ToC – Meet the GOAT of Mono Compatibility

ToC (To Center) is a stereo tool designed to improve mono compatibility as transparently as possible, only touching what needs to be touched and without ruining the existing stereo field. It can be used while producing, mixing, or mastering.

It has three main controls, each approaching the stereo image in a different way.

Width
Makes it wider.

This is the stereo widening method originally developed for the upcoming plugin NBB. It increases perceived width naturally and works independently of the mono-repair functions. I ditched it for other options in NBB, but used it in ToC since it sounds really cool for some material, and I wanted it somewhere.

Resonance Repair
Puts selected missing spectral identity into the center.

After analyzing the audio, Resonance Repair uses stable frequency areas that are strong in the Side signal but weak or missing when the mix is summed to mono. Selected parts of that information are then carefully represented in the center.

The idea is not to pull the entire instrument toward the middle. A pair of wide guitars, for example, should still sound wide in stereo, while retaining more of their spectral identity when heard in mono.

Phase Repair
Reduces destructive L/R phase without changing level-based panning.

Phase Repair looks for frequency areas where similar information exists in the left and right channels but destructive interchannel phase causes it to weaken or disappear when summed to mono.

It adjusts the relative phase only as much as necessary to improve the mono sum while preserving the level relationship between the channels, and therefore the original level-based panning.

Resonance Repair + Phase Repair

Both repair methods can be used at the same time. When they are combined, the DSP adapts how much each method needs to contribute so they work together instead of trying to repair the same problem twice.

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How to use ToC

1. Find a section to analyze

Play a section where you can hear the problem you want to fix. This could be a part where guitars, piano, synths, or other stereo information changes significantly in level when you switch to mono.

It does not necessarily have to be a problem. You can also analyze a section that already sounds good if you simply want to see if ToC can improve its mono compatibility or make the stereo image sound more solid.

Press Analyze while the section is playing. ToC will analyze the incoming audio for 10 seconds.

2. Adjust Resonance Repair and Phase Repair

Once the analysis is finished, start bringing in Resonance Repair and Phase Repair and adjust them until you get the result you want.

These are the main functions of ToC. You do not need to use both, but they are designed to work together when both are needed.

3. Check the result in mono

Use the Mono button to listen to the mono sum while adjusting the plugin.

For example, if a pair of wide guitars almost disappears in mono, you can listen for how much of their character comes back as you increase Resonance Repair or Phase Repair.

You can also use Bypass while Mono is enabled. The signal will remain in mono when ToC is bypassed, making it easy to compare the original mono sum directly with the repaired version.

A Side monitoring button is planned for the next update, which will make it possible to listen directly to the Side information as well.

4. Add Width if needed

Width is completely optional and is not the main purpose of ToC.

Sometimes improving mono compatibility can make a mix feel slightly less wide. If that happens, Width is there as a little extra seasoning to bring some of that stereo feeling back.

If the mix already has the width you want, simply leave it alone.

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Formats:
Mac – VST3 & AU
Win – VST3

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