We picked up on this back on August 15th and Plug-in Alliance have now released it. This is what they say about it…
Stereo by name, stereo by nature, bx_stereomaker is an upmixing tool that allows users to easily add pseudo-spatiality and width to mono source-recorded tracks like guitars, vocals, and room mics, while balancing the centre of the stereo signal and paying particular attention to its frequency range.
In reality, bx_stereomaker creates a virtual stereo signal with analogue-style filters using advanced digital science! Simply put, this is achieved by slicing the source signal’s spectral energy in an appropriate way to ensure that mono-compatibility is retained — providing the Tilt/ Pan knob remains untouched or centred. Depending on the frequency range of the mono source material being processed, bx_stereomaker can create a stereo image that is perceived as leaning a little leftward or rightward; tilting or panning allows adjustment of the stereo image to suit individual mixing taste.
As a result, the original signal is preserved when mixing the plug-in’s output down to mono.
Moreover, the effect can be band-limited to provide a tighter phase image in the bass frequency range (using the Mono- Frequency knob to select the frequency below which the output signal will remain mono), as well as making results sound more natural and less tinny (by turning up the Hi-Damp knob to roll off the spatial effect in the higher frequency range above 5kHz).
Further flexibility is available onscreen courtesy of the Stereo-Width knob (allowing adjustment of stereo width added to the mono signal to vary between 0% and 300%), Output Gain (-12dB to +12dB), plus a series of functional switches (L<>R — enabling the left and right channels to be exchanged before being fed into the Tilt/Pan section; Solo M — to solo the output signal’s non-spatial content; Solo S — to solo the pseudo-spatial content) and meters (L/R Peak; L/R RMS; Balance; Correlation).
Available in 64 and 32-bit versions, Brainworx’s bx_stereomaker plug-in can be purchased and downloaded (in all Mac OS X and Windows formats — VST 2.4, VST 3, RTAS, AU, AAX) for an introductory price of $95.00 USD until September 15 then rising to $129.00 USD thereafter.
We are looking forward to trying it to see if it can be mono compatible because certainly in broadcast workflows mono compatibility still matters.