TBProAudio: ISOL8 - Mix Monitoring Plug-in for Windows and Mac OS X

[TBProAudio]

TBProAudio has released ISOL8, a mix monitoring plugin with a 5 band filter and volume dim function.



ISOL8 offers following features:

• 5 adjustable frequency bands
• Solo/mute function for each band individually
• Linkwitz-Riley crossover filter design
• 24/48dB/Oct filter slope
• Multiple filter channel modes (Stereo/Left/Right/Mid/Side)
• Multiple monitor modes (Stereo/Left/Right/Mid/Side)
• Adjustable output level
• Loudness dim function
• Large and easy to use GUI
• 64-bit internal processing

System Requirements:

• Windows XP or newer
• Mac OS X 10.5 or newer
• Win: 32/64 Bit VST, 32/64 Bit VST3, 32 Bit RTAS, 32/64 Bit AAX
• OS X: 32/64 Bit VST, 32/64 Bit VST3, 32/64 Bit AU, 32 Bit RTAS, 32/64 Bit AAX
• Tested with: Cockos Reaper, Steinberg Cubase/Nuendo/Wavelab 6/7/8/9, FL Studio 12, ProTools 10/12

Price: Free

[TheMaartian]

Thank you! Vielen Dank!

[skippertag]

Originally Posted by TBProAudio

TBProAudio has released ISOL8, a mix monitoring plugin with a 5 band filter and volume dim function.



ISOL8 offers following features:

• 5 adjustable frequency bands
• Solo/mute function for each band individually
• Linkwitz-Riley crossover filter design
• 24/48dB/Oct filter slope
• Multiple filter channel modes (Stereo/Left/Right/Mid/Side)
• Multiple monitor modes (Stereo/Left/Right/Mid/Side)
• Adjustable output level
• Loudness dim function
• Large and easy to use GUI
• 64-bit internal processing

System Requirements:

• Windows XP or newer
• Mac OS X 10.5 or newer
• Win: 32/64 Bit VST, 32/64 Bit VST3, 32 Bit RTAS, 32/64 Bit AAX
• OS X: 32/64 Bit VST, 32/64 Bit VST3, 32/64 Bit AU, 32 Bit RTAS, 32/64 Bit AAX
• Tested with: Cockos Reaper, Steinberg Cubase/Nuendo/Wavelab 6/7/8/9, FL Studio 12, ProTools 10/12

Price: Free

Thanks

[RJHollins]

Works really nice .... Thank-You.

[TBProAudio]

Update to 1.0.1:
- GUI: orthographic rendering
- Filter Bypass: complete filter bypass
- Monitor: option to either monitor in-place or centered

[Robert Randolph]

Originally Posted by TBProAudio

Update to 1.0.1:
- GUI: orthographic rendering
- Filter Bypass: complete filter bypass
- Monitor: option to either monitor in-place or centered

Thank you very much!

[cymbals]

Thank you!

[deeb]

Thanks TB! Can anyone tell me example of typical use case for this type of plugin? : )

[karbomusic]

Originally Posted by deeb

Thanks TB! Can anyone tell me example of typical use case for this type of plugin? : )

It might go in "Monitor FX" which is global and only affects what you hear, not what you render. Usually used for "House Curves" when you need to EQ for small monitoring deficiencies in your monitoring environment.

[deeb]

Originally Posted by karbomusic

It might go in "Monitor FX" which is global and only affects what you hear, not what you render. Usually used for "House Curves" when you need to EQ for small monitoring deficiencies in your monitoring environment.

ahh i see ! sounds cool. Thank you

[Stella645]

Originally Posted by deeb

ahh i see ! sounds cool. Thank you

I think some wires maybe got crossed there. The plugin is not for EQing any house curve.
Maybe Karbo was suggesting this is something that might also be done in MonitorFX.

This plugin splits the frequency range into 5 bands which you can solo for analytical listening and/or comparison to other material.
You might for example want to mute the low end to check you can hear the bass on small speakers or you might want to compare the high end of your track to a commercial mix if something is bothering you about it and you struggle to pick out the problem in the overall mix.

It also allows monitoring of mid or side signals only as well as left or right channel only....basically it's for analytical listening.

[deeb]

Originally Posted by Stella645

I think some wires maybe got crossed there. The plugin is not for EQing any house curve.
Maybe Karbo was suggesting this is something that might also be done in MonitorFX.

This plugin splits the frequency range into 5 bands which you can solo for analytical listening and/or comparison to other material.
You might for example want to mute the low end to check you can hear the bass on small speakers or you might want to compare the high end of your track to a commercial mix if something is bothering you about it and you struggle to pick out the problem in the overall mix.

It also allows monitoring of mid or side signals only as well as left or right channel only....basically it's for analytical listening.

got it ! Thanks a lot! high five ! : )

[karbomusic]

Originally Posted by Stella645

I think some wires maybe got crossed there. The plugin is not for EQing any house curve.
Maybe Karbo was suggesting this is something that might also be done in MonitorFX.

Yea, I didn't read anything it just looked like a house curve EQ.

