Description
Blue Cat's MB-7 Mixer is a unique plug-in that splits the signal into several frequency bands and lets you mix them as if they were separate tracks.
Each band proposes controls that you can find on a mixing console, and more: bypass, mute or solo each band separately to isolate frequencies you want to work on, adjust the gain, the "stereoness" and the position in the stereo field. When manipulating the stereo image, a master mono switch also lets you check mono compatibility.
The plug-in also proposes unique linking and grouping options thanks to our multi-instances technology. You can link bands together within a single instance or between several instances of the plug-in on different tracks. This lets a simple fader control as many bands on as many tracks as you want. This is particularly useful when adjusting the placement or the balance of several competing tracks.
And as usual with Blue Cat Audio, the plug-in provides comprehensive visual feedback to let you know what's exactly going on: for each channel, monitor the spectrum, the in/out levels and the frequency response.
Thanks to its advanced MIDI and automation input capabilities, when combined with our other plug-ins, Blue Cat's MB-7 Mixer is capable of advanced side-chaining features that really unveils its potential. Check out our MB-7 Mixer Tutorials for more details.
If you are looking for a multiband dynamics processor that can be combined to this plug-in for side chain effects, check out the Blue Cat's MB-5 Dynamix plug-in.
Typical applications: Multiband levels correction, spectral enhancement, multiband stereo widening, multiband stereo placement, frequency isolation, EQ, spectrum inspection, mastering, spectrum-based side chain effects.
Features
Main Features:
- Multiband mixing console: adjust the levels, panning and "stereoness" of each band separately.
- Dual Mode: independent left and right or mid and side channels control.
- Multiple instances linking: group bands within a single instance or between multiple instances of the plug-in. Modify the spectrum on multiple tracks with a single slider.
- Up to 7 bands, with crossover filters from 6 to 96 dB/Oct for optimal separation.
- Bypass, mute, solo on every band.
- Mono switch on master for mono compatibility check.
- Complete visual feedback with real time response curves and levels display for each band.
- Side chaining made easy: a unique way to perform multi-band side chain compression, ducking, gating and much more.
- Plug-in window transparency management.
- No latency.
Blue Cat Audio Standards:
- Available as: Mac-AAX, Mac-AU, Mac-RTAS, Mac-VST, Win-DX, Win-RTAS, Win-VST, Win x64-DX, Win x64-VST.
- Native DSP code for optimal performance.
- Full MIDI control and automation support with silent, zipper-free parameters update, advanced response control and MIDI Learn.
- No CPU load on idle: when the plug-in is fed with silence, the processing smoothly shuts down, to optimize the CPU usage of your Digital Audio Workstation.
- Skinnable and customizable user interface with transparency management.
- Automation and MIDI output: record output parameters as automation curves or send MIDI CC messages to other plug-ins for powerful side chain effects.
- Smooth Bypass: activate/deactivate the plug-in with absolutely no noise.
- Undo/Redo.
- Import/Export presets in a host independent format.
- Any sample rate supported.
Screenshots
Click on the thumbnail to enlarge.
You can find more skins for this product here.
User Comments & Reviews
"It’s simple enough in concept, but factor in band-specific panning, stereo width, mute, bypass and solo, and you’ve got a powerful mastering and manipulation tool. [...]
In use, the MB-7 shows itself to be part mastering tool and part creative plug-in, particularly when you combine reverse linking of bands with some automation. But we found it particularly good for controlling the stereo width for specific frequency ranges on a multitude of stereo sources including drum kits, piano,strings and full mixes. This allowed us to make our sounds more expansive in the mid and high frequencies while retaining low-end cohesion. Equally, if you’ve time to kill, MB-7 can do a fair job of isolating sounds in mixed sources. [...]
These are precise, almost scientific tools[...]. So, they require time to truly get to grips with. In return, they'll continue to deliver as you explore their depths. [...] Pros: Clever ideas well implemented, Quality multiband processing, MB-7 linking options a nice touch, Cross-band internal sidechaining.
Verdict: 8/10. A super-flexible, great-sounding plug-in combo for the more technically inclined. " - , reviewed as part of Blue Cat's MB Dynamix Pack.
"With Blue Cat Audio's innovative MIDI side-chaining system, the sky's the limit.
[... Blue Cat's MB-7 Mixer] might seem an odd idea, but it actually provides alternative ways of implementing a number of fairly common processes.[...] It also has some fresh tricks up its sleeve, and most of these relate to Blue Cat's trademark linking techniques. [...] The possibilities are, quite literally, endless." - [Read Full Review]
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System Requirements
Windows
- An SSE2-enabled processor (Pentium 4 or later).
- Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 or 8.
- Any DirectX / VST / RTAS / AAX compatible host software (32 or 64 bit).
Mac OS X
- An Intel or PowerPC processor.
- Mac OS X Moutain Lion (10.8), Lion (10.7), Snow Leopard (10.6), or Leopard (10.5).
- Any VST / Audio Unit (32/64-bit) / RTAS / AAX compatible application.
For more information about supported platforms, see our FAQ.
Demo Limitations
- One single instance of the plug-in per session.
- The plug-in is regularly bypassed for a few seconds.
"Ganz still und heimlich wurde hier in Frankreich ein bahnbrechendes Recordingtool erschaffen, die Möglichkeiten sind immens, die Verbindung zu Gruppen ist innovativ und hervorragend gelöst. Der MB 7 Mixer ist mal wieder eins dieser Werkzeuge das man dann wenn man es kennt nicht mehr missen möchte. Das es hier eine fetten buenasideas.de Tipp gibt ist mir ein Bedürfniss." - www.buenasideas.de (Germany)
Translation: "Very quietly and secretly, here in France has been created a groundbreaking recording tool, the possibilities are huge, the connection to groups is innovative and achieved excellently. The MB 7 mixer is again one of those tools which you do not not want to do without when you know it."