---
title: XeniAudio McPlugins — User Manual
subtitle: Mc · MbMc · McMsc · MbMcMsc — v1.6.0
author: Tony Cuny — XeniAudio
date: May 2026
---

# XeniAudio McPlugins

**Professional Compressor Suite — v1.6.0**

| Plugin | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| **Mc** | Single-band compressor |
| **McMsc** | Single-band compressor + shared memory sidechain |
| **MbMc** | Multiband compressor (1–6 bands) |
| **MbMcMsc** | Multiband compressor + shared memory sidechain |

All 4 plugins share the same compression engine with **7 emulation types** (vari-mu Tube, opto Optical, solid-state VCA, JFET, auto-release Bus, clean Digital, and the new **DBR** diode-bridge type introduced in v1.3.0) and are sold as a single bundle.

---

\newpage

# Installation

## System Requirements

| Platform | Minimum |
|----------|---------|
| **OS** | Windows 10+ (64-bit), Linux (x86-64-v3), macOS 11+ (Intel/Apple Silicon) |
| **DAW** | Any VST3 or CLAP host |
| **CPU** | x86-64 with AVX2 support |
| **RAM** | 2 GB |

## Plugin Formats

- **VST3** — Universal format supported by most DAWs (Windows, Linux, macOS)
- **Audio Unit (AU)** — Native macOS plugin format. Logic Pro, GarageBand, MainStage, Live, Studio One, Reaper and any other AU host (macOS only)
- **CLAP** — Modern plugin format (REAPER, Bitwig, etc.) (Windows, Linux, macOS)

## Installing

### Windows

1. Download the `XeniAudio-Installer.exe` from your purchase confirmation email
2. Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions
3. The installer will place plugins in:
   - VST3: `C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\`
   - CLAP: `C:\Program Files\Common Files\CLAP\`
4. Restart your DAW and scan for new plugins

### Linux

1. Download the `XeniAudio-Linux.tar.gz` archive
2. Extract it and run the install script:
   ```
   tar xzf XeniAudio-Linux.tar.gz
   cd XeniAudio-Linux
   ./install.sh
   ```
3. Plugins are installed to:
   - VST3: `~/.vst3/`
   - CLAP: `~/.clap/`
4. Rescan plugins in your DAW

### macOS

1. Download `McPlugins-<version>-macOS.dmg`
2. Double-click the DMG, then double-click `McPlugins-<version>-Installer.pkg`
3. By default, the installer places plugins for **the current user only** (`~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/`).
   To install for **all users of the Mac** (`/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/`), click *Customize*
   or *Change Install Location...* and pick *Install for all users of this computer*
4. Choose which formats to install (VST3, **Audio Unit**, CLAP — all three selected by default) and finish the installer
5. Restart your DAW and rescan for new plugins. If Logic Pro / GarageBand
   doesn't see the AU plugins after install, force an AU re-validation by
   running in Terminal: `killall -9 AudioComponentRegistrar`

### macOS Gatekeeper — bypass instructions

The installer is **not yet signed** with an Apple Developer ID. Depending on your macOS version, you may see one of these messages when opening the `.dmg` or running the `.pkg`:

- *"cannot be opened because it is from an unidentified developer"*
- *"is damaged and can't be opened"* (false positive — the file is not damaged)
- *"could not verify [the file] is free of malware"*

**Method 1 — System Settings (works on all modern macOS, required on macOS 15 Sequoia+)**

After macOS blocks the first attempt:

1. Open **System Settings** (or *System Preferences* on older macOS) → **Privacy & Security**
2. Scroll down to the *Security* section
3. You will see *"`McPlugins-X.Y.Z-Installer.pkg` was blocked to protect your Mac"* (or similar)
4. Click **"Open Anyway"** next to that line
5. Confirm with your password if asked, then re-open the file from Finder — it will now be allowed

**Method 2 — Right-click → Open (works on macOS 14 Sonoma and earlier)**

1. In Finder, **right-click** (or Control-click) the `.pkg` file
2. Choose **Open** from the contextual menu
3. Click **Open** again in the security dialog

**If the DMG itself is blocked** ("cannot be opened" before you even see the `.pkg`), use the same procedure on the `.dmg` first. After it mounts, you may need to repeat the procedure on the `.pkg` inside.

**For the installed plugins.** macOS may also block the plugin bundles themselves the first time the DAW loads them. The same **System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway** flow works there too — it'll show the bundle name (e.g. `Mc.component`) instead of the installer.

Once approved, all four plugins are remembered and load silently from then on. A signed installer is on the v1.5.x roadmap to make this transparent.

