New Music Gear Monday: ProAudioDSP DSM Dynamic Sound Mapper Plugin

Did you ever want to copy the way a track sounds, but can’t quite do it even though you’re using the same plugins and settings? Did you ever hear a track and go “That’s perfect. I wish I could get my xxx (fill in the blank) to sound like that?” If you’ve run into these problems, then you’re a good candidate for the DSM V3 dynamic sound mapper plugin from ProAudioDSP.

Developed by Paul Frindle, the developer of some of the most beloved products in the recording history, including the SSL E / G series consoles and the SONY OXFORD OXF-3 digital boards, the Dynamic Spectrum Mapper (DSM) plugin gives you the ability to capture, modify and re-apply the spectral characteristics of your track during the recording, mixing and mastering stages.

The DSM lets you capture the signature sound from one track and dynamically impress it upon a different track in a way that gets you closer than with conventional EQ matching method. You can also use it to balance out individual tracks by capturing a perfect section of the song and then applying it to the whole track. Plus it adds a number of additional features like multiband compression, expansion, a mastering limiter and parallel compression via a Dry/Wet control.

How It’s Configured

The DSM is divided into 6 sections. The upper section has a full display that shows the frequency response of both the sound to be captured and the one you’re copying to, and input and output meters. Below that you’ll find the Process, Dynamics, Timing, Master and Frequency sections, each with their individual parameter controls. There’s a row of buttons in between that allow you to turn the various sections on or off, initiate capture, freeze the display, apply dither, and save and recall presets.

The Process section is all about control of the detector of the compressor/expander, allowing you to select various sidechain modes. The Dynamics section provides Threshold, Ratio, Gain, Attack, Release and Knee controls for the compressor. The Timing section is interesting in that it provides another set of compressor controls that operate against the entire frequency spectrum. Timing LF progressively increases the attack time for lower frequency signals in relation to higher frequency signals, while Timing HF does the opposite. The Master section features a limiter, Master Dry/Wet and Master Gain controls.

The final Frequency Bands section is across the bottom of the plugin. There you have the ability to use the above processes across any one or all of the 3 frequency bands (red, green and blue). There are Frequency, Threshold, Q and On/Off controls for each band.

The ProAudioDSP DSM V3 dynamic sound mapper plugin is available from Plugin Alliance for $299 (watch for a flash sale for a cheaper price) with a free 14 day trial period available. It’s Mac and PC compatible and will work on any plugin format. Plus you don’t need a dongle to use it.

Find out more info here, or watch the video below.

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