Also

Overview

Delay lines

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The delay lines are the center of FabFilter Timeless 2. Of course, they cause a delay in the transmission of a signal passing through. There is a wide range of effects possible with a digital delay: repeat echo, slap-back delay, chorus, vibrato, and resonant 'tunnel' echo.

There are two delay lines: one receiving input from the left channel, and the other from the right channel (except in Mid/Side mode

).

You control each delay line with the following parameters:

Delay time

Well, guess what... this sets the delay time! To be more precise: the time of the delay given to a signal passing through.

The delay time can be locked/synchronized to the tempo of your sequencer host. When this is activated using the curved switch the knob controls the sub-multiples of this tempo (we call this the Delay Offset instead of the Delay Time). The small dots that appear around the knob make it easier to get precise and quick access to certain fractions that are related to your sequencer tempo.

When the delay time is not locked to your sequencer tempo it is possible to 'tap' the tempo of the delay by clicking on the number-display above or below the knob. The display will turn into an illuminated TAP button. The next time you click here the time between the clicks is calculated and used as delay time. Just tap it a few times to get some values you want to work with.

In case you want to use the exact same delay time for both delay lines, enable the Delay Link switch between the delay lines. This makes it easier to set up both delay lines with the same settings.

Delay pan

Pans the output of each delay line to the left or right channel.

Feedback

You can vary the feedback to produce more than one repeat from a single sound. All the feedback control does is to send some of the delayed output (after passing through the filters) back to the input so it gets delayed again; the more feedback, the more repeats. There are separate knobs for the left and right filter output for both delay lines. When a signal coming out of a delay line is routed back into the other delay line this is called "crossfeedback" hence the names on the interface. Cross-feedback is used to mix different delay times and creates beautiful stereo effects.

The amount of total feedback determines the number of audible repeats. Higher levels will have more repeats and above a certain level feedback will cause higher volumes at every cycle and thus create sonic mayhem! Be careful with your ears and speakers, and don't use too high feedback levels.

There is a convenient lock icon that makes it possible to set up feedback settings for both delay lines.

Feedback invert switch

Very interesting effects can be achieved when inverting the phase of one of the feedback signals. The effect of this is most noticeable on effects that use a very short delay time. By inverting the phase of the signal fed back to the input, it allows different harmonics to be accentuated by the filtering process, and so gives a choice of two types of tonal coloration, one usually sounding thinner than the other. On longer delay times it might alter the stereo perception of the sound.

Delay style

There are two different ways the digital delay can behave:

1. Tape which behaves like a classic tape delay. When the delay time is changed in positive

direction i.e. the delay time gets shorter, you will hear a increase in pitch of the delayed signal.

Conversely when the delay time is made longer you will hear a decrease in pitch of the delayed

signal. This is the way analog delays sound and makes 'playing' the delay so much fun.

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2. Stretch makes this plug-in simply unique. It means that no matter whether the delay time gets

The settings of all delay parameters can be stored as a section preset

shorter or longer, the pitch will remain constant using granular techniques. This is NOT possible with an analog delay and we thought this to be a highly creative addition. Listen to some of the presets using this algorithm and you will hear what sonic possibilities this option has to offer.

Freeze

The Freeze button lets you freeze the sound that's currently in the delay lines. As soon as you activate freeze, the input to the delay line is cut off, so no new sounds will be stored. The delay lines will keep playing the current sound, which you can now filter continously. Also, you can of course change the delay time which will also transform the sound in the buffers. This can really warp the sound and change it into something completely different! The Freeze option is not stored in presets because it really needs to be turned on and off dynamically.

.

Tips

By setting a delay time of between 30 and 100 ms and adding a little gentle modulation with no feedback, you get the classic chorus effect.

At very short delay times (5 to 50 ms), increasing feedback will give a resonant cardboard tube or tunnel echo sound, the pitch of the resonance being set by the delay time. This effect is useful in creating new sounds or modifying existing ones beyond recognition; used with a synth, it can create the illusion of ring modulation or phase sync.

Short delays of between 30 and 100 ms are used to create slap-back echo effects, which are quite effective on vocals and guitar.

Delay times in excess of 100 ms will give you the familiar tape echo type of sound, and this is a valuable effect for warming up vocals and guitar.

If you are interested you can read more about delay technology on Wikipedia .

