Pulsar Modular have announced the launch of a new mixing and mastering plug-in bundle containing P455 MDN Sidecar and P450 MDN EQ. The former recreates the analogue signal chain of Marc Daniel Nelson, a two-time Grammy and French Academy Award-nominated mixing engineer and producer, while the latter offers a standalone four-band EQ.
Marc’s setup revolves around an API Sidecar console that was once housed in Sausalito Record Plant, featuring on classic albums including Fleetwood Mac's ‘Rumours’ and Stevie Wonder's ‘Songs in the Key of Life’. P455 MDN Sidecar captures a stereo signal path that includes a valve-driven stereo imaging circuit, a four-band EQ section, a custom compressor and a switchable output section that models two different A-D converter stages.
Input & EQ
An input section is occupied mostly by a pair of virtual VU meters, along with Input and Bias controls, and a 2 CH / 8 CH toggle switch. The Input dial makes it possible to emulate the effect of driving the console’s input transformers, while Bias sets the operating point for the modelled Line Amp section circuitry, offering a range of tonal options. Pulsar Modular say that the control sits after the EQ and compressor, and so can be useful to adjust the tonality to suit any processing applied with those sections. 2 CH / 8 CH is said to emulate the sound of the console being used as an eight-channel sub-mixer or two-channel master bus processor, each of which offer subtle sound character differences.
A four-band EQ section follows, with every band equipped with stepped gain and frequency controls with ±12dB of cut and boost and proportional Q. The low and high bands are paired with toggle switches that allow them to function either as a shelf or peak filters, while a third switch offers x1, x5 and x0.25 frequency multipliers for the low- and high-mid bands. There’s also an output control that offers a digital trim control after the EQ. A bank of low-pass and high-pass filter switches follow, and are independent of the EQ section, so will remain active even when the section is bypassed.
The bundle also includes P450 MDN EQ, which offers a standalone four-band EQ similar to the one featured in the Sidecar plug-in, but with a different selection of filter values and its own Bias control.
Compression, Conversion & Line Amp
The P450 MDN plug-in offers a standalone four-band EQ. Next up is the compressor section, which is based on the custom analogue design incorporated into Marc’s setup. Variable controls are provided for threshold, attack, release and output gain, with ratios of 1.2:1 and 1.8:1 provided by a pair of buttons — the company say that these seemingly ‘polite’ settings leave nothing to be desired in terms of character! Two more buttons follow, the first simply acting as a bypass switch for the section, and the second engaging an 80Hz high-pass filter in the compressor’s side-chain.
Finally, the plug-in’s output section is home to an Analog switch that provides access to the two switchable A-D converter models which, interestingly, are represented by pictures of Marc’s Norwich Terrier and Weimaraner (Willie and Atticus, for those who are wondering) along with a Line Amp switch that toggles the modelled analogue output circuitry on and off. The Line Amp is said to form a key part of the engineer’s signature sound, with the combination of valve, transformer and inductor-based circuitry offering some pleasing stereo width qualities. Lastly, a pair of output faders offer some clean digital gain at the end of the modelling chain.
Compatibility
P455 MDN Sidecar and P450 MDN EQ are supported on PCs running Windows 10 or above, and Macs running macOS 10.13 and higher. VST3, AU and AAX plug-in versions are available.
Pricing & Availability
P455 MDN Sidecar and P450 MDN EQ are available now, and are being offered at an introductory price of $189. After 31 March 2024, the price will increase to $225.
