FerricTDS

MANUAL
revision 1.5

Content
Chapter 1: Introduction 5
1.1. License ....................................................................................... 5 1.2. Installation ................................................................................... 6 1.1. Overarching topics .......................................................................... 6 1.1. Credits ....................................................................................... 6

Chapter 2: Jump Start

2.1. Overview .................................................................................... 7 2.1. Quick reference ............................................................................. 2.2. !asic operation and advice ................................................................. " 2.#. $o%e tips on using the presets ............................................................. "

Chapter 3: Advanced Usa e

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#.1. Internals .................................................................................... 11 #.2. &orkflow 1' $tarting with ()*+,IC$ ................................................ 1# #.#. &orkflow 2' $tarting with $+-./+-IO* .............................................. 10 #.0. -he /1CO21/) para%eter .............................................................. 10 #.1. -he $C 3sidechain4 filter option .......................................................... 15 #.2. -he two tape %odes ....................................................................... 15 #.#. Li%iting and ,a5i%i6ing ................................................................. 15 #.0. (r78&et %i5ing ........................................................................... 16 #.5. *on9linearities and level changes ........................................................ 16

Chapter !: Addendum

17

0.1. + :rief histor7 of tape ..................................................................... 17 0.2. ;udging saturation effects ................................................................. 1 0.#. .pdates and further infor%ation ......................................................... 1

Introduction

1.1. License
Copyright (C) 2009 - 2010 by H. L. Goldberg. The contained soft are is gi!en to "se "nder a free are license. This soft are is pro!ided free of charge b"t the a"thor retains copyright. #o" are not allo ed to $a%e any copies or redistrib"te this soft are incl"ding b"t not li$ited to $a%ing the soft are a!ailable for do nload or $a%ing this soft are part of a soft are C& co$pilation. #o" are not allo ed to sell or to rent this soft are. #o" are not allo ed to re!erse engineer this soft are. #o" are allo ed to "se this soft are for any artistic application incl"ding co$$ercial $"sic prod"ction. This soft are is pro!ided 'as-is'( itho"t any e)press or i$plied arranty. *n no e!ent ill the a"thor be held liable for any da$ages arising fro$ the "se of this soft are. '+,T' is a Technology and Trade$ar% by ,teinberg.

1 Introduction

1.2. Installation
-e."ire$ents/ 0in12 co$patible syste$ ith ,,22 (or higher) instr"ction set s"pport Tested and %no n to or% in $any +,T co$patible hosts 3"t the &LL file contained in this archi!e in the +,T pl"g-in folder of yo"r host.

1.1. Overarching topics

Warning: Lo er yo"r listening !ol"$e hile operating the pl"g-in to a!oid hearing da$age or da$age of spea%ers or any other e."ip$ent. 4sage tips/ 4se the T-*5 %nob to le!el the o"tgoing a"dio and for handy 678 co$parisons 9or opti$"$ processing and res"lts( the inp"t le!el to the pl"g-in co"ld be ad:"sted to pea% aro"nd 0d89, 6lternati!ely( "se the *;34T ad:"st$ent %nob to bring the inco$ing signal onto d"ty le!el (pl"g-in internally) 4se <ctrl= > $o"se left clic% on a %nob or s itch to restore defa"lt position 4se <shift= > $o"se left clic% on a %nob to fine ad:"st !al"es 4se this pl"g-in as an insert effect in any $ono or stereo channel of yo"r +,T host

1.1. Credits
+is"al concept by 3atric% 8arca( 5any than%s to all the beta testers? 5any than%s to Christian 8"dde for his fa$o"s pl"g-in analy@er. .s")esi!.ch.

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2.1. Overview
FerricTDS A Tape &yna$ics ,i$"lator.

Jump Start

*nspired by the s$ooth dyna$ic shaping capabilities of so$e high-end reel-to-reel tape recorders( this pl"g-in si$"lates three of the $ost distincti!e and $"ch appreciated sonic effects generated by these de!ices/

&#;65*C, A gently shaping the o!erall dyna$ic response ,6T4-6T*B; A adding e)tra har$onic-related content L*5*T*;G A controlling pea% perfor$ance

Bther rather "gly side effects( s"ch as tre$endo"s phase and fre."ency alterations( o and fl"tter( noise and crosstal% and others( are not incl"ded in this si$"lation.

