Music production is a continuous search for the ideal sound. Every engineer, every producer strives to make their tracks more powerful, transparent, and dynamic. Dynamics processing plays a key role here. Compression is one of the most important tools in this arsenal, allowing you to control peaks, level out volume, and add density to tracks. However, sometimes classic compression can “kill” dynamics, smoothing out attacks and making the sound less “alive.” This is where more advanced techniques come to the rescue, such as parallel compression, which combines the compressed signal with the original, preserving naturalness and adding weight.
In the world of free plugins, you don’t often find a tool that offers such refined functionality. Introducing boost from de la Mancha – a VST effect designed to give your tracks exactly the impulse they lack, especially in the low and high-frequency ranges. It’s not just a compressor, but a smart tool for parallel processing, allowing you to achieve professional results without unnecessary effort.
boost is a two-band parallel compressor. Its main idea is to isolate and enhance the energy in the low and high frequencies, simultaneously mixing this processed signal with the unprocessed original. This approach allows you to get a dense, “pumped” sound without losing details and dynamic transitions that are present in the original audio material. This is ideal for adding weight to drums, “airiness” to vocals or instruments, or simply for the overall “tuning” of the mix.
Main features of boost
The boost plugin offers an intuitive interface and a set of features that make it a powerful tool in your studio:
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Two-band stereo compression
Allows you to compress signals independently in the low and high-frequency ranges. This allows you to precisely control dynamics exactly where it’s needed, without affecting the mid-range, or by applying different degrees of compression to different parts of the spectrum.
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Parallel compression
The key feature of the plugin. Instead of completely replacing the original signal with the compressed one, boost mixes them. This preserves the natural transients of the original sound while adding density and sustain from the heavily compressed signal. The result is a louder, denser sound that still breathes.
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Gain Reduction indicators
Visual feedback is extremely important. Gain Reduction indicators clearly demonstrate when and how strongly the compressors are working in each band, helping you visually adjust the desired level of compression.
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Boost control
This main control allows you to control the balance between the dry and wet signal. By increasing the Boost value, you add more of the compressed signal to the original, achieving the desired intensity of parallel compression.
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Gain control
Adjusts the input level of the signal entering the compressors. Increasing the Gain leads to stronger compression, as the signal crosses the threshold more often and by a greater amount. Use it to achieve the desired level of compression before mixing.
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High and Low controls
These controls control the output level (output gain) of the processed signal separately for high and low frequencies. After compression and parallel mixing, you can further “pull out” or dampen the processed lows or highs, finalizing the sound.
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MIDI CC mapping
All the main controls of the plugin can be assigned to MIDI controllers, which allows you to automate the boost parameters directly from your controller or DAW, opening up additional possibilities for dynamic processing in time.
boost from de la Mancha is not just another compressor. It is a tool specifically optimized for “pumping” low and high frequencies using the effective technique of parallel compression. It is ideal for adding “punch” and weight to bass lines and kick drums, “airiness” and detail to cymbals, percussion, or acoustic instruments. It can be used on individual tracks or even on group buses to add overall density and presence.
If you are looking for a simple but powerful tool to improve the dynamics and frequency balance of your tracks, boost is worth your attention. Thanks to two-band parallel compression and intuitive controls, you can quickly achieve a professional sound. Add boost to your VST effects collection and feel the difference!