[Reason]

Originally Posted by karbomusic

Yea, I didn't read anything it just looked like a house curve EQ.

Why would you do that?

[karbomusic]

Originally Posted by Reason

Why would you do that?

Overrated!

[Tommy V]

Nice! Really nice !!!

Perfect for quickly isolating any region where 'headache' peaks may live so that they can be surgically EQ'd ....

The GUI design is beautiful .... nice work, Christian

One FR suggestion though: Would it be possible to include an "Exclusive Solo/Mute" function, perhaps using a keyboard modifier?

Good work TBProAudo !!!


~ Tommy V ~

[TBProAudio]

Originally Posted by Tommy V

One FR suggestion though: Would it be possible to include an "Exclusive Solo/Mute" function, perhaps using a keyboard modifier?

Could you please explain a little more what you mean?
Thank you!

[Tommy V]

Originally Posted by TBProAudio

Could you please explain a little more what you mean?
Thank you!

'Exclusive' Solo/Mute meaning to click on a solo/mute button to make it active, and then click to another, which would unsolo/unmute the active one and make the new 'region' active .... similar to Reaper's 'Exclusive Solo' using the CTRL-ALT keys to make the new solo/mute "exclusively active"

~ Tommy V ~

[TBProAudio]

Originally Posted by Tommy V

'Exclusive' Solo/Mute meaning to click on a solo/mute button to make it active, and then click to another, which would unsolo/unmute the active one and make the new 'region' active .... similar to Reaper's 'Exclusive Solo' using the CTRL-ALT keys to make the new solo/mute "exclusively active"

~ Tommy V ~

OK, got it. Will be released with next version!

[earforce]

Thank you Thomas, great little plugin, just help me a lot just yesterday. Great UI from crimson too.

[vanhaze]

Originally Posted by TBProAudio

OK, got it. Will be released with next version!

This is a great plugin, many thanx for the effort !

[Magicbuss]

Originally Posted by deeb

Thanks TB! Can anyone tell me example of typical use case for this type of plugin? : )

Throw it on monitor FX so it shows up in every project automatically. I have used EQ's to do this for years to listen to only the mids or lows in mono to see if theres anything lacking, too prominent or weird going on. Its also REALLY valuable to A/B your low end with a commercial recording of the same genre. You can use it to A/B mids and Highs as well but the low end is really where commercial recordings separate themselves from bedroom productions.

[Magicbuss]

Originally Posted by TBProAudio

OK, got it. Will be released with next version!

Is the "M" button for mono or mid? If its mid then I'd like to request a mono mode or button because mid removes the audio from the sides whereas mono would not (meaning its summed not removed).

[deeb]

Originally Posted by Magicbuss

Throw it on monitor FX so it shows up in every project automatically. I have used EQ's to do this for years to listen to only the mids or lows in mono to see if theres anything lacking, too prominent or weird going on. Its also REALLY valuable to A/B your low end with a commercial recording of the same genre. You can use it to A/B mids and Highs as well but the low end is really where commercial recordings separate themselves from bedroom productions.

Thanks man! very inspiring

[TBProAudio]

Originally Posted by Magicbuss

Is the "M" button for mono or mid? If its mid then I'd like to request a mono mode or button because mid removes the audio from the sides whereas mono would not (meaning its summed not removed).

"M" is for Mid: Mid=Left+Right which is in fact Mono!

[Magicbuss]

Originally Posted by TBProAudio

"M" is for Mid: Mid=Left+Right

So mid = mono? I thought in M/S, mid excludes the side information in the same way that side excludes the mid information.

For instance if I use a M/S EQ to EQ the mid it leaves the sides untouched and vice versa.

[TBProAudio]

Originally Posted by Magicbuss

So mid = mono? I thought in M/S, mid excludes the side information in the same way that side excludes the mid information.

For instance if I use a M/S EQ to EQ the mid it leaves the sides untouched and vice versa.

Please see here: Is there a difference between Mono and Mid?

[Reason]

Originally Posted by TBProAudio

Please see here: Is there a difference between Mono and Mid?

Not OP but of interest to me. So if I'm understanding it correctly, it's something like this?

mid divides a stereo signal into, er, middle and sides:
side | mid | side
which means that the "mid" is mono, and provides for the audio information in the "sides" to be processed separately, including the option to mix it out and therefore discard that information.

Whereas,
mono combines a stereo signal:
sidemidside

which reduces flexibility but retains all the audio information in the original signal.

is that right?

[karbomusic]

If the result is mono, it's better called mono. AKA name it per result, not per function used IMHO.

[RJHollins]

Originally Posted by Reason

Not OP but of interest to me. So if I'm understanding it correctly, it's something like this?

mid divides a stereo signal into, er, middle and sides:
side | mid | side
which means that the "mid" is mono, and provides for the audio information in the "sides" to be processed separately, including the option to mix it out and therefore discard that information.

Whereas,
mono combines a stereo signal:
sidemidside

which reduces flexibility but retains all the audio information in the original signal.

is that right?

You're making it more complicated than needed.

MID is the SUM of the Left and Right SIDE. BOTH added together [everything].

