ATM BETTERMAKER User manual

BETTERMAKER
Mastering Compressor
Operations Manual
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The Bettermaker crew would like to thank all the people that were deeply involved in
the development of our first products, from EQ230P till this day
Thanks to all the Beta-testers that gave us hands-on tips and all people involved in the
conceptual stage We hope we have listened to you carefully so as to produce an ideal
tool in the hands of every engineer
Thank you guys!
I would like to personally thank my development team, the past and the present as
their passion to work and bright minds made all that happen I would not take all my
wild concepts to the point they are now without you guys
Marek
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Important Safety Information
Do not operate this unit in the presence of rain, liquids or condensing moisture
Liquid entering the product enclosure presents the risk of electric shock injury
Practical Safety Precautions
Do not operate the Bettermaker Mastering Compressor underwater, uncovered in the
rain, in a sauna or anyplace near water Always be sure to protect the unit from the
dust, particles, water, beer, groupies, and stage divers
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I. Intro uction
Congratulations on your purchase of the Bettermaker Mastering Compressor -
all analog sound with the flexibility of digital control! Welcome to the family! The
hybrid audio compressor now in your possession is the result of years of research and
development in emerging digital control technologies The final hand-built result is
currently glowing happily in your rack (lucky You) The Mastering Compressor
brings the flexibility, ease of use, and instant recall-ability of software plug-ins to the
realm of High Fidelity analog processing, like no other analog compressor on the
market
The Company
Addicted to Music has begun in 2004 in Warsaw, Poland as a recording and
mixing studio Long before it was a hardware company, we were deeply involved in
the international music and recording scene This is not a company run by scientists
who crunch numbers all day, we are a company run by engineers who live, eat, and
breathe music (like You do) We know good sound, and know first-hand what it takes
on both sides of the glass to capture the perfect take We developed the Mastering
Compressor to go from the perfect take, and make it even better!
Bettermaker Mastering Compressor
was designed to have the greatest flexibility of any analog compressor, while
still allowing absolute recall and repeatability We often found the strengths of
software plug-ins wasn’t their sound, but the ability to quickly audition different
settings This allowed us to make faster, better informed musical choices The ability
to jump back and forth between (sometimes vastly different) settings allowed us to
keep a clear vision of the sonic goal in mind, while quickly making decisions on the
best setting to use However, we recognized the sonic superiority of our analog gear
compared to their digital counterparts In countless shoot-outs, the analog versions
always won Since we’re a company that cares about better sound over processing
speed, our engineers would take the extra time to use a full analog chain because it
simply sounds better We developed the Bettermaker Mastering Compressor to give
us the speed of plug-ins, but the fidelity of analog domain
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In the traditional analog world the time spent in the act of having to set and
reset potentiometers and buttons to audition between settings often skewed our
choices More time was spent tweaking knobs trying to recover an earlier setting than
was spent listening The limited resolution of the mechanical parts often meant only
very coarse adjustments were possible (previously only solvable by very expensive
mechanical switches) A difficult situation to say the least, but the greater fidelity,
openness, and depth of the analog gear was always worth it to our ears
Even after years of advancement in digital algorithms, the older analog
versions always sounded better With these goals in mind, we strove to create a
hybrid compressor that was the best of both worlds: a true analog compressor based
on classic designs, but with the repeatability, fine resolution, and consistency of
digital plug-ins Enter the inspiration for the Bettermaker Mastering Compressor!
We’ve put a large amount of time, effort, money, and listening tests into the
research and development of the analog stages of the Bettermaker Mastering
Compressor We feel that it represents one of the best values, highest fidelity, and
newest methods of working available in audio today We set out to make a product
that broke new ground, a compressor with the highest sonic quality, ease of use, and a
full pallet of sound shaping tools to allow engineers to make the best-sounding
record In the following pages, we’ll share this knowledge, show how the controls
work and interact to provide a complete sound - sculpting system
The Bettermaker Mastering Compressor is a new approach to a well known
VCA compressor design Choosing modern components and design practices over
older traditional methods helped maintain the transient response and low noise-floor
necessary for today’s recording practices Wherever possible we choose over-spec’d
components to ensure trouble free operation and a long product life Where feasible
we increased the gain resolution and frequency range to ensure the greatest flexibility
no matter what source (from tracking to 2-bus and mastering applications) Most
importantly we listened first, changed, tested and then listened again We hope you
enjoy your Bettermaker Mastering Compressor
Now go make some music Better!
