FabFilter Pro-MB vs Transient Shaper Usage & Stats
FabFilter Pro-MB is a versatile multiband dynamics plug-in featuring a uniquely optimized workflow: up to six compression/expansion bands can be placed freely anywhere in the spectrum. High-quality Linear Phase and Minimum Phase processing modes are available, as well as a newly developed Dynamic Phase mode that is even better, offering transparent sound without phase distortion while avoiding linear-phase pre-ringing artefacts.
The Pro-MB app filters the microphone input and plays it back in real-time. To use Pro-MB as a plug-in, you need an AUv3-compatible host app like Auria, AUM or Cubasis. Pro-MB will appear in the list of Audio Unit extensions for effect plug-ins in the host app.
Key features:
- Up to six processing bands, freely placed anywhere in the spectrum
- Bands can be easily snapped together to form a traditional crossover system
- Unique Dynamic Phase processing mode featuring zero latency, no static phase changes and no pre-ringing artifacts
- Excellent Linear Phase processing mode, eliminating audible artifacts when quickly changing crossover frequencies
- Minimum Phase processing mode
- Handles any form of dynamics processing, from highly transparent compression, limiting and expansion to pumping upward compression and punchy gating
- Fully customizable per band: threshold, range, attack, release, output gain, ratio, variable knee, lookahead (up to 20 ms), variable stereo linking, mid- or side-only processing, external side chain input, triggering on a separate frequency range
- Steepness of each crossover slope can be freely adjusted between 6 dB/oct and 48 dB/oct
- Intelligent, highly program- and frequency-dependent attack and release curves
- Unique interactive multiband display, designed for an optimal workflow
- Global dry/wet mix from 0% to 200% to easily scale the total effect of the plug-in
- High-quality audio processing algorithms with 64-bit internal processing where needed
- Up to four times linear-phase oversampling
- Accurate and smooth real-time frequency analyzer with pre- and post-processing options and 'freeze' feature
- Precise output metering
- Undo/redo and A/B comparison
"Making multiband compression/expansion easier and more flexible than ever, FabFilter Pro-MB is beautifully designed and sounds superb. Verdict: 9/10!"
— Computer Music Magazine
"FabFilter Pro-MB is well executed on every level from the intuitive and attractive interface, to the brilliant sound quality."
— FutureMusic
- Apple App Store
- Paid
- Music
Store Rank
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Blue Mangoo Transient Shaper is a high-quality transient designer effect. The key feature is the simplicity of the controls. The plugin's adaptive filters respond automatically to a wide range of inputs, giving you an extreme level of control over the intensity of transient sounds without the need to adjust complicated settings. The unique filters in the attack envelope allow the attack intensity to be reduced much farther than other transient plugins, to the point of totally silencing the note attack, if desired.
EXPLANATION FOR READERS WHO HAVEN'T USED A TRANSIENT SHAPER BEFORE
A transient shaper allows you to adjust the speed or intensity of note attacks, making them crispier and snappier, or softening them and reducing harsh click sounds. This is useful if you want to make a snare drum cut through the mix (increase attack) or to soften pick noise on a guitar (reduce attack). Additionally, it allows you to adjust the volume of the sustain (or release) part of a note, leaving the attack part mostly untouched. This is useful if you want to reduce room reverberation sound on drums, making them sound tighter. Usually what we call the "sustain" control actually adjusts the volume of all parts of the sound except for the attack, so in many cases it functions more like a release control than a sustain control, if we compare it to the controls with those names in an ADSR (Attack, Delay, Sustain, Release) envelope control on a synthesizer.
WHAT UNIQUE THINGS DOES IT DO?
- Adaptive filters handle wide variety of signals automatically without user input
- Adaptive filters allow the attack adjustment to respond faster, allowing you to silence even the extreme earliest part of the note
Note: except for the unusual ability to totally silence the attack, this plugin does basically the same thing that other transient plugins do. If you already have a transient shaper and you are happy with the way it sounds, this one will sound similar. So the only reasons to buy this are:
- You don't have a transient shaper yet
- You don't have the Blue Mangoo attack softener plugin yet
- You do have a transient shaper but you would like one with simpler controls
- You love collecting plugins
- Apple App Store
- Paid
- Music
Store Rank
- -
FabFilter Pro-MB VS. 
Transient ShaperDecember 23, 2024