## Verifying Installation

After installation, search for "XeniAudio" or the plugin names in your DAW's plugin browser. You should see:

- XeniAudio Mc
- XeniAudio MbMc
- XeniAudio McMsc
- XeniAudio MbMcMsc

---

\newpage

# License Activation

## Demo Mode

Without a license, all plugins operate in **demo mode**: audio is briefly muted every 60 seconds with a smooth fade-out/fade-in. This lets you fully test the plugins before purchasing.

## Activating Your License

All 4 plugins share a single license — activate once and all plugins are unlocked.

### Activation Steps

1. **Purchase** the McPlugins bundle from [Gumroad](https://xeniaudio.gumroad.com) or your authorized reseller
2. You will receive a **license key** by email in the format: `XENI-XXXXXXXX-XXXXXXXX`
3. In any XeniAudio plugin, click the **"DEMO"** badge in the plugin header
4. Enter your license key in the dialog and press **Enter** or click **Unlock**
5. The plugin confirms activation and the "DEMO" badge disappears
6. **All 4 plugins** on this computer are now unlocked (they share the same license file)

### License Storage

The license key is stored locally on your computer:

- **Linux:** `~/.config/XeniAudio/license.key`
- **Windows:** `%APPDATA%\XeniAudio\license.key`
- **macOS:** `~/Library/Application Support/XeniAudio/license.key`

### Troubleshooting

- **"Invalid key"** — Make sure you typed the key exactly as provided (case-insensitive, dashes are optional)
- **Key not persisting** — Check that the license directory is writable
- **Moving to a new computer** — Copy the `license.key` file to the same path on the new machine, or re-enter the key

---

\newpage

# Compression Engine

All 4 plugins share the same compression engine with **7 distinct emulation
types**, each modeling a different analog topology. Starting in v1.3.0, every
type has been recalibrated against measurements of real analog hardware (see
the *DSP Refinement v1.3.0* section below for details).

| Type | Description |
|------|-------------|
| **Tube** | Vari-mu topology. Progressive ratio that grows with engagement (subtle at low GR, more pronounced past 6 dB). Wide soft knee, H2-dominant saturation that follows the gain reduction. Warm, musical, never harsh. |
| **Optical** | Photocell-style detector. True biphasic release: a fast initial decay (~60 ms) blended with a slow tail (~1 s), giving the smooth, breathing character of opto compressors. No attack/release knobs effect on cell behavior. |
| **VCA** | Solid-state push-pull design. Constant ratio with a knee that adapts to the ratio: soft (3.7 dB) at 2:1, harder (2 dB) at 10:1. Clean, transparent — the workhorse for transparent level control. |
| **FET** | JFET-style with **program-dependent attack**: very fast on transients (~0.01 ms) and slower on sustained content (~10 ms). Hard knee, ratio harder than its label (a "4" knob behaves like ~6:1, an "8" like ~14:1). Punchy, aggressive — the "grab" character. |
| **Bus** | Auto-release glue compressor. Holds the gain reduction long on transients (~2.5 s) to avoid pumping, releases quickly on sustained passages so the mix breathes. Designed for full mixes and drum buses. |
| **Digital** | Clean, transparent compression with no coloration. Pure RMS-level detection — useful as a neutral reference. |
| **DBR** *(new in v1.3.0)* | Diode-bridge topology. Compression curve close to VCA, but with a transformer-like character: ~5× the harmonic richness of the clean VCA, plus a +2 dB low-shelf below 200 Hz that emulates the magnetic transformer used in classic transformer-coupled bus compressors. |

## Key Features

- **Mid/Side Processing** — Compress the mid (center) and side (stereo) channels independently
- **Stereo Unlink** — Control how much L/R channels are linked (0% = fully linked, 100% = independent)
- **Auto Makeup** — Automatically compensates gain reduction
- **High-Pass Filter** — Sidechain high-pass filter to avoid low-frequency triggering
- **Wet/Dry Mix** — Parallel compression via independent wet and dry controls. The **Link** toggle ties them so Wet + Dry always sum to 100 % (classic "Mix knob" behaviour); leave it off for free, independent parallel compression.
- **Hardware range indicators** — Each Attack/Release/Ratio rail shows a subtle tinted band marking where the real hardware operated for the selected compressor type (a dashed marker indicates a control that is fixed on the hardware, such as Optical attack).
- **Knee** — Adjust the compression curve from hard knee (0%) to soft knee (100%)
- **Saturation & Harmonics** *(Tube)* — Add analog warmth. The amount **scales with the gain reduction**: as the compressor engages more, the harmonic content blooms — replicating the natural behavior of a vari-mu tube being driven into its non-linear region.
- **Character** *(VCA/FET)* — Shape the compression personality.