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II. Important safety information
Before you turn the unit on
Before turning the unit on for the first time, remember to set it to correct AC
voltage (115V or 230V) depending on your location Always use quality AC power
cord with safety (earth) pin and ensure that the power outlet in the wall has the earth
connection too It is important for safety reasons but also helps to keep the unit’s
noise levels low
Safety Warnings
Do not operate this unit in the presence of rain, liquids or condensing moisture
Liquid entering the product enclosure presents the risk of electric shock injury
Do not operate the Bettermaker Mastering Compressor in any place near water
Always be sure to protect the unit from dust, particles, water, beer, groupies, and
stage divers
For normal operation it is not necessary to access the interior of the Mastering
Compressor The only user serviceable part is the AC fuse located in the compartment
below the AC mains socket
Always remove the AC power cord from the socket before attempting to
change the fuse (0 63A slow-blow fuse)
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III. Construction of the Mastering Compressor
The sound of the Compressor is of course based on the quality of its analog
audio path But all the control and user interactions are performed in the digital
domain This allows us to incorporate options and possibilities not found in any
standard analog compressors:
Save and recall presets from on-board memory (400 slots available)
Instant reset of all parameters
Rapid, precise and repeatable adjustments
Precisely linked stereo operation with the ease of a single control
DAW automation and recall of all available parameters
Front panel an LCD touchscreen
The front panel of the Mastering Compressor is build around big LCD
touchscreen, that allows you to control almost all functions available in the device
Apart from that, you can also monitor input/output levels, amount of gain reduction
applied by the compressor or store and recall presets using on-screen QWERTY
keyboard
On both sides of the LCD screen you will find five knobs placed on endless
rotary encoders These knobs are labeled Threshold, P1, P2, P3/P4 and P5/Reset
While the purpose of Threshold knob is self-explanatory the assignment of P1 to P5
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knobs may vary, depending on the currently selected screen P3/P4 and P5/Reset
knobs also have push-button functionality All knobs are velocity-sensitive for fine
increment/decrements when turned slowly
The ENGAGE button allows you to turn the audio processing on (the button is
lit) or bypass the unit (relay based true bypass). When you turn the Mastering
Compressor off completely (hold MA NS switch for 3 seconds) it will still pass
unprocessed audio.
Analog section
Great care and thought went into the development and implementation of the
analog section of the Bettermaker Mastering Compressor High quality capacitors and
low noise op-amps are used in the analog path Relays were used, whenever creating
the shortest path for the audio signal was necessary
The analog section consist of high quality input/output buffers capable of
passing thru high level audio signals, multiple active filters, coloring section based on
VCA and Zener diodes, M/S matrix, VCA Compressor (famous THAT chips) with
different characteristics, sidechain circuit with external hardware insert and precise
gain stage for fine adjustments
All these modules are controlled by the digital section of the Mastering
Compressor, so no mechanical switches or knobs are required to adjust any of the
parameters
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Internal signal path
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Incoming signal first runs thru High Pass Filter (HPF) that allows you to cut
off unnecessary frequencies prior to further processing It’s all analog HPF with
24dB/octave slope You can choose the cut-off frequency from 15/20/25/30 Hz or
disable HPF completely Then the signal enters the M/S matrix circuit From that
point you either work with stereo (dual mono) or M/S signal that runs thru VCA
(Voltage Controlled Amplifier) Compressed signal is mixed with dry signal (for
parallel compression) At this point you can apply some gentle Zener diode based
saturation to your mix Lastly signal goes thru output gain stage and the M/S matrix
that converts it back to L-R stereo For better understanding please check the signal
path diagram above
The sidechain signal that triggers the compressor can be sourced either before
or after VCA – this is known as feed-forward and feed-back VCA Group of analog
filters (HPF, parametric filter and LPF) allows you to shape the signal before it goes
to peak/RMS detector The sidechain also features hardware insert point – you can
either use external EQ (if the internal is not sufficient enough) or any other audio