SIDE is the DIFFERENCE between the Left and Right [ONLY].

[Tod]

Originally Posted by RJHollins

MID is the SUM of the Left and Right SIDE. BOTH added together [everything].

But is this "in place", or are the sides actually combined into mono.

Of course it's going to be pretty much mono any way depending of where the crossovers are set.

[Reason]

Originally Posted by RJHollins

You're making it more complicated than needed.

MID is the SUM of the Left and Right SIDE. BOTH added together [everything].

SIDE is the DIFFERENCE between the Left and Right [ONLY].

I appreciate the reply but this I'm still struggling with practical application. Visuals help me, so...

Mid = Left+right
so basically the stereo signal summed to mono

whereas side = ?

but as Tod said, they both result in a mono signal. is that right?

[RJHollins]

Originally Posted by Tod

But is this "in place", or are the sides actually combined into mono.

Of course it's going to be pretty much mono any way depending of where the crossovers are set.

Think of it in reverse ... from the SIDES perspective.

The SIDES are 'created' by the DIFFerence between the Left and Right. The MID is both Left/Right COMBINED.

"One thing that can be confusing is that the “mid” signal actually contains signals that are panned completely left or completely right. These components are not ‘canceled out’. Rather, signals panned left or right will be relatively lower in amplitude than signals panned to the center."

Maybe this link can help [just another explanation]:
https://theproaudiofiles.com/mid-side-processing/

[Tod]

Originally Posted by RJHollins

Think of it in reverse ... from the SIDES perspective.

The SIDES are 'created' by the DIFFerence between the Left and Right. The MID is both Left/Right COMBINED.

"One thing that can be confusing is that the “mid” signal actually contains signals that are panned completely left or completely right. These components are not ‘canceled out’. Rather, signals panned left or right will be relatively lower in amplitude than signals panned to the center."

Maybe this link can help [just another explanation]:
https://theproaudiofiles.com/mid-side-processing/

Thanks RJ, I think I've got it, and yes, it would in place. This is an interesting plugin, I've DLed it and will check it out Probably in the monitor FX.

[Stella645]

EDIT: oops....spent so long thinking about how to say this simply that it doesn't need saying any longer

Side is Left-Right.

So basically you're phase inverting one channel and nulling the 2 channels. The mono material is identical in left and right so it completely nulls to silence. (or as RJ pointed out if panned mono lowered in level by the null)
The result is the stereo only component of your audio - The mopnitor of this is in place so not summed to mono.

[Reason]

Thanks RJ, that second link was very helpful for me.

Thanks to TBPro also, this looked interesting to me even before the above discussion, and now it looks even more interesting.

[Tommy V]

OT from the OP - mid/side processing
------------------------------------

(Since it's become part of the discussion) ---

I'm fascinated with experimenting with mid/side processing, but not really sure what exactly to do with it. There are plenty of articles out there describing *what* it is, what you *can* do with it, but none that I've found which offer specific procedures, scenarios, or the reason *why* a certain procedure would be implemented ....

As an example, just off the top of my head --- *what* would be the reason to compress the sides, or the mids, or both with different settings, and what would be a general start point for such a process?

Thanks

~ Tommy V ~

[Magicbuss]

Originally Posted by Tommy V

OT from the OP - mid/side processing
------------------------------------

(Since it's become part of the discussion) ---

I'm fascinated with experimenting with mid/side processing, but not really sure what exactly to do with it. There are plenty of articles out there describing *what* it is, what you *can* do with it, but none that I've found which offer specific procedures, scenarios, or the reason *why* a certain procedure would be implemented ....

As an example, just off the top of my head --- *what* would be the reason to compress the sides, or the mids, or both with different settings, and what would be a general start point for such a process?

Thanks

~ Tommy V ~

This is a pretty large topic and I'm by no means an expert but the basic jist is that for most pop records only a few important elements inhabit the middle of a stereo mix: Vocal, Snare, kick and bass primarily. M/S allows me to make adjustments to these while minimizing the effect on other elements that are panned. Or vice versa... making adjustments to the side elements with minimal damage to the middle.

So for instance if theres a nasal honk on the Vocal that I want to reduce but it makes the wide panned guitars sound wimpy I'll use a M/S EQ to make the cut on the middle leaving the guitars mostly intact.

Or say I have a stereo drum track and the snare is a bit more unruly than I'd like it to be. Slap a M/S comp on it, use the side chain filter so that the kick doesnt trigger it and you can compress the snare with less impact to everything else. Or maybe the wide panned cymbals are too bright but I like the snare the way it is so I just use a M/S EQ to make the sides darker.

Then there are tricks like using a M/S EQ to bump up the sides of a stereo mix by a DB with a high shelf which gives the illusion of greater stereo width.

[TBProAudio]

Update to 1.0.2:
- Solo/Mute Button: shift mouse click deactivates all other buttons

[Tommy V]

Originally Posted by TBProAudio

Update to 1.0.2:
- Solo/Mute Button: shift mouse click deactivates all other buttons

Thank You, TB !!!

~ Tommy V ~