## DSP Refinement v1.3.0

In v1.3.0, every compression type was profiled against measurements of real
analog hardware via a remote-access platform. Hundreds of test signals (steps,
bursts, sweeps, pure tones) were captured and analyzed for transfer curve,
attack/release dynamics, harmonic content, and frequency response. The
findings were translated directly into the DSP:

- **Tube** transfer curve uses a power-law that gives a true vari-mu
  behavior. The saturation amount is now modulated by the live gain
  reduction so the tube character intensifies under heavier compression,
  exactly as a real tube biases.
- **Optical** release uses two parallel exponential decays (mix 60% fast /
  40% slow) instead of a single time-varying decay — closer to the
  measured photocell behavior.
- **FET** attack is now genuinely program-dependent: the same instance
  reacts much faster on a transient at 0 dBFS than on a sustained signal
  at –20 dBFS, with a ratio of about 700:1 between the two. The ratio
  knob is also mapped non-linearly to match the hard, non-linear ratios
  of vintage transistor units.
- **VCA** knee width adapts to the ratio (softer at 2:1, harder at
  10:1) — a behavior measured in classic solid-state designs.
- **Bus** auto-release behavior was inverted: it now holds long on
  transients and releases quickly on sustained content, eliminating the
  pumping artifact present in older versions.
- **DBR** is a brand new type: a diode-bridge model with transformer
  warmth and a low-shelf lift, intended for bus and master applications.

> **Note** — Projects saved with v1.2.x or earlier will sound slightly
> different when reopened in v1.3.0 because of these changes. Visit each
> instance and verify the result. The new behavior is musically more
> accurate but is not a one-to-one match with the previous DSP.

## DSP Refinement v1.6.0 — Tube Mode

The Tube mode was reworked against the Manley Vari-Mu captures, addressing two
issues:

- **Flat high end.** The previous oversampling chain rolled the top octave off
  by several dB, which read as a "dynamic-EQ"-like dulling whenever the tube
  effects engaged. The decimation stage is now a **linear-phase windowed-sinc
  FIR oversampler** with a genuinely flat passband (within 0.06 dB to 18 kHz),
  so the frequency response stays flat at every level — like the hardware.
- **2nd-harmonic-dominant saturation.** The waveshaper was recalibrated to a
  gentle, asymmetric (biased-tanh) curve that is even-harmonic dominant
  (H2 >> H3), matching the measured Manley signature, instead of the previous
  over-driven, odd-harmonic character.
- **Usable Vari-Mu gain reduction.** The compression onset was previously so
  gentle that the GR meter barely moved. Gain reduction now engages from a few
  dB over threshold and rises progressively while keeping the soft, programme-
  dependent Vari-Mu character (still gentler than VCA).

---

\newpage

# Mc — Single-Band Compressor

\begin{center}
\textbf{Mono-band compression with spectral display}
\end{center}

## Parameters

| Parameter | Range | Default | Notes |
|-----------|-------|---------|-------|
| Bypass | On/Off | Off | |
| Type | Disabled, Tube, Optical, VCA, FET, Bus, Digital | Disabled | Compressor emulation type |
| Sidechain | Off, DAW | Off | DAW sidechain input |
| Input | -24 to +24 dB | 0 dB | Input gain |
| Threshold | -60 to 0 dB | -20 dB | Compression threshold |
| Ratio | 1:1 to 20:1 | 4:1 | Compression ratio |
| Attack | 0.1 to 100 ms | 10 ms | |
| Release | 10 to 1000 ms | 100 ms | |
| Makeup | 0 to 24 dB | 0 dB | Output gain compensation |
| Wet | 0 to 100% | 100% | Dry/wet mix |
| Dry | 0 to 100% | 0% | |
| HP Enable | On/Off | Off | Sidechain high-pass filter |
| HP Freq | 20 to 2000 Hz | 20 Hz | |
| Saturation | 0 to 100% | 0% | Tube mode only |
| Harmonics | 0 to 100% | 0% | Tube mode only |
| Character | 0 to 100% | 50% | VCA/FET modes |
| Knee | 0 to 100% | 0% | Soft/hard knee |
| Auto Makeup | On/Off | Off | |
| Master Mode | Mix/Master | Mix | Master = higher quality |
| Stereo Unlink | 0 to 100% | 0% | 0=linked, 100=independent |
| Mid/Side | On/Off | Off | Mid-side processing |