processor You can also use the insert to input external sidechain signal that will
trigger the compression (ducking effect)
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IV. General Operation
The guide below will walk you thru all the screens and functions available in
the Mastering Compressor
Connecting the Mastering Compressor to your system
Apart from selecting the correct AC voltage and connecting AC plug to the
wall socket (with grounding pin) you will also need:
- to connect the USB LINK to your MAC/PC It is recommended to use quality
USB cable that is no longer than 1 5m or additional USB hubs might be required
The USB LINK will allow you to control the unit from your favorite DAW via
VST/AAX/AU Bettermaker control plug-in and perform the firmware update in the
future
- to connect XLR and TRS inputs and outputs Using balanced, quality cables is
essential here to provide best possible signal quality with very low noise floor
Markings on the back of the unit will make this process very straightforward
Main Screen
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After powering the unit on, you will be transferred to the main screen called
BASIC (tap BASIC again to toggle PLUGIN VIEW mode) At the bottom you will
see the parameters linked to particular knobs on the front of the unit This parameters
will change depending on the tab you select (EXTENDED or SIDECHAIN) If the
value and encoder name is gray, the parameter is not available in currently selected
mode (for example Width is only available in M/S mode) P3 and P4 share the same
encoder but you can push the knob or tap on the screen to choose what you want to
adjust (for example MIX or Width; selected parameter is highlighte with re
square) P5/Reset knob is controlling parameter P5 (Output Gain), but if pressed
twice rapidly it will RESET all compressor settings to default
Other parameters can be changed with the touchscreen From the top left
corner: A/B comparison – you can quickly switch between set A and B Hol ing P5
for 2 seconds will copy settings from preset A to B or B to A Please note that only
one set will be remembered if you restart the Mastering Compressor – the last used
Pressing HPF icon opens menu with following options:
This is the analog 24 B/octave High Pass Filter section - the very first stage
for incoming signal (after input buffers)
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Pressing STEREO icon allows you to change the compressor mode to stereo
(default), M/S or dual mono In stereo mode all parameters for both channels are
linked This also applies to the VCA detector circuit – it prioritizes the higher level
channel (left or right), so the stereo image is more consistent and predictable
In M/S or dual-mono mode extra two icons appear: LEFT/RIGHT or
MID/SIDE and FOCUS The first one toggles between channels (note that settings
on the screen will change if two channels have different settings) FOCUS will
simply solo selected channel – you can for example solo mid channel in M/S mode to
make your adjustments more precise
The rest of the screen shows the compression threshold setting, compression
modes (BM, DX, SG), ratio, gain reduction meter and input/output level metering
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Compression Mo es
The Bettermaker Mastering Compressor can work in three different
Compression Modes Each of them has different functions, ranges and application
BM mode:
This is our unique approach to compression This mode is the most versatile one with
long attack time available and variable compression knee The attack time in this
mode ranges form 5 to 250 milliseconds and the release ranges form 10 to 800
milliseconds When BM mode is enabled the manual ratio icon activates as the fourth
choice – you can assign any ratio from 0 7:1 (expan er!) to 10:1 in the EXTENDED
tab
In this mode the AUTO-R (automatic release) function is available The compressor
will alter the release time based on the dynamic content of the audio signal The
millisecond/BPM conversion is a very useful feature – you can turn it on by tapping
below AUTO-R icon
SG mode:
This mode is inspired by famous buss compressor from well known British console
manufacturer The character and all the settings are similar, but you get additional
options like Dry/Wet mix, sidechain filters and dual mono operation The attack and
release times are wider than in the original and you can set them fluently opposed to
fixed points This mode uses fixed soft knee
DX mode:
The DX mode is inspired by one of the most famous studio “workhorses” It has
fixed attack (40ms) and release (100ms) times and hard compression knee Although
its aggressiveness, people tend to use it on everything from vocals to bass, drums and
guitars
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Below the compression mode selector you’ll find icons representing
pre efine compression ratios - 1 5:1, 2:1, 4:1 and MANUAL.
