The MC-3 Multi-band Compressor is the world's first fully automated analog multi-band compressor.
The matched and calibrated analog channels of the APB hardware make the MC-3 one of the most precise analog multi-band compressors available. Analog saturation control is also available per band. All MC-3 parameters are automatable and can be saved as a preset for instant session recall.
The MC-3 Multi-band Compressor is a three band compressor. Each analog compressor has threshold, make-up gain, ratio, attack and release controls. There is also a separate analog saturation control. Each compressor can be triggered from the original input signal, or a side chain signal. The digital crossover filters use double precision arithmetic for exacting control to divide the input into 3 bands of frequencies.
Other MC-3 Multi-band Compressor include main input and output control (with phase correction), and a 3-way VU meters for input, total gain reduction, and output monitoring.
Features
All analog compression and saturation stages
Independent side chain processing option per band
Double-precision digital x-over network
Sample accurate automation of analog processing
Included with APB hardware purchase
Formats
AAX Native, AU, VST3
Analog Multi-band
The pro audio market has plenty of analog compressors. But few multi-band analog compressors. Component matching, calibration, heat issues and part tolerances are just some of the engineering challenges. Multi-band analog is hard to make. The MC-3 Multi-band compressor is not just a great multi-band analog processor. It is an automatable, sample accurate analog processor with instant session restore capability (they are called presets folks). Best of all, the workflow of the MC-3 is like any other software plug-in. If you’re reading this, its because you know the sound of multi-band analog compressor. Or are about to.
Multi-Edge
The MC-3 compressors are matched with a custom JFET saturation circuit. The compressors, with their fast attack times and high compression ratios, can handle a wide variety of signals. However sometimes backing off the higher ratios and slowing the attack times allow some signal peaks to reach the saturation circuit. The MC-3 saturation circuit, like all APB plug-ins’ saturation circuits, are calibrated to prevent and digital clipping from occurring when the signal is converted back to digital. Therefore allowing some analog saturation to ‘catch’ some signal peaks can make for a more ‘edgy’ sound. The crossover frequency controls can further modify the overall tone. Sound like something you might want to try on a vocal or a drum buss? We think so too.
Multi-band Side Chain
The MC-3 not only offers side chain support, it offers side chain processing as an option on each compression band. This opens up new possibilities when considering multi-band compression. The mid range of a vocal could be used to compress (duck) the mid range of the stereo mix. De-essing just got a whole lot more interesting. Pairing up the kick with that bass part just might work. You get the idea.
Metering
Selects which signal is being displayed in the meter - IN (input - post input gain), GR (total gain reduction), or OUT (output - post output gain).
Master/Link
Enable the selected band to act as a master control to all other bands. The non-master bands can still be independently adjusted while linked to the master band.
Side Chain
Compression action can be triggered by the input signal (Key button off) or a side chain signal. Each band can select the input or side chain signal.
Saturation
Amount of effect caused by the custom saturation circuit.
Compression
Ratio, Attack, and Release controls along with a gain reduction meter for each band of analog compression.
Crossover
Crossover point in the x-over network feeding the 3 compression/saturation bands in the MC-3.
An important aspect of any APB plug-in is that the plug-in is primarily a controller. The APB plug-in takes the input audio signal, combines it with a control signal, and sends both along a Thunderbolt connection to an APB unit for processing. The control signal sets up the analog components to do the selected algorithm with all the parameter values, and the audio signal is converted to the analog domain. The analog version of the audio signal is processed in the analog domain, and then converted back to the digital domain.
By operating the APB hardware from an APB plug-in in this way, all user controllable parameters are recallable and can be saved as presets. Furthermore, because the control signal is married to the input audio signal, parameters can be updating during playback with sample accurate automation.
Sound Examples
Blues Mix
Funk Mix 1
Funk Mix 2
R&B Mix
Rock Mix
"This is the future."
Tony Maserati
Grammy award winning mix engineer
"The MC-3's retro ’70s interface chimes well with the sound, which employs fairly aggressive and ‘grabby’ FET‑style compression."
"The MC-3's retro ’70s interface chimes well with the sound, which employs fairly aggressive and ‘grabby’ FET‑style compression."
"The MC-3 is a beast! It’s a utility processor that also has powerful tonal and dynamic-shaping properties combined with the big analog sound and saturation of the APB architecture."
"The MC-3 is a beast! It’s a utility processor that also has powerful tonal and dynamic-shaping properties combined with the big analog sound and saturation of the APB architecture."
