ANCHOR is a new utility plugin designed to compensate for level changes introduced by audio processing such as compression, EQ, saturation, clipping, and limiting. The tool works by preserving the overall balance of a mix while allowing users to apply processing without unintended shifts in loudness.
Processing tools often alter not only tone and dynamics but also output level. These level changes can affect mix balance, influence before-and-after comparisons, and require repeated gain adjustments. ANCHOR is designed to address this by automatically compensating for processing-related level differences while retaining the character and effect of the applied processing.
The system operates using two paired plugins:
- ANCHOR START, placed before the plugin or processing chain
- ANCHOR END, placed after the plugin or processing chain
Once START and END are paired, users play the audio continuously to establish a reference. ANCHOR START is bit-transparent and does not alter the incoming signal. ANCHOR END compares the same musical section before and after processing and applies a single broadband trim gain to compensate for any level change introduced within the chain.
The compensation is limited to overall gain adjustment. According to the developer, ANCHOR does not undo or modify the sonic characteristics introduced by processing. This includes:
- Equalisation changes
- Compression and other dynamic adjustments
- Saturation and harmonic content
- Transient shaping
- Stereo imaging
- Reverb and spatial processing
The intention is to maintain the level balance established in a mix while preserving the tonal and dynamic decisions made through processing. By separating loudness compensation from tonal changes, ANCHOR is designed to make comparisons between processed and unprocessed signals more consistent.
Possible use cases include placing the paired plugins around a single processor, an entire plugin chain, a track, or a bus. The developer notes that this approach can help maintain track and bus balance while building complex processing chains and reduce the need for repeated manual output gain adjustments.
ANCHOR is provided in the following formats:
- macOS: VST3 and AU
- Windows: VST3
ANCHOR is available free of charge.
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