### Display Modes (not automatable)

| Mode | Description |
|------|-------------|
| Spectrum | Real-time frequency spectrum with gain reduction overlay |
| Waterfall | Scrolling spectrogram showing frequency history |
| Graph | Oscilloscope-style waveform display (IN/OUT/GR) |
| Balance | Tonal balance display with adjustable averaging |

---

\newpage

# McMsc — Single-Band Compressor + SHM Sidechain

\begin{center}
\textbf{Same as Mc, plus inter-plugin shared memory sidechain}
\end{center}

McMsc has identical compression parameters to Mc (see Mc chapter). The additional features are:

## Shared Memory (SHM) Sidechain

McMsc can send and receive audio sidechain between plugin instances across tracks using **shared memory** — no extra routing cables needed.

### SC Dropdown

Click the **SC** badge in the header to open the sidechain source selector:

| Option | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| **Off** | No sidechain |
| **DAW Sidechain** | Use the host's sidechain input (channels 3-4) |
| **SHM: PluginName** | Receive audio from a connected SHM plugin |

### Send Toggle

Enable **Send** in the footer to broadcast this plugin's output to other SHM-connected plugins.

### Latency Compensation

Enable **Lat.Comp** to align the timing of received SHM audio with the main signal. This compensates for block-size differences between sender and receiver. Lat.Comp state propagates across all connected SHM plugins — enabling it on one plugin enables it on all.

### Instance Name

Double-click the instance name (e.g., "McMsc #1") in the footer to rename it. This name appears in other plugins' SC dropdown, making it easy to identify sources.

---

\newpage

# MbMc — Multiband Compressor

\begin{center}
\textbf{1–6 band multiband compression with Linkwitz-Riley crossovers}
\end{center}

## Band Configuration

The **Bands** parameter (1–6) controls how many compression bands are active. Each band is separated by Linkwitz-Riley 4th-order crossover filters.

### Crossover Frequencies

Up to 5 crossover points between bands:

| Crossover | Default | Range |
|-----------|---------|-------|
| 1 (Sub ↔ Low) | 80 Hz | 20–20000 Hz |
| 2 (Low ↔ LowMid) | 250 Hz | 20–20000 Hz |
| 3 (LowMid ↔ Mid) | 1000 Hz | 20–20000 Hz |
| 4 (Mid ↔ HighMid) | 4000 Hz | 20–20000 Hz |
| 5 (HighMid ↔ Air) | 10000 Hz | 20–20000 Hz |

### Band Labels

| Band | Name | Default Range |
|------|------|--------------|
| 1 | Sub Bass | < 80 Hz |
| 2 | Bass | 80–250 Hz |
| 3 | Low Mid | 250–1000 Hz |
| 4 | Mid | 1k–4k Hz |
| 5 | High Mid | 4k–10k Hz |
| 6 | Air | > 10k Hz |

## Per-Band Parameters

Each active band has its own independent compressor with the same parameters as Mc:

| Parameter | Range | Default | Notes |
|-----------|-------|---------|-------|
| Type | Disabled–Digital | Disabled | Per-band emulation type |
| SC | Off/DAW | Off | Per-band sidechain |
| Bypass | On/Off | Off | |
| Solo | On/Off | Off | Listen to this band only |
| Mute | On/Off | Off | |
| Input | -24 to +24 dB | 0 dB | |
| Threshold | -60 to 0 dB | -20 dB | |
| Ratio | 1:1 to 20:1 | 4:1 | |
| Attack | 0.1 to 100 ms | 10 ms | |
| Release | 10 to 1000 ms | 100 ms | |
| Makeup | 0 to 24 dB | 0 dB | |
| Wet | 0 to 100% | 100% | |
| Dry | 0 to 100% | 0% | |
| HP | On/Off | Off | Sidechain HP filter |
| HP Freq | 20–2000 Hz | 20 Hz | |
| Saturation | 0–100% | 0% | Tube mode |
| Harmonics | 0–100% | 0% | Tube mode |
| Character | 0–100% | 50% | VCA/FET mode |
| Knee | 0–100% | 0% | |
| Auto Makeup | On/Off | Off | |
| Master | Mix/Master | Mix | |
| Stereo Unlink | 0–100% | 0% | |
| Mid/Side | On/Off | Off | |
| Comp Enabled | On/Off | On | Compression active |

### Global Controls

These affect all bands simultaneously:

| Control | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| Auto Makeup | Enable auto makeup for all bands |
| Mix/Master | Switch all bands to Master mode |
| Mid/Side | Enable M/S processing for all bands |

### Zoomed Band View

Click on any band in the main view to open the **zoomed band view**, which shows detailed controls for that band including a larger spectrum display.

