EMPms User Manual

Mid/Side encoder, decoder and processor

  1. Introduction
  2. Quick start
  3. Interface overview
  4. Mode
  5. Width and gain
  1. Solo and mono maker
  2. Meters
  3. Presets and settings
  4. Specifications

1. Introduction

EMPms is a mid/side tool. It can convert a stereo signal into mid and side channels, convert mid/side back to stereo, or do the whole job in one insert (convert, process, and convert back), with width, mid and side gain, solo buttons, and a mono maker for the low end.

The mid channel is what the left and right sides share: the centre of the image, where vocals, kick, snare, and bass usually sit. The side channel is what makes left and right different: the width. Working on them separately lets you, for example, brighten the width without touching the vocal, or tighten the low end into mono.

2. Quick start

  1. Insert EMPms on a stereo track or bus. Leave Mode on Inline.
  2. Use Mid solo and Side solo to hear what lives in the centre and in the width.
  3. Adjust Width, Mid Gain, and Side Gain to balance the image.
  4. Turn on Mono maker to keep the low end solid and centred.
  5. Switch Bypass on and off to compare with the original.

3. Interface overview

The header holds the preset menu, undo and redo, the A/B compare buttons, the settings menu, and the Bypass button. Below it are the mode selector, the four knobs, the solo and mono maker buttons, and the mid/side meter on the right.

Tip: double-click any value label to type an exact number.

4. Mode

Mode sets what EMPms does with the signal:

  • Encode: converts stereo (left/right) into mid/side. The left output carries the mid and the right output carries the side. Use this to process the mid and side with other plug-ins placed after EMPms.
  • Decode: converts mid/side back into normal stereo. Place it after the plug-ins doing the processing.
  • Inline: does everything inside EMPms: converts to mid/side, applies this plug-in’s own controls, and converts back. This is the everyday mode.

Encode / Decode / Inline  ·  Default: Inline

Encode and Decode are exact, transparent conversions. Encoding and then decoding returns the original signal unchanged. The controls in the next section only act in Inline mode.

5. Width and gain

Width

Narrows or widens the stereo image by scaling the side channel. 0 % is mono, 100 % is unchanged, 200 % is widest.

0 % to 200 %  ·  Default: 100 %

Mid Gain

Turns the centre of the image up or down.

−24 dB to +24 dB  ·  Default: 0 dB

Side Gain

Turns the width up or down.

−24 dB to +24 dB  ·  Default: 0 dB

6. Solo and mono maker

Mid solo

Lets you hear only the mid channel, in mono. A monitoring aid: use it to hear exactly what sits in the centre.

On / Off  ·  Default: Off

Side solo

Lets you hear only the side channel, in mono. Use it to hear what lives in the width. If both solos are on, Mid solo takes priority.

On / Off  ·  Default: Off

Mono maker

Folds the side channel to mono below the Mono below frequency, keeping the low end solid and centred while the highs stay wide.

On / Off  ·  Default: Off

Mono below

The frequency under which Mono maker collapses the width.

20 Hz to 500 Hz  ·  Default: 120 Hz

Bypass

Passes the audio through with no processing. Use it to compare.

On / Off  ·  Default: Off

7. Meters

  • M and S meters: peak levels of the incoming mid and side channels, from 0 down to −48 dB. A strong M bar with a quiet S bar means a mostly-mono signal; a tall S bar means a wide one.
  • Overload lamp: lights when the incoming mid or side channel clips.

8. Presets and settings

  • Preset menu: factory presets plus your own saved settings; set a default that every new instance starts from, or reset to the factory default.
  • A / B: hold two setups and switch between them. A > B copies the current one across.
  • Undo / Redo: step backwards and forwards through changes.
  • Settings menu: interface size from 50 % to 200 %, the About panel with your licence information, and licence management.

9. Specifications

Item

Detail

Plug-in formats

Available in VST3, AU, AAX, and AudioSuite for macOS and Windows.

Trial Versions

The trial versions are fully functional with no feature limitations. After purchasing a licence key, you can unlock the trial without reinstalling.

macOS

Universal binary (Intel and Apple Silicon)

Windows

64-bit

Channel support

Stereo

Latency

None

Licence

Activation required, with a 20-day trial

EMPms User Manual · Belgrave Audio Mastering

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