Windows-G E-Expander600An advanced JSFX expander plugin for REAPER that offers: * Two Expansion Modes: 1. Upward Expansion: Increases gain of signals above the threshold based on the upward ratio. 2. Downward Expansion: Reduces gain of signals below the threshold based on the downward ratio. * Lookahead Control (0 ms to 20 ms): Controls the lookahead time of the expander in milliseconds. Lookahead delays the main track's audio slightly to let the expander analyze the audio ahead of time and respond before the transients arrive, so the expander is able to anticipate peaks for accurate gain increase/reduction. This ensures that the first milliseconds of transients are preserved and not softened or chopped off. This is great for preserving the attack of percussive sounds. The latency it introduces is reported to the DAW for automatic delay compensation. Turn lookahead off by setting the control to 0 ms. * Two Detection Source Modes: 1. Main Input: The expander uses the main track's audio for both detection and dynamic range expansion. 2. Sidechain Input: The expander listens to an external sidechain input for detection while applying expansion to the main track's audio. * Detection Gain (-30 dB to +30 dB): Boosts or attenuates the level of the detection signal only (it does not affect the main track's level). This is useful for ensuring the detection signal is at the optimal level to trigger the expander accurately. * Detection HPF (10 Hz to 20 kHz): A 12dB/oct high-pass filter that removes low frequencies from the detection signal. This is useful for preventing unwanted low frequencies from falsely triggering the expander. The filter becomes active only when the frequency is set above 10 Hz. * Detection LPF (20 Hz to 21 kHz): A 12dB/oct low-pass filter that removes high frequencies from the detection signal. This is useful for preventing unwanted high frequencies from falsely triggering the expander. The filter becomes active only when the frequency is set below 21 kHz * Two Level Detection Modes: 1. Peak: Makes the expander respond to instantaneous peak levels in the detection audio. The loudest peak levels are held for 30 milliseconds to minimize rapid opening and closing of the expander. This mode is ideal for audio requiring fast expansion, such as drums or percussion. 2. RMS: Uses Root Mean Square calculation to make the expander react to the average power of the detection audio over a time window. This makes the expander less responsive to instantaneous peak levels. This mode is ideal for audio requiring slower, smoother expansion like pads, piano or other sustained sounds. * RMS Window (1 ms to 1000 ms): Only active in RMS mode. It defines the time window for RMS averaging and determines how averaged the RMS level is. Shorter windows (1 ms to 140 ms) make the expander react quickly to changes in peak level, longer windows (400 ms to 1000 ms) make the expander react very slowly to changes in peak level, while medium windows (150 ms to 390 ms) offer a middle ground between fast and slow expansion. * Three Detection Channel Modes: 1. Stereo: Makes the expander dynamically react to the loudest of the left and right channels. Ideal for stereo detection signals where the content may shift between the left and right channels. 2. Left Only: Makes the expander react only to the signal levels from the left channel. This is useful when the detection signal is panned to the left. 3. Right Only: Makes the expander react only to the signal levels from the right channel. This is useful when the detection signal is panned to the right. * Upward Ratio (1:X, 1.0 to 10.0): Controls how much gain increase is applied to signals above the threshold. A ratio of 1.0:1 provides no expansion, while higher ratios provide more dramatic gain increase. Only visible in upward expansion mode. * Downward Ratio (X:1, 1.0 to 100): Controls how much gain reduction is applied to signals below the threshold. A ratio of 1.0:1 provides no expansion, 1.5:1 provides gentle downward expansion, 5:1 and above provide more and more gating behavior as you go higher, and 100:1 provides complete hard gating like a traditional noise gate. Only visible in downward expansion mode. * Threshold (–100 dB to 0 dB): Displayed as a white line on the detection level meter. This is the main threshold that determines when expansion occurs. In upward expansion mode, signals above this threshold are increased in level. In downward expansion mode, when the signal drops below this threshold, the expander closes (unless the Hold or Hysteresis is set above 0) and signals below this threshold are reduced. * Hysteresis (0 dB to 30 dB): Creates a second, lower closing threshold displayed as a yellow line on the detection level meter. In upward expansion mode, it creates a hold zone with the main threshold. When the signal is within that zone, it holds the gain and prevents the gain increase from fully returning to unity. In downward expansion mode, the expander opens when the detection signal exceeds the main threshold, but only closes when the signal drops below the close threshold. This prevents rapid opening and closing of the expander that occurs when the detection signal hovers around the main threshold. * Range (dB): In upward expansion mode (0 dB to 100 dB), this controls the maximum amount of gain increase that can be applied. At 0 dB, no gain increase is applied (upward expansion is disabled). In downward expansion mode (-100 dB to 0 dB), this controls the maximum amount of gain reduction that can be applied when the expander closes. A setting of -20 dB provides gentle gain reduction and preserves ambience, −50 dB is nearly silent, and −100 dB provides complete silence. At 0 dB, there is no gain reduction (downward expansion is disabled). * Attack (1 ms to 1000 ms): In upward expansion mode, it controls how fast the expander increases gain when the detected signal exceeds the threshold. Fast attack times (1 ms to 10 ms) allow the expander to boost signals quickly, while slower attack times (50 ms to 1000 ms) create a gradual gain increase. The attack uses an exponential curve for smooth upward expansion. In downward expansion mode, it controls how fast the expander opens from a closed state when the detected signal exceeds the threshold. It's the expander's opening time in milliseconds and uses an exponential curve for a smooth opening. Fast attack (1 ms to 10 ms) preserves transients, mid-range attack (15 ms to 40 ms) softens transients, while slower attack (50 ms to 1000 ms) creates a pronounced fade-in effect as the expander