BM mode opens the way to very flexible compression settings as the manual ratio is
available only in this mode (you can adjust it in the EXTENDED tab)
TAP TO SAVE icon gives you quick access to save menu It also allows you to
check if current settings are saved - it will become red if your preset has been
modified
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Once you change tab to EXTENDED you gain access to more sophisticated
functionality The P1 knob controls RATIO with 0 1 step precision P2 controls the
compression knee parameter from 1 to 20 dB By choosing 20dB you will use the
most gentle knee available in our Mastering Compressor Please note that manual
ratio and manual knee is available in BM mode only – in SG and DX modes this
parameters will be grayed out P3 controls Gain Reduction Range (GR RANGE)
This is extremely useful mastering tool that helps you to avoid over-compressed
tracks Let us explain: firstly you have to enable this mode by tapping ENABLE icon
By setting (with P3 knob) the GR RANGE value to 2 dB, the Mastering Compressor
will never apply more than 2dB of gain reduction Thanks to this feature you can
increase overall RMS level of the song without squashing it down to death
Bettermaker Mastering Compressor allows you to use two independent
coloring circuits that add harmonics to your mixes P4 knob allows you to change the
VCA’s THD This is a very gentle sounding warm analog distortion that is level
independent Something like vintage British console warmth The next option is the
analog clipper based on Zener diodes (located after the VCA stage) This circuit is
more aggressive and punchy than VCA THD You can engage it by selecting CLIP
ODD or CLIP EVEN or both Please note that the DRIVE parameter appears Now
the P5 knob controls either DRIVE or OUTPUT gain Tap on the screen to choose
which parameter you wish to adjust The DRIVE is simply amount of distortion
generated by the clipper (it is the gain before the clipper) If you switch back to
OUTPUT then you adjust the compressor output level again (gain after the clipper)
If you apply a lot of drive (up to 10dB is available!), lowering the output gain makes
a lot of sense – it will help you to avoid the ADC overload in your studio
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Moving to the SIDECHAIN screen
The sidechain circuit is equipped with three independent filters: HPF
controlled by P1, parametric filter controlled by P2, P3, P4 and LPF controlled by
P5 knob All these filters can work independently or all together (use ENABLE icons
to engage each of them) You can shape the sidechain signal in the variety of different
ways and turn Mastering Compressor into band compressor or sophisticated de-esser
Additionally you can enable hardware INSERT that is located before internal
sidechain filters and plug your favorite EQ or other device into the sidechain Please
refer back to the signal path diagram presented before Two dedicated TRS
connectors are located on the back of the unit You can also use the insert point for
injecting external sidechain signal that will trigger the compression (ducking effect)
By pressing LISTEN icon you will hear the sidechain signal in your monitor
speakers Of course all equalization will be applied This is a very useful feature,
which appears only in the best hardware compressors and let’s you precisely control
the dynamics of your mix/master On top of that, if you work in M/S or dual mono
mode, you can tap on FOCUS icon and listen only to the mid/side/left/right part of
the sidechain for even more control
Awesome!
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Next to the LISTEN icon you’ll find FORWARD and BACKWARD feed
modes This selects the source for sidechain signal – before or after VCA – and
allows you to completely change the compression’s character As Forward is known
for being punchy and dynamic, Backward compression can produce very interesting
type of sound which can be found in Indy Rock like genres
Here you can also choose if you want the sidechain detector to react to the
peaks or to the RMS level of the signal By selecting PEAK the compressor will act
faster, allowing every transient to trigger the gain reduction In RMS mode, more
dynamic range can be kept, as the compressor will respond to overall change in signal
level rather than short peaks It is very handy when you need gentle mastering
compression
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Main Menu
To enter the MAIN MENU please tap MENU on any of the compressor
screens Here you can change the input and output level meter TYPE (PEAK or
RMS) and the PEAK HOLD time constant In RMS mode, the value in decibels is
shown below the input/output level meters If peak hold is set to FAST then the peak
value markers will fall within 2 seconds after the signal disappears In INF (infinity)
mode, user can tap on one of the meters to reset the peak value markers
The next section in the menu is dedicated to saving and loading presets By
pressing LOAD icon, you will enter presets list Move P1 knob to search the list, and
press LOAD to recall selected preset
After pressing SAVE in Main Menu, choose free slot by moving P1 knob and
press SAVE again Use onscreen keyboard to enter new name for the preset You can
also RENAME or DELETE unused preset
On the presets list you may notice the RED or GREEN ot beside the number
and name The dot shows up when the preset was loaded or saved If you’ve loaded a
preset, but haven’t made any changes to it, the dot will be GREEN But if any
changes have been made, the dot will turn RED You will also get UNSAVED!
warning on every screen of the Mastering Compressor – this is a sign that you should
save your preset again before you turn the unit off
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You can lock all the compressor controls by pressing LOCK icon in the main
menu This allows you to avoid accidental changes made by your coworkers, kids,
cats, dogs or wife :) To unlock the unit, hold P3/P4 and P5/RESET knobs together.
Settings
Press SETUP icon in the Main Menu to enter settings window Here you can
adjust the BRIGHTNESS of the screen (touch and drag the virtual slider on the
screen), check the firmware/hardware version of your unit, see the number of power
cycles (how many times the unit was turned off and on), serial number of your
Mastering Compressor and its up time
To update the Mastering Compressor’s firmware press the FIRMWARE
UPDATE button and follow on-screen instructions
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