Pajczur Audio Plugins offers PajSoil EiS, a free creative compressor plugin for macOS and Windows.
PajSoil EiS is the little brother of the previously released PajSoil unrestricted compressor(€24.99). Despite being a free version, PajSoil EiS maintains many key features from the original, making it ideal for exaggerated and creative compression.
One of the main features of PajSoil Eis is that it offers negative ratios (up to -0.1:1), which enables a sort of ducking effect, and other interesting/quirky effects.
Negative compression ratios don’t come up in every casual conversation about compression. When they do, people often debate their validity or give differing explanations as to what they actually mean.
So, it’s a good idea to look at the concept in its most basic form.
A standard or common ratio, like 2:1, will attenuate the signal by a set amount; in this case, it would attenuate by 1 dB for every 2dB if the signal goes beyond the threshold.
A ratio of ∞:1, limiting, will output no increase above the threshold at all.
A negative ratio will push the signal below the threshold by a set amount rather than just attenuate it above the threshold. The louder the input, the quieter the output, and sounds that never cross the threshold at all, can be the loudest.
The idea that the signal is bent downwards so emphatically is why we can use it for those ducking, pumping, or gating effects.
PajSoil EiS offers extremely short attack/release times (up to total zero) and look ahead from zero to 20ms. It also has a Hold time feature from zero to 50ms.
You can get more creative with various sidechain options, including the SC Low Cut, and there’s a Mix knob for parallel compression.
Although it can provide the gentler side of compression, too, I think it’s fair to say that PajSoil EiS isn’t a typical compressor, but it’s trying to be more innovative and encourage experimental use.
If you’re looking for something a bit less experimental, try Hammer from Vidar Audio.
PajSoil EiS is available in 64-bit AU, VST3, and AAX formats for macOS and Windows.
Download: PajSoil EiS
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