opens. * Hold (0 ms to 1000 ms): In upward expansion mode, it controls how long the expander maintains increased gain after the detected signal drops below the threshold. This prevents the gain from decreasing during brief dips in level, which minimizes pumping. In downward expansion mode, it controls how long the expander remains fully open after the detected signal drops below the close threshold. Once the signal level falls below the close threshold, hold keeps the expander fully open for a set time in milliseconds, preventing the expander from closing during brief dips in the signal level. Hold is inactive when set to 0 ms. * Release (1 ms to 5000 ms): In upward expansion mode, it controls how fast the increased gain returns to unity after the detected signal drops below the threshold and the hold time has expired. Fast release (1 ms to 40 ms) creates fast drop in gain which is good for drums, while slow release (150 ms to 1500 ms) makes the gain increase return toward unity at slow pace which is ideal for sustained sounds. Medium release (50 ms to 140 ms) provides a middle ground between fast and gradual gain drop. In downward expansion mode, it controls how fast the gate closes after the detected signal drops below the close threshold and the hold time has expired. It is the expander's closing time in milliseconds and uses an exponential curve for a smooth sound. Fast release (1 ms to 40 ms) makes the expander to close quickly, which is ideal for drums, percussion, and for creating choppy rhythmic downward expansion. Slow release (150 ms to 5000 ms) makes the expander close gradually, which is ideal for sustained sounds. Medium release (50 ms to 140 ms) provides a middle ground between fast and gradual closure. The release uses an exponential curve in both upward and downward expansion modes for smooth sound. * Dry/Wet (0% to 100%): Controls the mix between the original (dry) signal and the expanded (wet) signal, ranging from 0% (fully dry) to 100% (fully wet). This is useful for parallel expansion. * Output Gain (–30dB to +30dB): Sets the final output level of the expanded signal only. This control does not affect the detection signal level. * Filter Preview ON/OFF (Button): When turned ON, it solos the output of the detection high-pass and low-pass filters, allowing the user to hear the exact signal being used to trigger the expander. This is useful when tweaking the filters to isolate the desired trigger frequency. It is available for automation as "Filter Preview" in the plugin's parameter list. * Invert/Duck ON/OFF (Button): Only available in downward expansion mode. When turned ON, it inverts the downward expansion behavior. Instead of the expander opening when the detected signal exceeds the main threshold and closing when the signal drops below the close threshold, it opens when the signal drops below the close threshold and closes when the signal exceeds the main threshold. This is typically used for ducking when combined with Sidechain Input mode, making the plugin function like a sidechain compressor. For example, inserting the plugin on a music track and routing a vocal track as a sidechain to the plugin (with detection source set to Sidechain Input and Invert/Duck turned ON) will make the music automatically duck whenever the vocal track plays. It is available for automation as "Invert/Duck" in the plugin's parameter list. * GUI Bypass Button: A dedicated bypass button for toggling the expansion effect on or off without audio clicks. Available for automation as "Bypass (Smooth)" in the parameter list. * GUI Delta Button: Solos the difference between the wet and dry signals. It makes you hear what the expander removed or added to the main signal. This is very useful when adjusting settings. Available for automation as "Delta (Smooth)" in the plugin's parameter list. * GUI Detection Level Meter: Displays the current detection signal levels on a -100 dB to 0 dB scale. The white line represents the threshold, and the yellow line (when Hysteresis is set above 0 dB) represents the close threshold. * GUI Gain Reduction/Gain Increase Meter: In downward expansion mode, it displays the current amount of gain reduction being applied by the expander with a green fill. The meter reflects normal gain reduction by default, but shows inverted/ducked gain reduction when the Invert/Duck button is ON. In upward Expansion mode, it displays the output level with an orange fill. The orange fill accounts for the dry/wet and output gain, so changes in these two parameters will reflect in the meter. * GUI Detection Level Readout (dB): A numerical display of the maximum detection signal level since playback started. The value automatically resets on each playback start. * GUI Gain Increase Readout: A numerical display of the current amount of gain increase being applied by the upward expander. * GUI Max Gain Increase Readout: A numerical display of the maximum gain increase applied by the upward expander since playback started. * GUI Output Max Readout (upward expansion mode only): A numerical display of the maximum output level reached since playback started. * GUI Gain Reduction Readout (dB): A numerical display of the current amount of gain reduction being applied by the downward expander. * GUI HPF/LPF Status Indicators: Show the active/inactive status of the detection high-pass and low-pass filters. * Zipper-Noise-Free Operation: Advanced interpolation ensures no zipper noise during slider automation or real-time adjustments. * Minimal CPU Usage You can grab it for $14. All future updates are free, just make sure to use a valid email so I can send future updates to you. Listen to the audio demos here or on the Gumroad product page to hear what the plugin can do. Email Support: info.windowsg@gmail.com ================================================== Using This JSFX Plugin in Other DAWs: If you want to use this JSFX plugin in other DAWs, you can do so using the open-source YSFX plugin. YSFX is available in VST3, AU, and CLAP formats for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Download your preferred version of YSFX from here (Click on "Assets" for the downloads to appear): https://github.com/JoepVanlier/ysfx/releases YSFX comes in two versions: * ysfx-s FX (for JSFX effects). * ysfx-s instrument (for JSFX instruments). 1. Open ysfx-s FX in your DAW, 2. Then click "Load", find your "E-Expander600_Windows-G" file, and click "Open." The JSFX plugin will now run inside the YSFX host, working perfectly in any DAW that supports VST3, AU, or CLAP plugins. Read More