2 ;u%p $tart

Functions at a glance

perfor$s gentle a"dio dyna$ic treat$ents $asters diffic"lt to handle a"dio $aterial adds e)tra har$onics and sat"ration effects controls o"tgoing a"dio pea%s

Plug-in specification

0in12 7 +,T co$patible state-of-the-art digital signal processing perfor$ance-critical parts are ritten in asse$bler co$pletely ,,2 opti$i@ed

Getting the most out of it 3lease read the follo ing chapters to get the $ost o"t of this de!ice. Learn ho efficiently set the three $ain para$eters/

to

obtain so$e effecti!e tips on getting the $ost o"t of the presets "nderstand the basic or%flo of this de!ice learn ho to efficiently le!el the three $ain para$eters ta%e ad!antage of the -2CB+2-# and sidechain options in the &#;65*C, section

2.1. Quick reference

Cnobs and Dscre sE/ &#;65*C, A increases a"dio co$pression type effects ,6T4-6T*B; A increases sat"ration type effects s"ch as har$onic additions L*5*T2- A controls the o!erall pea% perfor$ance -2CB+2-# A controls the reco!ery ti$e of the dyna$ic processor T-*5 A ad:"sts the o"tgoing a"dio le!el ,C B99 7 2F0H@ A this Ds$all scre E controls the dyna$ic processor's response to lo fre."ency $aterial by a high-pass filter *;34T A ad:"sts the inco$ing a"dio le!el

Quick reference

, itches/ B; 7 8#36,, A basic on7off operation. The +4 $eter still operates in bypass $ode to allo the "ser to set opti$"$ inp"t le!el 5B&7CL6,, A the tape $ode s itch hich selects bet een a DclassicE and D$odernE so"nd processing

5eters/ 5ain D+4E $eter A indicates the o"tgoing signal le!el (a!eraged) Hori@ontal $eters A ro"ghly indicate the a$o"nt of signal processing in the &#;65*C, (left) and the ,6T4-6T*B; (right) processors 2.2. Basic operation and advice 4se this pl"g-in as an insert effect in any stereo or $ono channel of yo"r +,T host. *t can be operated both as a $ono or stereo pl"g-in. The best perfor$ance is obtained if the a"dio inp"t is le!eled to aro"nd 0 d89, pea% perfor$ance. *n 8#36,, $ode the +4 style $eter needle sho"ld occasionally hit the red $ar%ed range. This indicates the Ds eet spotE of the de!ice. 6lternati!ely( the *;34T dial co"ld be "sed to co$pensate the inco$ing a"dio le!el instead. 5a%e s"re that the 8#36,, s itch is in B; position no . The t o hori@ontal $etering displays on the top left and right side are no responding to the inco$ing a"dio if processing act"ally occ"rs. ;e)t( dial in so$e &#;65*C, to obtain co$pression effects and ,6T4-6T*B; for so$e gentle distortion effects. &epending on the a"dio $aterial( this effect can be rather s"btle. *ncrease the inp"t le!el to the pl"g-in if the effects appear too s"btle. 4se a co$bination of both effects( then add so$e li$iting by t"rning the L*5*T2%nob cloc% ise to bloc% o"tgoing a"dio signal pea%s. ,ince !ersion 1.F this or%s as a tr"e and acc"rate bric% all li$iter. 4se the T-*5 %nob to ad:"st the o!erall o"tp"t !ol"$e as needed. This feat"re is also handy for 678 testing at e."al !ol"$e le!els. 2.3. Some tips on using the presets 2)plore the presets( b"t al ays ad:"st the$ to yo"r c"rrent $i)ing sit"ation/

6l ays ad:"st the &#;65*C, and ,6T4-6T*B; para$eters to yo"r c"rrent trac% or $i) in order to adapt the act"al processing to yo"r specific needs. 6l ays ad:"st the T-*5 para$eter to yo"r c"rrent $i) for e."al lo"dness le!els d"ring 678 co$parisons.

