Transparent compression action is a cornerstone for any mastering compressor. Transparency is necessary to preserve all existing elements in the mix, while compression itself is necessary to make the mix sound uniform to other mixes (tracks) and to make it sound more solid. Artistic dynamics adjustment also requires a high degree of transparency from the compressor. This allows the user to retain the original signal's clarity, while improving its dynamics.

Voxengo Polysquasher was designed with these things in mind. It offers a highly transparent compression performance and a high level of control, with only a minimum number of adjustable settings available at users' disposal. This makes it ideal for common mastering applications.

Its unique-to-date compression technology--which gives an unprecedented compression transparency--additionally allows the user to give a very special `touch' to the signal being processed. It subtly tightens the low end and reveals the high end, creating a special `fresh' sound.

To sum up, this is a very interesting PC VST compressor plug-in. Its compression effect can be slightly disorienting for the first time, since it differs from the other compressors greatly. But after some time of use, its performance will be OK for you.

Polysquasher's features:

This is the real-time gain reduction scope display (when the Mon Gain monitoring option is enabled). It shows the peak gain reduction values which occured during the last four seconds of processing. Maximum reached gain reduction is displayed right above the "0 sec" label. This gain reduction value changes adaptively, showing the maximum reached gain reduction value during the last four-second time frame.

Horizontal line shows the average gain reduction level for the last four-second time frame. The actual average gain reduction value is displayed in the top right corner of the display. You can use this value as a make-up gain value you can set with the "Out" knob.

When the "Mon In" monitoring option is enabled, the gain reduction display shows the input signal (absolute linear values) in black and the relative output signal in red. The Current Out Gain value also affects the visible output signal plot.

You can use the "Preset..." menu button to perform basic FXP/FXB preset/bank management tasks. The "Set as default" menu option of the "Presets..." menu allows you to assign the currently loaded program to the default preset program. This default program will be loaded whenever you enable a new instance of the plug-in or reset the current program. You can use the "Reset default" option to restore the default factory preset.

By pressing the "A|B" button, you can exchange the current and shadow (or, alternatively, "A" and "B") programs. The "Copy" button copies the current program to a shadow one.

Since only a single shadow program is used for the whole program bank, you can use "A|B" button to copy programs. To do so, you first need to switch to a program you want to copy and press the "Copy" button. Next, switch to a program where you want to put the first program and press the "A|B" button.

The "Reset" button can be used to reset the current program. All parameters will return to their default states.

This is a knob control. To change its value, you need to drag it with the left mouse button and move it up or down. For finer adjustments, you can press the right mouse button while dragging. Double-clicking on the knob with the left mouse button will return the knob to its default position.

This selector allows you to choose which compression mode Polysquasher uses. Mode 1 is the most interesting mode, since it gives that `fresh' sound. Mode 2 is a more neutral mode, which is useful if you need an absolutely transparent compression. Mode 2 also gives a better achieved compression ratio.

Mode 3 is a kind of improvement of the Mode 2. Mode 3 gives much less "pumping" to the sound and allows transients to pass through.

Pressing this button will display the plug-in's info screen. This screen shows copyright and registration information, and contains a "Help" button which opens the bundled HTML help file you are reading now.

On this info screen you can also adjust the update frequency of the gain reduction scope display.

Like most compressors, Polysquasher has Threshold, Ratio, Knee and Out controls. These controls have a pretty common meaning.

Side HP specifies the cutoff frequency of the built-in high-pass filter which is used to produce the side chain signal. Side chain is useful for lowering the influence of the bass frequencies over compression.

Threshold specifies threshold level, which allows Polysquasher to decide whether to compress the current signal or not. I.e., if the signal's power is below the Threshold, no compression takes place.

Ratio controls the power or amount of compression.

Knee specifies the span of the compression curve's knee. The bigger the knee setting is, the softer and rounder the knee is.

Dry controls the level of the original untouched input signal being mixed to the output.

Out simply controls the output signal gain.

Please also note that Polysquasher has a built-in DC filter which helps to avoid introducing of additional DC offset.