TIMBRAL BOX
HARMONICS ARE A VOLUME CONTROL
TIMBRAL BOX
HARMONICS ARE A VOLUME CONTROL
Timbral Box creates presence, emphasises the sound and, if desired, adds compression, but all of this takes place in parallel and through musical harmonic saturation.
HARMONICS ARE A VOLUME CONTROL
A Parallel harmonics eq/enhancer.
Nowadays, we all seek volume and the perception of a present sound; however, this often comes at the cost of too much compression. Timbral Box creates presence, emphasises the sound and, if desired, adds compression, but all of this takes place in parallel and through musical harmonic saturation.
INPUT SECTION
From left to right: Input knob, Input Meter. This plugin is calibrated to operate at -12 dBFS, although I recommend staying at -18 dBFS. The VU zero here corresponds to -12. In the next section, you’ll find the bypass functions (do I really need to explain what these are for?) and the extremely useful autogain function. To prevent automatic volume fluctuations, I’ve included the “Analyze” function. As soon as you turn it on, it analyzes the current state by default and creates a match between the input and output. If you make significant changes to the parameters, I recommend using the “Analyze” button to update the compensation settings. TRANSFORMER: This section alone is worth the entire plugin! A transformer stage from an esoteric 1970s processor... two massive, rich-sounding transformers controlled by the saturation knob; this parameter modulates the transformer stage in different ways. The gain reduction meter shows you how much and how the parallel compression section is working. Output... is the output! -GAIN LINK: This function creates a gain compensation link between input and output. The link is made proportionally, in the state in which it is switched on: engage it with the input at −5 dB and the output at 0 dB, and that proportional state of −5 dB is held. Tip: Once the setting sounds right, try changing the input level by a few dB with GAIN LINK engaged. This acts as a further fine tuning of the sound, because it changes the behaviour of the whole chain in proportion.
The basic concept within the various modules
Before we dive into the various sections, here’s a brief explanation of how this nifty plugin works: each section introduces, IN PARALLEL, not only harmonics but also a portion of the signal that has been filtered differently across the three bands. The process behind the scenes is very dynamic and musical, and varies for each section. In fact, you can always think of Model A as a less distorted model that’s more oriented toward clipping, while Model B is a combination of clipping and saturation that dynamically interacts with the “Shape” parameter.
Bass processor
Bass Shape: This is the most important parameter I recommend you experiment with. When you move the saturation curve in the negative (counterclockwise) direction, the sound in general becomes “freer.” You’ll notice that as you move it in the negative direction, the bass takes on a very interesting character; not only do they become more prominent, but an interesting effect is created that can be described as “lengthening the sound”—the transient remains free, and the harmonics resonate more, giving the bass greater depth. If you turn it clockwise (or in the positive direction), however, the effect you’ll get will be “tighter” and more solid. As always, I recommend experimenting with the music you’re working with. FREQUENCY SELECTOR: shifts the processor’s operating center; the frequencies were chosen both by ear and based on the Fibonacci sequence, and believe it or not, it always sounds better when you use these cuts! PHASE SELECTOR: Whenever possible, I always recommend using linear phase, even if it adds more latency to the session. However, in certain cases—such as with individual instruments—natural phase works well. The choice is yours. I just recommend always using linear phase on buses and master buses. SAT MODE: There are no rules here—the only rule is whatever sounds best to you! In general, A is less “dense,” which in some cases is all you need, while B creates more diffuse and compact harmonics. Two different sounds.
MID PROCESSOR
This is the "busiest" area, and for good reason: the settings can significantly improve or worsen the sound, so I've tried to provide as many control options as possible. STARTING POINT: Set Sat mode to A and Blend to 0%. This way, the processor acts as a pure parallel equalizer. The mid focus in this case slightly affects the sound, but only very slightly, because it is designed to work with the exciter section. This setting is very useful if you want to give the midrange a subtle presence without adding any particular tone. BLEND: This parameter affects only Algorithm A; it changes the harmonic curve it produces. It is very useful in both Mode A and Mode B because it allows you to perform very subtle sound shaping. MID SHAPE: As with the Bass section, this control has a huge impact on both the harmonic behavior and the handling of transients; here, you can “compress” or “lengthen” the sound. I recommend starting with the settings at zero, finding the desired focus frequency and algorithm, and then experimenting with positive or negative values to hear how the sound changes depending on what you’re looking for. MID FOCUS & MID FREQ: These parameters drastically change the tonal center of the harmonic generations produced by the various algorithms. Set MID FOCUS to its maximum positive and negative values to find the right frequency, and then start from zero again to find the right sweet spot. SAT MODE: As for the Bass Processor A is less “dense,” which in some cases is all you need, while B creates more diffuse and compact harmonics. Two different sounds. 3D: Well, How can I explain this section to you? It creates a very musical and subtle—yet exciting—sense of depth. The phase is not altered in any way.
HIGH PROCESSOR
HI SHAPE: As with the other sections, the same rule applies HI SPARKLE: This section adds an extra boost to the high frequencies in parallel. Use it with caution—your ears get used to it quickly, and too much high-end isn't always what you need! SAT MODE: The same activation method as the other algorithms, but with different calibration settings for this application. PHASE: On some individual instruments, the normal mode works well, but in general, whenever possible, I recommend always using it in linear mode—as with the bass.
PARALLEL COMPRESSION
The concept behind this plugin is to keep the source as unaltered as possible, while generating harmonics or adding presence around it. The same applies to the compressor. Don’t think of this section as a classic compressor, but rather as a section that can enhance the perceived quality of the sound while keeping the transients intact, or as a colorizer for loops or drums by using Mode A and adjusting the Movement parameter. MOVEMENT: This parameter controls both the compressor's threshold and the curve it operates on. It's a powerful tool because, together with the Release parameter, it allows you to create musical movement around the source. RELEASE: Release Time COMPRESSOR MODE: INSTRUMENTS / FULL MIX. This selector switches between two parallel compression modes. WARNING: The Instruments mode is designed for sound design or tone shaping; in Mix mode or on instruments where you don’t want to alter the sound too much, it can cause damage! At the same time, when you want to make certain elements of a single instrument resonate or “vibrate,” it can be very rewarding. The Instruments mode is a cross between a multiband compressor and an OTT compressor. It's de Facto a compander shaped by Movement knob You can hear how it creates a very colorful and beautiful dynamic movement on a drum bus or drum loops. Experiment!
Timbral Box on a Unmastered Mix
In this video, we can hear how the processor sounds in various mixes
Timbral Box on Drums
Timbral Box on Acoustic Guitar
Sound Examples
AAX, AU, VST3 versions
64-bit only
Ableton Live 11+ (Mac & PC: AU, VST3)
Bitwig 4+ (Mac & PC: AU, VST3)
Cubase 13+ (Mac & PC: VST3)
Digital Performer 11+ (Mac & PC: AU, VST3)
FL Studio 23+ (Mac & PC: VST3)
Garageband 10+ (AU)
Logic Pro 10+ (AU)
Pro Tools 12+ (Mac & PC: AAX)
Presonus Studio One 5+ / Fender Studio (Mac & PC: AU, VST3)
Reaper 6+ (Mac & PC: VST3)
Cakewalk Next by BandLab (PC: VST3)
AAX is a trademark and software of Avid Technology. Audio Units is a trademark and software of Apple Inc. VST3 is a trademark and software of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH.
AAX, VST3, AU versions included
64-bit only (Mac / PC)
Mac OS X 10.15 or higher (Intel native | ARM native)
Windows 10
At least 4GB of RAM, 16GB is recommended
At least 200MB of free drive space (OS drive)
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