Next: Filters

See Also

Component routing Overview

Filters

12

FabFilter Timeless 2 comes with two high-quality filters, each with no less than eleven different sound characteristics. These multimode filters are based on our award winning filters first developed for FabFilter One. You can use them individually or combine filter characteristics to create your own sounds in any way imaginable. Both filters are stereo filters.

The filter buttons let you easily adjust the main filter parameters, simply by clicking and dragging on the button. As soon as you move the mouse cursor over a filter button, value displays will pop up to show the current values of the associated parameters.

Click and then drag horizontally or vertically to change the filter frequency and peak parameters. You can change the filter panning and response curve parameters instead by holding down the Ctrl key on Windows, or the Command key on OS X.

To view all filter parameters, click the one of the filter buttons once. This will expand the filter section to show the complete filter interface. Click the filter button again to hide the interface. While the filter section is expanded, you can scroll the top section of Timeless' interface with the left and right scroll buttons at the far ends of the interface.

Hold down Shift while dragging to adjust only one parameter in the direction in which you move the mouse cursor.

Hold down Alt while dragging to adjust parameters in both filters in parallel. You can also adjust the component buttons with the mouse wheel. On Windows, most mouse wheels only

work vertically, but you can hold down the Ctrl and Shift keys simultaneously for horizontal adjustments. The filter buttons have an on/off switch in the left top corner, to quickly enable or disable the filter.

We strongly suggest for you to try all these movements yourself, and you'll find it's a great aid in quickly setting up the filters in Timeless the way you like. The most important parameters are always available, and if you need access to all parameters, they are just a mouse click away.

Tip: You can turn off the parameter value displays for the filter buttons with the Show Component Displays option in the Help menu.

Filter routing

Above the filter buttons, the filter routing can be set. There are three different ways of configuring the filters in the audio signal path:

1. Serial will put both left and right channel of the delay lines first thru filter 1 and than thru filter 2.

2. Parallel: The output of delay line 1 into both filter 1 and 2, and the output of delay line 2 into both filter 1 and 2.

3. Per channel: delay lines and filters are working in 2 groups. Delay line 1 uses filter 1 and delay line 2

13

uses filter 2.

Next: Filter parameters

See Also

Overview Interactive filter display Section presets

Filter parameters

14

By clicking on one of the filter buttons in the filter section, the filter section expands to show all filter parameters and the interactive filter display

You control each filter in Timeless 2 with the following parameters:

Frequency

The filter frequency is adjustable over the entire audio range. The Frequency controls the center or cutoff frequency of the active filter and can be controlled in real time, either manually or via external devices.

Pan

The Pan ring around the Frequency knob lets you filter the left and right channels differently. It works as a stereo balance setting for the center frequency of the filter. For example, when you turn the Pan knob to the left, the left channel will be filtered with a lower center frequency, and the right channel will be filtered with a higher center frequency. You can use this to create various stereo filtering effects, especially in combination with modulation.

Peak

The Peak knob adjusts the resonance of the active filter. A little resonance will cause the filter to create warmer and more characteristic tones. At maximum resonance, the filter will self-oscillator with most filter characteristics. (The Auto Mute Self-Osc option in the bottom bar will help to keep this manageable. See Input/output

Characteristic

FabFilter Timeless offers the possibility to choose between three different filter characteristics:

1. FabFilter One, the original filter characteristic taken from our award-winning FabFilter One

synthesizer

2. Smooth, like the cream in your coffee

3. Raw, a filter with lots of overdrive and exhibits a character of its own

4. Hard, moderately distorting filter, with a nice clean whistle

5. Hollow, juicy moderate distortion with fairly much low-end self-oscillation

6. Extreme, for more wild sonic ideas

7. Gentle, a more smooth and clean general purpose characteristic

8. Tube, with a warmer sound and nice overdrive, great for synth sounds

9. Metal, with a rough, sharper sound and distortion

10. Easy Going, a softer version of the Tube filter

11. Clean, linear behavior with no clipping or distortion at all

Response

The response of each filter can be set to either Low Pass, High Pass, or Band Pass. In Low Pass mode, the filter will pass through frequencies lower than the center frequency. In High Pass mode, frequencies higher than the center frequency will be passed through. In Band Pass mode, only the frequencies around the cut-off frequency will be passed through.

Slope

options.)

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FabFilter TIMELESS-2 Users Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Table of Contents

About FabFilter Timeless 2

Quick start

Overview

Knobs

Delay lines

Filters

Filter parameters