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2 ;u%p $tart

6ll presets ere designed on a"dio $aterial ith le!els pea%ing at aro"nd 0 d89,. Ta%e ad!antage of the s$all *;34T dial to le!el "p or do n yo"r inco$ing a"dio to fit to a preset setting.

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!dvanced "sage

3.1. nternals

&ifferent a!eshaper types

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# +dvanced .sage

4nder the hood( 9erricT&, consists of ."ite a b"nch of different a!eshapers and en!elope generators. Bne of the$( for e)a$ple( is "sed to obtain a fre."ency sensiti!e gain red"ction signal to be "sed by the &#;65*C, processor( hich or%s hand in hand ith an additional processor that generates odd order sat"ration effects (controlled by ,6T4-6T*B;). 9inally( pea% control is perfor$ed by yet another processor. #o" can regard this as one single circ"it ith :"st so$e different para$eter controls. Ho e!er( there is one e)ception to this/ ,traight pea% li$iting occ"rs not till the o"tp"t of the de!ice( after all other processing has already ta%en place. *t is one i$portant conse."ence of this design that all pea% and transient infor$ation hich passes the prior stages has to be handled in the o"tp"t li$iting stage. Bther ise( it ill re$ain "n$anaged hen lea!ing the de!ice. This design lea!es it to the "ser to decide ho $"ch pea% and transient infor$ation act"ally lea!es the de!ice. *t also per$its the "se of an e)ternal li$iter of yo"r o n choice if desired.

6n analog style li$iter transfer c"r!e The li$iter reacts instantaneo"sly to inco$ing pea%s( offers an analog style transfer c"r!e (si$ilar as sho n in the diagra$ abo!e) and is a tr"e and acc"rate bric% all li$iter. &"e to this design( both aspects are regarded/ The trib"te to the DtapeE concept here no hard-%nee thresholds can occ"r and the sa$e ti$e D@ero o!ershotE perfor$ance is g"aranteed as ell. Gi!en this short introd"ction( t o different or%flo approaches are reco$$ended( depending on yo"r specific goals hen "sing 9erricT&,/

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Internals

1. 3recise dyna$ics handling or 2. li$iting and $a)i$i@ing. *n both or%flo scenarios 1 or 2( al ays start t ea%ing ith &#;65*C,( ,6T4-6T*B;( and L*5*T2- set to the left$ost position and ,C set to B99 (as in the defa"lt preset). 3.2. Wor!flo" 1: Starting "ith #$%&' (S

To get the dyna$ics $ost acc"rately handled by 9erricT&,( start by ad:"sting the &#;65*C, %nob "ntil yo" achie!e a s"itable a$o"nt of co$pression. 9ine-t"ne the processing ith the -2CB+2-# option. 9or e)a$ple( slo the response ti$e if too $"ch co$pression is applied to snare dr"$ hits in a $i)-b"s or $astering application. *f necessary( "se the ,C para$eter to ad:"st the co$pressor's response to bass. ;o ( dial in ,6T4-6T*B; to obtain a blend of sat"ration effects. *n the last step( dial in L*5*T2- a$o"nts if $ore pea% control is necessary or anted.

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# +dvanced .sage

3.3. Wor!flo" 2: Starting "ith S&)*+&) ,%

*f( in contrast( yo" are after $ore sat"ration and pea% li$iting control (for $ore distorted effects or $a)i$i@ing p"rposes)( start by setting the ,6T4-6T*B; %nob to the right. 6pply f"rther L*5*T2- a$o"nts to obtain the le!el of pea% control needed in yo"r sit"ation (or let an e)ternal li$iter do this :ob). 6s a final step( dial in s$all a$o"nts of &#;65*C,( b"t this ti$e ith -2CB+2-# set to 'fast' and ,C set to B99 (0 H@). This enables so$e s$ooth o!erall gain-riding that slightly rela)es the pea% li$iting $od"le. *f p"$ping occ"rs( ad:"st the sidechain high-pass filter or lo er the &#;65*C, a$o"nt.

