J1000 Releases Free PKS1 Waveshaper VST Plugin

J1000 has announced the release of PKS1, a freeware waveshaper effect in VST plugin format for Windows based host applications.

PKS1 is a waveshaper effect with adjustable threshold, meaning that it’s possible to precisely control the amount of waveshaping distortion that is applied to the processed audio signal. Furthermore, the plugin provides a choice between three different waveshaping curves (mild, medium and hard), as well as LPF and HPF processing modes (in addition to the default full spectrum mode), allowing the user to pinpoint a specific part of the incoming signal’s frequency spectrum. Finally, PKS1 features not one, but two threshold controls, providing the means to control the waveshaping of the signal’s positive and negative phase independently.

All of these added features make PKS1 an invaluable tool for extremely precise control over the processed signal’s peaks. In practice, the plugin can be very handy for taming the excess peaks after the audio signal leaves a compressor, or even for completely substituting a compressor and/or a brickwall limiter in the signal chain. Even though it’s quite a bit more complex than a vanilla waveshaper effect, PKS1 is very easy to use and the built-in dual waveform display (which shows the dry and wet signal in real time) makes it easy to adjust the amount of applied waveshaping distortion even in a less than perfect listening environment.

One of the potential scenarios in which PKS1 would be very useful is, for example, reducing the dynamic range of a stereo drum mix in which the kick drum is peaking. One option would be to load PKS1 in LPF mode, use the plugin’s Freq parameter to isolate the bass frequencies (press the Solo button while adjusting the Freq slider to preview the signal which is will be processed) and then apply some subtle waveshaping to iron out the dynamics of the low end. This way, the rest of the drum mix will remain pretty much intact, whereas the low end would be put under control.

Oh and let’s not forget to mention the new GUI style which is unlike any other previous J1000 release. The color palette is fantastic, easy on the eyes, yet very fresh an modern looking. The controls are nicely laid out and the aforementioned real-time waveform display is really handy.

All things considered, PKS1 is one of my favorite J1000 plugins so far. This developer has released numerous useful (and also quite original) mixing and mastering tools over the years and his products keep getting better and better. Hopefully, these plugins will be ported to 64-bit VST format at some point in the future, although they do indeed work well in jBridge.

Download

PKS1 is available for free download via J1000 (1.72 MB download size, RAR archive, 32-bit VST plugin format for Windows, made with SynthEdit).