TransGainer
by Voxengo · Transient Shaper · Transient shaper
Not rated yet
A transient shaper that adjusts the attack and sustain stages of a sound by reacting to transients rather than to level.
It offers four processing algorithms, mid/side and surround support, and Voxengo suggests it as a replacement for gates and expanders.
Best for: Drums, Drum Bus, Mix Bus, Acoustic Instruments. Genres: all genres.
Keywords: mid/side, drums, full mix, low latency, bus processing, downward expansion, drum bus, enhancement, mix bus, mixing, oversampling, punchy, single-band, tight, zero-latency.
What it does
TransGainer is Voxengo's transient shaper. It "implements an audio signal envelope adjustment algorithm that reacts on transients rather than on a signal's loudness level," so it works the same on quiet and loud hits, on single tracks or full mixes.
- Attack and sustain gain: positive or negative gain for the transient stage and for the sustain that follows.
- Four algorithms: including a "legacy" algorithm with 5 processing modes.
- Timing control: set the expected average time between transients and the transient threshold for more precise detection.
- Channel options: stereo, mid/side, routing and grouping, plus 5.1/7.1 surround.
- Quality: up to 8x oversampling and 64-bit floating point processing at zero latency.
Version 1.15. The demo mutes output briefly every 45 seconds.
When to use it
TransGainer covers the same job as SPL Transient Designer Plus, Softube Transient Shaper and Kilohearts Transient Shaper, the simplest of the three. It adds surround and mid/side handling, several algorithms and control over transient spacing, which helps on dense mixes, reverb tails and restoration work.
- Best for: adding punch to or softening drums, tightening sustain in place of a gate, and reshaping reverb tails.
- Genres: any; it's a general dynamics tool.
- Look elsewhere if: you want a two-knob shaper with no setup; Kilohearts Transient Shaper or SPL Transient Designer Plus are quicker.
- Standout: level-independent transient detection with four algorithms and mid/side or surround processing.
Where to buy
- AudioDeluxe: $43
- Voxengo: $49.85 (Listed at €43.90; converted at €1 = $1.1355 (ECB rate, 29 Sep 2026))
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