3.-. )he +.(,/.+$ parameter This para$eter lets yo" control ho fast the &#;65*C, processor is reco!ering fro$ its d"ty cycle. '9ast' operation (%nob in left$ost position) enables faster gain riding( b"t bear in $ind that a faster operation $ight introd"ce $ore "n anted distortion res"lting fro$ a"dio inter-$od"lation. ',lo ' settings "s"ally res"lt in $ore a"dible co$pression type effects. This can be "n anted in so$e cases( e.g./

the snare dr"$ in a $i) is affected too $"ch by co$pression o!erall li$iting7$a)i$i@ing is desired

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-he $C 3sidechain4 filter option

3.1. )he S( 0sidechain1 filter option The ,C filter option (the Ds$all scre E) controls a 12d87oct 8"tter orth high-pass filter in the sidechain path (not in the a"dio path itself). *t operates fro$ 0 H@ (a%a B99) "p to 2F0 H@. This filter lets yo" control the a$o"nt of lo -fre."ency a"dio content that ill affect the &#;65*C, processor. This para$eter is a!ailable to host a"to$ation (na$ed DH3E).

,o$e e)a$ple H3 filter plots This can be "sed( for e)a$ple( to a!oid Dp"$pingE co$pression effects. 8e a are that if the L*5*T2- option is enabled( it $"st handle $a:or parts of the lo fre."ency content that passes thro"gh the &#;65*C, processor "nto"ched. 9or f"rther orientation/ *n the scre 's 12-o-cloc% position( the filter is t"ned to 100H@ (at -1d8 reference). 3.2. )he t"o tape modes ,ince !ersion 1.F an additional tape sat"ration $ode is offered. 8oth $odes are selectable ith the 5B&7CL6,, s itch/ CL6,, A (si$ilar as offered in !ersion 1.0.2)( a type of classic tape sat"ration hich atten"ates the bass response and brings in $ore $id fre."ency infor$ation. H9 fre."encies $ight also appear to be $ore Dta$edE. 5B& A a rather $odern tape !ariation hich offers a $ore rela)ed so"nd especially in the bass range and allo s $ore pea% control at sa$e o"tp"t -5, le!els. 3.3. 2imiting and 'a3imi4ing 0hen "sing the L*5*T2- at larger inp"t le!els yo" $ight notice that the o!erall o"tp"t !ol"$e appear ."ieter opposed to the "nprocessed signal. This is nor$al ith 9erricT&, d"e to the internal gain staging.

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# +dvanced .sage

Ho e!er( if yo" are after a"dio le!el $a)i$i@ing then co$pensate this effect by si$ply increasing the *;34T le!el dial "ntil e."al (or higher) percei!ed lo"dness is achie!ed at lo ered pea% perfor$ance. 0hen "sing 9erricT&, as a $a)i$i@er :"st "se the defa"lt preset and dial in the L*5*T2- to 100G. ;o dri!e the "nit by the *;34T dial. 5ore sophisticated and progra$ dependent beha!ior can of co"rse be obtained by "tili@ing different &#;65*C, and ,6T4-6T*B; settings. 9or this p"rpose in $ost cases the $odern tape setting perfor$s ay better opposed to the classic one. 3.-. #r56Wet mi3ing ,ince !ersion 1.F 9erricT&, has a 100G flat fre."ency and phase response. This allo s e)ternal dry7 et $i)ing of the entire effect hich $eans that one co"ld $i) the processed signal bac% into the "nprocessed (e.g. by "tili@ing send effect config"rations in a host). 3.7. %on-linearities and level changes 5ost para$eters are ro"ghly !ol"$e co$pensated( b"t d"e to the co$ple) internal design and non-linear beha!ior( there is no g"arantee that acc"rate co$pensation can be achie!ed for all %inds of inp"t so"rces. 6bo"t non-linearities and har$onic spectr"$ alterations/ The $ain sat"ration circ"it $ainly prod"ces odd order har$onics( si$ilar as sho n belo .

