Acustica Audio MAGENTA4 Review

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.

Author: Adam

Adam is a professional photographer, videographer and audio engineer. He started Real Home Recording back in 2011 and in 2017 launched Don't Go to Recording School.