CHANNEV

the “one strip to rule them all” channel tool

Meet CHANNEV: a modern channel strip that stuffs a mic preamp, de-esser, line amp, 4-band 81-style EQ, compressor, limiter, and tape saturation into one plug-in—then adds touchscreen support, 2× light oversampling, and a resizable UI for good measure. Think console vibes without chasing seven different insert slots.

Why it slaps

• Authentic front-end: Mic pre with up to +60 dB virtual gain, PAD, phase invert, HPF/LPF, plus pre-EQ shelves to shape before the chain.

• De-Esser with taste: Bell and Soft modes tame top-end nasties without the lisp.

• 81-style EQ, but freer: 4 bands with variable frequencies (not fixed steps), bell options on lows/highs, Hi-Q on mids, and post-filters to finish the carve.

• Dynamics your way: 2264-inspired compressor and limiter, now independent—each with its own external sidechain.

• Tape at the tail: Glue and harmonics that turn “pretty good” into “print it”.

• Quality of life: 2× oversampling (CPU-friendly), touch support, 50–200% resizable UI.

Fast start (60 seconds)

1. Trim screw to set healthy input (aim ~-12 dBFS peaks).

2. Pre filters: engage HPF (e.g., 60–80 Hz) and LPF if needed; add gentle pre shelves to set the tone.

3. De-ess: Bell/Soft until the sizzle chills without dulling the source.

4. EQ: sculpt with variable freqs; use Hi-Q mids for focused cuts.

5. Compress: 2–4 dB GR for glue; optional external SC from your kick/vocal guide.

6. Limit: catch only the true peaks (1–2 dB).

7. Tape: sprinkle warmth; A/B level-matched.

Pro tip: Order matters. CHANNEV’s default routing follows the analog workflow—tone → control → polish. If you’re boosting a lot at 5–8 kHz, recheck the de-esser threshold afterward.

Go-to recipes

• Vocal (polished pop)
  Pre HPF 80–100 Hz → De-Esser Soft → EQ: -2 dB @ 300 Hz, +2 dB @ 6 kHz (narrow) → Comp 3 dB GR, med attack/fast release → Limiter tickle → Tape light.

• Drum bus (tight + thick)
  Pre HPF 30–40 Hz → EQ: low shelf +1 dB @ 80 Hz, broad +1 dB @ 8 kHz → Comp 1–2 dB GR, slower release for pump → Limiter 1 dB → Tape medium.

• Bass (present, not boomy)
  Pre HPF 30–35 Hz → EQ: notch ~250 Hz, small shelf +1 dB @ 2–3 kHz → Comp 2–3 dB GR, med attack → Tape low for weight.

• Acoustic guitar (radio-ready)
  Pre HPF 80 Hz → De-Ess Bell if string squeak → EQ: trim 200–300 Hz, lift 10–12 kHz air → Comp 1–2 dB → Tape light, LPF ~16 kHz if needed.

Resizing tip

1. Open the plug-in before touching knobs → 2) Resize to taste (50–200%) → 3) Save as default preset in your DAW. New instances will match that size.
   Return to default any time: double-click the resize handle (bottom-right).

Formats & system

• macOS (10.11+): VST3 / AU / AAX Native + Audiosuite • Intel & Apple Silicon • Metal GPU required

• Windows 10–11: VST3 / AAX Native + Audiosuite • OpenGL GPU required

• v2.0.0: adds AAX, resizable UI, touchscreen support, graphical fixes

• Installers: Mac Installer • Windows Installer • Windows ZIP

Drop CHANNEV on your vocal or drum bus, set the trim, carve with the 81-style EQ, grab 2–3 dB with the comp, and finish with a whisper of tape. Console flow, in one window.

Source : patreon.com/