Har$onic spectr"$ generated by the $ain sat"rator ;ote/ 6ct"al spectr"$ $eas"re$ents !ary ith different para$eter settings. The spectr"$ !aries bet een the t o tape $odes.

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#
-.1. & 8rief histor5 of tape

!ddendum

The concept of $agnetic recording to a $o!ing tape as in!ented by the Ger$an6"strian engineer 9rit@ 3fle"$er and recei!ed a patent bac% in 192H. The basic idea as to translate the !oltage fro$ the a"dio signal straight into $agnetic energy( hich then ind"ces $agnetic particles on a tape ($o!ing along the ind"ctor at constant speed). These particles $anage to store the a"dio infor$ation. The hole process goes the other ay aro"nd for recall. 6ltho"gh this as a re!ol"tion for both broadcast and recording ind"stry( there ere $any technical challenges to be addressed before its s"ccess d"ring the $iddle of the last cent"ry. ,o$e physical li$itations can't be ignored e!en today. 0hile electro$echanical proble$s( s"ch as o and fl"tter or noise and crosstal% ha!e been i$pro!ed o!er the years( the electro$agnetic pheno$ena( s"ch as $agnetic per$eability( hysteresis or the 8ar%ha"sen effect still $"st be addressed. 6dditionally( since a tape can't store "nli$ited a$o"nts of energy( a nat"ral sat"ration occ"rs hen signal le!els are dri!en too hot. ;or$ally this has to be a!oided( as it can lead to hea!y distortion. ;onetheless( this type of sat"ration as (and still is) fre."ently "sed as an artistic a"dio effect. The ne digital recording technologies that e$erged to ards the end of the 20th cent"ry o!erca$e these shortco$ings of analog recording and $ade tape obsolete A if regarded fro$ a p"rely technical and or%flo -related point of !ie . #et so$e of the positi!e effects of high ."ality tape and recorders are still highly appreciated in today's a"dio prod"ction( and there is ."ite a lot of $yth and b"@@ going on abo"t it's D$agicalE ."alities.

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0 +ddendu%

*n fact( hat $a%es a good tape and recorder still attracti!e in the digital age is its o!erall ability to balance a"dio dyna$ics hile adding har$onic content and gently li$iting the pea%s. *f properly applied( this can res"lt in a !ery pleasant sonic e)perience. Ho e!er( it still co$es at the e)pense of so$e of the $entioned artifacts and side effects( not to $ention the ti$e and cost of operation and $aintenance. -.2. 9udging saturation effects There are ."iet so$e $ista%es floating aro"nd on ho to :"dge a sat"rators sonic ."ality and here are so$e tips to a!oid the $ost co$$on pitfalls/ 1. 6 good sat"rator does not appear as distortion in the !ery first place. 9irstly it :"st sat"rates inco$ing a"dio signals hich $eans that at a si$ilar -5, o"tp"t le!el it si$ply red"ces the pea% perfor$ance ( hich res"lts in a s$aller Dcrest factorE). 2. This i$$ediately i$plies that yo" need a -5, $eter in yo"r o"tp"t chain to co$pare different sat"ration settings or de!ices to another. 8asically this is the sa$e hen co$paring li$iters or $a)i$i@ers. 1. &istortion is a side-effect hich typically occ"rs at higher sat"ration le!els. *t can ha!e different sonic ."alities( e. g. d"e to the fre."ency distrib"tion of distortion hich $a%es a h"ge difference to h"$an hearing and if the effect is percei!ed as to be rather gentle or not. I. &on't rely here on a si$ple spectr"$ analy@er since it does not %no nothing abo"t the concept of being DgentleE or not. ,"$$ary/ 6l ays ass"re e."al -5, o"tp"t le!els and then "se yo"r ears. -.3. *pdates and further information -efer to $y 8log at http/77!arietyofso"nd. ordpress.co$ for so$e additional infor$ation and "pdates on this pl"g-in or lea!e a note there if any iss"es did occ"r. 3eace( Herbert