Softube FET-COMPRESSOR Users Manual

© 2008 SOFTUBE AB, SWEDEN. ALL PRODUCT AND COMPANY NAMES ARE TRADEMARKS OF

THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS. AMP ROOM IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF SOFTUBE AB,
SWEDEN. SOFTUBE IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF SOFTUBE AB, SWEDEN. ALL
SPECIFICATIONS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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Table of Contents

Contact Details..................................................................................4

Support.................................................................................................................4

Installation and Authorization.........................................................5

Introduction.......................................................................................6

User Interface....................................................................................8

Input......................................................................................................................9

Ratio...................................................................................................................10

Attack and Release............................................................................................11

Input and Gain Reduction VU meters...............................................................12

Output.................................................................................................................13

Output Peak Meter.............................................................................................13

Detector Controls...............................................................................................14

Parallel Inject......................................................................................................18

Status Indicators................................................................................................19

Controls Summary..........................................................................20

Tweaking Tips.................................................................................21

Multi-Channel Operation................................................................23

Block Diagram.................................................................................24

System Requirements....................................................................25

All Versions........................................................................................................25

Native Version (VST/AU/RTAS) .......................................................................25

Pro Tools|HD Version (TDM/VENUE)...............................................................26

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Contact Details

If you would like to get in touch with Softube, please e-mail [e-mail].
Alternatively, you could use the phone or send an old-fashioned mail (do you remember
envelopes, stamps and paper?) to:

Softube AB
S:t Larsgatan 10c
SE-582 24 Linköping
Sweden

Web: www.softube.com

E-mail: [e-mail]

Phone: [phone] (9 am – 5 pm CET)

Support

On the Softube website (www.softube.com) you will find answers to common questions
(FAQ) and other topics that might interest you.

Support questions can be posted at http://www.softube.com, where we will help you as fast
as we can!

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Installation and Authorization

I F Y O U B O U G H T T H E P R O D U C T I N A B O X you will have to register it in order to

transfer the license to your iLok account:

1. Go to http://www.softube.com/register to transfer the license to your iLok

account. You will need the License Code found in the box, your iLok.com
User ID, and your iLok USB dongle. Follow the instructions on the web page.

I F Y O U B O U G H T T H E P R O D U C T O N L I N E and have got the confirmation e-mail, the

license will already be deposited in your iLok account:

2. Make sure that you have the latest iLok drivers installed. They can be found at
http://www.ilok.com.

3. Log on to http://www.ilok.com and transfer the newly received license to your
physical iLok dongle.

4. Install the software from the CD, or download the latest version from
http://www.softube.com/installers.

Sometimes the CD contains installers for all Softube products, but you will only be able to
run those that you have acquired licenses for. In some cases, extra demo licenses are
included when you buy a Softube product.

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Introduction

T H E F E T C O M P R E S S O R I S B A S E D O N the most famous hardware FET compressor,

and very much effort has been spent modeling the real hardware to make sure that this one
sounds exactly the same. If you only use the big knobs and the six fixed ratios you'll get
exactly the same analog sound and functionality as the real deal. But that's just the
beginning. With the help of digital technology we have added some useful features that still
have that analogue sound – but features that would've been hard or even impossible to
implement with analog electronics. That way you will be able to get the best of two worlds.
(Not even mentioning how ridiculously many FET Compressors you will be able to fit into
your project without running low on CPU.)

Not convinced yet? Set the Input on M A X , Ratio on A L L . Listen.

Figure 1: The user interface of the FET Compressor – an analog sounding
compressor with digital features.

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Design Philosophy

T H E R E A R E T H R E E M A I N I D E A S B E H I N D T H I S D E S I G N : First of all, we wanted to

make an analog sounding digital compressor. Nothing must stand in the way of the sound.
Every single part of the simulation contributes to making this piece unique. The extremely
fast attack, all the subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) distortion that comes from the
different parts of the compressor and the extremely careful way the signal is handled and
conditioned through out the signal chain.

Second, we added features to make this product even more versatile and unique. The
enhanced ratio, parallel compression, detector filtering and lookahead are such features.
Third, these features must not stand in the way of the usability. The fewer knobs the better,
and the faster the user gets the sound they want, the better.

This boils down to a single main objective: Every user should be able to get a good sound
within seconds, and no user should be afraid to mess up the sound. An amateur should be
able to make this sound just as good as a pro. And yeah, it has to look good.

In order to achieve these objectives we had to put special effort into the modeling. The
original hardware has some quite quirky circuits, and a lot of its sound comes from far from
ideal components and design. A lot of new ideas were developed during the modeling, and
with the help of our expert listener and “golden ears” Dan Lumbye, we managed to put
together a piece of software that should please even the most critical ears.

Patents

This product is protected by patent SE525332 and patents/patent applications
US2004-0258250, EP1492081 and JP2004-183976.

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User Interface

T H E C O N T R O L S O F the FET

Compressor are divided into two sections.

First of all we have the big knobs (Input,
Ratio, Attack, Release and Output),
which are the knobs that you will use
every time you use the compressor (top
row in the illustration on the right). These
knobs are pretty standard and you
probably already know what they do.

Then we have the small guys (middle
row), which don't have to be tweaked
every time you use the compressor. You
don't even have to feel bad if you never
touch them. People have managed to
make hit records for 40 years without
them. Nevertheless, they are extremely
useful, and soon you'll have a hard time
understanding how you ever could've
managed without them.

In addition to this, we also added some metering so that you can monitor your signal all the
time (bottom row). An input VU meter (which is fun to drive into the reds all the time) and a
stereo output peak meter make sure that you always know what is going on with your
signal.

Figure 2: Top: Knobs and meters used under
"normal" operation. Middle: Extra functionality
added in the software version. Bottom: Extra
meters added to the software version.

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Input

The Input knob on this compressor works both as a gain control and a threshold control. If
you increase the Input volume you will also increase the gain reduction, which makes it
work sort of like a combination of a gain knob and a reversed threshold knob. You can drive
the I N P U T V U far into the reds without any unwanted digital clipping. Just make sure that
the O U T P U T P E A K meter doesn't indicate any clipping. (If it does, just lower the Output
volume a bit.)

The Input knob also works as a threshold control. More input gain will give
you more gain reduction.

If you drive the input
volume so that the VU
start hitting the reds
you will also add more
distortion to the signal.
If you want lots of
distortion we really
recommend you to
also set the Ratio knob
on A L L .

More input gain also means more distortion (in a good way).

Figure 3: The Input knob and corresponding input VU
meter.

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