The most faithful emulation of a modern yet legendary tube compressor/limiter – perfect glue for mixing and mastering



An industry-standard tube compressor
There are several reasons to use a variable-bias tube compressor. One is the exceptional compression transparency that this kind of compressor can achieve, even when pushed into extreme gain reduction. Another – and perhaps the most common – is their ability to add cohesion or “glue” to buses, whole mixes and masters.

Unfortunately, the original hardware is expensive and difficult to integrate with “in-the-box” workflows. Software emulations exist but most owners of the hardware agree that they cannot be compared to the original unit, as there’s always “something” missing.

With its unique Topology Preservation Technology, Pulsar Mu sounds objectively identical to the hardware in every production context, and even makes improvements such as an increased signal-to-noise ratio.


Improving on a classic

Pulsar Mu is a stereo compressor operating in either Left/Right or Mid/Side modes, designed with mixing and mastering applications in mind, but also flexible enough for tracking. It can be used for levelling, limiting, or just to add a bit of analog warmth with its emulated tube signal path.


While reproducing the accurate SIFAM metering of the original unit, Pulsar Mu also provides a more modern visualization mode for fine-tuning compression settings, representing the waveform and gain reduction both over time and instantaneously.

Pulsar Mu also offers various options that apply to the sidechain signal. A popular mod of the original device was to add a high-pass filter, but Mu goes even further, offering a more complete equalization section, enabling to precisely adjust the compressor’s response to bass, midrange and treble using only four knobs.

Another addition is the possibility of advancing (look-ahead) or delaying (look-behind) the sidechain signal. This enables you to take ultimate control over transients, letting the compressor start to react before they happen, over even after they happen, opening up all kinds of creative uses.




How does it sound ?
Transparent but musical
The sound of Pulsar Mu is impressively transparent with a touch of warmth. It manages transients in a soft and musical way, even with extreme settings, unlike a FET or VCA compressor. With Mu, you can add movement while respecting the natural dynamics of a source.

Mastering
The most classic use of Mu is in mastering: it brings the discreet "polish" and "glue" to subtly warm up any mix. It can be used either transparently as a leveller (with long attack and release), as a compressor to add glue (slow attack with fast release), or as a limiter (fast attack and fast release). Using Mu in Mid/Side mode gives you another way to increase stereo image, or to curtail an overly wide mix.

Drum buss
Pulsar Mu can quickly create the “glue” needed for cohesive drum buss processing, while still respecting transients – even those of a kick drum. Depending on the chosen gain reduction and release time, it can restore the room ambience essential for certain styles of music – especially when used as a parallel compressor.

Acoustic guitar
On an acoustic guitar, with a relatively low gain reduction setting, Pulsar Mu creates a nice organic groove, while respecting the transients of the instrument. This subtlety is useful for livening up a dull, stiff guitar track, giving it edge and personality.

Snare drum
Pulsar Mu can give body and consistency to thin snare drums sounds, even while preserving their transients, which are essential for helping them break through the mix. When pushed a little harder, Mu can help you recover sustain, harmonics, or even ambience.

Vocals
Pulsar Mu sounds particularly good on vocals – especially with fairly high input and medium attack and release. It gives them the analog-style warmth to help them sit naturally, even in a dense mix.

More info, audio demo sounds, videos etc:
https://pulsar.audio/mu/

 

Last edited: Sep 24, 2019

Very intersting, thank you. If it's really well programmed, that is a piece of software. And it's on offer actually @ 49,00 €

 

There is a comparison on site:
Dry vs original hardware (on gearslutz guy said it is emulation of Manley Variable Mu) vs Pulsar Mu vs other competitors.
Several audio materials, like loops, master buss etc.
Video demos of edm sidechain, guitar, vox, bass grit, gentle limiting etc

 

On their kvr page there is said: pace interlok

 

Last edited: Sep 24, 2019

iLok harshes my mellow. It's a no go. Too bad, it sounds pretty dang good. MagicDeathEye is what I'll buy as I dig the extended demo from the sister site, what it does for drums, vocals and squidtars.

 

Also, it features an oversampling option (up to x8 oversampling)

 

Now this is something. impressed.

 

ilok = cancel download

 

As I am like many others, not a fan of iLok, thought about what is already in my VST folder that may give simliar results.

IK Multinedia Dyna-MU came to mind. Surprisingly very good.

 

When checking it with Volume Compensator (M4L patch for Live) Found that it doing nothing to sound excetp volume leveling, even on extreamely high knobs position. Or it too transparent. Not for me. Abletons compressor works same, or even better for me. I have UAD ver of MU and it works as expected from gear emulation.

 

As a generality, claims of Muiness in software compressors tends either towards the the sproingy creaminess of the original UAD Fairchild legacy emulation, or the clampy hugginess of the Manley approved Vari-Mu emulation. I wouldn't describe either of those as "impressively transparent with a touch of warmth". Pulsar Audio Mu may be a good compressor, I don't know and probably never will, but it's knob for knob copying of the Manley design suggests to me that it's trying to claim something it probably doesn't have, and wonder about the original engraved Manley faceplates being trademarks. But hey, who cares, not me.

 

Last edited by a moderator: Sep 25, 2019

wow looks really interesting. But... Ilok free since 2016.

 

I just find it hard to take a developer seriously who illustrates the emulation of a 5670 dual triode compressor with what looks like the circuit diagram of an 12ax7/ecc83 bass amplifier. The 5670 is direct heated.

 

Would you reject a Ferrari because youd have to buy a 50$ key?

 

AR-1 from Kush Audio

 

"ilok" is a old native indian word that in english means R2R

 

Last edited by a moderator: Sep 26, 2019

Never thought about it.. but I would never bother Frank w/ those 50 bucks for the keys back then. His friends might just take me on a trip to Mojave Desert, one way ;). Just joking, Von. Always nice to see you around.

Seriously tho, IMO it's valuable info for devs to have an idea, how their "protection schemes" impact the biz..

 

To me the real nuisance here is not that it uses ilok (which is no problem at all as far as I'm concerned) but that it uses ilok cloud

If you don't have a dongle - which I don't even have a free port for anymore unless i want to start disconnecting and reconnecting hardware all the time - you have to be constantly online to use it.

Seems I just saved $50. Maybe I'll put it in the "software I didn't buy" fund and get myself a nice piece of hardware in several months

People seem to really be impressed with this compressor though. Too bad.