“In a world where every sonic nuance matters, why let anything go to waste?”, ask Muramasa Audio, whose latest plug-in promises to offer a fresh new take on dynamic processing. Released via United Plugins, Phantomix takes a new and interesting approach with compression, using it as a tool to divide audio into two distinct signals for individual processing rather than a means of controlling dynamic range.
The plug-in’s initial set of controls provide everything you’d expect to see on a compressor: threshold, ratio, attack and release settings, along with knee and hold parameters and both low- and high-pass side-chain filters. Despite the appearance, the section is labelled as a Dynamic Splitter rather than a compressor, and it’s that definition that sets the plug-in apart from your average compressor.
Rather than simply ‘discarding’ the transients and dynamics that are ‘reined in’ by the process, the plug-in instead allows users to apply processing to each element of the signal individually. The two resulting signals are routed to Phantomix’s suite of built-in effects, allowing both the ‘prominent’ and ‘subtle’ elements of a source to be treated with independent EQ and compression, as well as a whole host of reverb, delay and modulation-based effects.
Key Features
- Dynamic Splitter: The heart of Phantomix, this unique feature isolatesand redirects dynamic nuances, allowing users to process only the prominent or subtle parts of their audio signal.
- Reverb & Delay: Achieve atmosphere without a muddy mix. Phantomix allows reverb and delay to be applied exclusively to prominent transients or subtle signal parts, preserving clarity and punch.
- Smack: Add saturation, distortion or limiting to only the prominent parts of a signal, giving transients a rich, powerful character while leaving the rest of the audio clean and untouched.
- Advanced Dynamic Processing: Phantomix offers a new approach to dynamic control. Users can compress transients, gate subtle hits to make them more prominent, or use the Transient module to shape their sound in ways that were previously impossible.
- Comprehensive Modulation Suite: Dive into a world of sonic movement with a full suite of chorus, flanger, phaser and tremolo effects, all of which can be applied to either the prominent or subtle parts of a signal.
- Precision EQ & Filters: Solve messy, problematic frequencies by applying EQ only to the prominent or subtle parts of the signal, allowing for surgical fixes that don't strip the audio of its essential character.
Compatibility
Phantomix is supported on PCs running Windows 10 and above, and Macs running macOS 10.14 or higher. VST, VST3, AU and AAX plug-in versions are available.
Pricing & Availability
Phantomix is available now, and is being offered at an introductory price of $22£16 / €19 until 10 October 2025, when it will increase to its full price of $92£68 / €79. GBP prices include VAT.
