I reviewed AA’s newly revamped Magenta version 4 in an RHR video:
Here are the script notes…
Magenta and I go way back. It was the first Acustica Audio plugin that I ever tried and reviewed on this channel.
Magenta4 is unofficially based on Manley Labs hardware. Known as the king of the mid-range.
Compressors
B – Combines Optical and Vari-Mu compressors.
https://www.manley.com/pro/mslchp
C1 – Vari-mu, compress mode. Ratio starts at 1.5 then varies dynamically in response to signal level. Not suitable on sources with fast transients. Great on vocals and mix busses!
C2 – Vari-mu Limit mode. Starts with a higher ratio and goes up to 20:1.
Jerry Tubb’s sweet spot (source https://www.gearslutz.com/board/mastering-forum/94040-someone-here-manley-varimu-limiter.html ):
Look to the Medium Recovery setting, Slow Attack, Input/Output set for Unity, Threshold set to yield less than a dB of Gain Reduction, then open up the Input a little to bring the level up a few dB… up to a dB or so of GR. Work the Threshold a bit to control the amount of HF transients you let through and… voila’ you’ve got it! (or at least a good start)
D1 – Optical limiter/compressor. Langevin design. Possibly the compressor section of the Manley Core. Great on vocals.
Good on bass and acoustic guitar. Avoid using on drums. Very transparent.
D2 – FET Compressor. SLAM! Emulation or possibly the Limiter section of the Manley Core channel strip. https://www.manley.com/pro/mslam Use this one on drums.
Compressor attack/release times (put on screen)
MODEL B: 12.6mS, 17.6mS, 34mS, 58.5mS, 59mS
MODEL C1: range from 25mS to 70mS
MODEL C2: 0.25mS, 0.85mS, 2.5mS, 2.8mS, 2.9mS
MODEL D1: fixed
MODEL D2: 0.15mS, 21mS, 55mS
- RECOVERY: sets the compressor’s release time.
MODEL B: 0.07S, 0.347S, 1.281S, 2.4S, 3.2S
MODEL C1: 0.266s, 0.5S, 1.2S, 2.2S, 4.56S
MODEL C2: 0.8S, 1.65S, 3.41S, 6.62S, 13.6S
MODEL D1: fixed – 0.4S
MODEL D2: 0.005S, 0.07S, 0.08S, 0.15S, 0.2S, 0.27S, 0.4S, 0.7S, 1.1S, 2.3S, 4.2S
Wet/Dry knob
SHMOD: Changes the attack envelope’s shape.
Filter = Internal sidechain, high pass.
SC = External sidechain
Equalizers – Two of them.
They work in a series fashion, as opposed to the parallel processing of the hardware.
They got rid of the boost/cut switches. That is a great thing!
Q control – Controls the bandwidth. Widest Q is at the fully counter-clockwise setting. At the narrowest Q setting, the full 20 dB of gain is allowed.
CL – Links the left/right channel controls
A – Enables EQ A
B – EQ B. Not available in mono version. No Q or shelf settings.
Similar to Pultec equalizers. I believe it is based on the EQ section of the VoxBox
Yellow filter numbers are the hardware sampling.
Preamps:
A1 Massive Passive Standard
A2 Massive Passive Mastering version
B – Maybe the Manley Core, Mic input
C – Variable Mu, compressor mode, Line input
D – Mono Pre, Manley SLAM! Mic input
D Mic – Stereo Microphone Input SLAM
D FLT – Stereo, 100 Hz HP filter on.