---

\newpage

# MbMcMsc — Multiband Compressor + SHM Sidechain

\begin{center}
\textbf{Same as MbMc, plus per-band shared memory sidechain}
\end{center}

MbMcMsc has identical multiband compression parameters to MbMc (see MbMc chapter). The additional SHM features are:

## Per-Band SHM Sidechain

Each band can independently receive SHM sidechain audio from a different source plugin. In the **zoomed band view**, click the **SC** dropdown to select:

| Option | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| **Off** | No sidechain for this band |
| **DAW Sidechain** | Use host sidechain input |
| **SHM: PluginName** | Receive audio from a specific connected SHM plugin |

### Send Toggle

When **Send** is enabled, this plugin's full mixed output is broadcast to all connected SHM plugins. Other plugins can then select this as a sidechain source for any band.

### Latency Compensation

Same as McMsc — enabling Lat.Comp on one plugin propagates to all connected plugins.

### Instance Name

Double-click the instance name in the header to rename it for easy identification in other plugins' SC dropdowns.

---

\newpage

# SHM Sidechain — Detailed Guide

## How It Works

The **Shared Memory (SHM)** sidechain system allows XeniAudio plugins to exchange audio data in real-time without additional DAW routing:

1. **Automatic Discovery** — When multiple SHM-capable plugins are loaded in the same DAW session, they automatically discover each other
2. **Direct Audio Routing** — Audio is transferred via lock-free ring buffers in shared memory, with minimal latency
3. **No Extra Cables** — No need to create additional buses or sidechain routing in your DAW

## Connection Status

Each SHM plugin shows a connection status indicator:

| Indicator | Meaning |
|-----------|---------|
| ● (green) | Connected — other SHM plugins detected |
| ● (red) | Error — SHM initialization failed |
| ● (gray) | Standalone — no other plugins detected |

## Typical Use Cases

### Vocal Ducking (McMsc → MbMcMsc)

1. Load **McMsc** on a vocal track
2. Load **MbMcMsc** on a bass/music track
3. Enable **Send** on the vocal McMsc
4. In MbMcMsc, open a band's SC dropdown and select **SHM: McMsc #1**
5. The vocal now sidechains the bass compression

### Multi-Band Ducking

1. Load **MbMcMsc** on a bass track
2. Load **MbMcMsc** on a kick track
3. Enable **Send** on the kick plugin
4. In the bass plugin, set the low band's SC to **SHM: MbMcMsc Kick**
5. Only the low frequencies of the bass are ducked by the kick

### Latency Compensation

When plugins run at different buffer sizes or have processing latency, enable **Lat.Comp** to align the sidechain audio with the main signal. This propagates across all connected plugins — enable it once and all plugins follow.

---

\newpage

# Presets

All 4 plugins include factory presets accessible from the header preset selector. Presets include:

- **General purpose** compressors for vocals, drums, bass, mix bus
- **SHM-specific** presets for ducking and sidechain workflows
- **Character** presets showcasing each emulation type

### Saving User Presets

Click the preset name in the header to open the preset browser, then click **Save** to create a user preset. User presets are stored in:

- **Linux:** `~/.config/XeniAudio/<PluginName>/Presets/`
- **Windows:** `%APPDATA%\XeniAudio\<PluginName>\Presets\`
- **macOS:** `~/Library/Application Support/XeniAudio/<PluginName>/Presets/`

### A/B Comparison

Use the **A/B** buttons in the header to compare two different settings:

1. **A** — Current settings are saved to slot A
2. **B** — Switch to slot B with default or copied settings
3. Toggle between A and B to compare
4. Click **Copy A→B** or **Copy B→A** to copy settings between slots

### Undo/Redo

- **Ctrl+Z** — Undo the last parameter change
- **Ctrl+Shift+Z** — Redo
- Up to 20 undo steps are stored

---

\newpage

# Tips & Troubleshooting

## Performance Tips

- **Lower band count** — Using 2–3 bands instead of 6 reduces CPU usage significantly
- **Disable unused bands** — Set band Type to "Disabled" for bands you don't need
- **Spectrum display** — The spectrum analyzer adds CPU load; switch to "Off" mode for lowest latency

## Common Issues

| Issue | Solution |
|-------|----------|
| Plugin not found in DAW | Rescan plugins; check format (VST3/CLAP) is supported |
| Audio cuts out every 30 seconds | Demo mode is active — enter your license key |
| SHM plugins don't discover each other | Ensure all plugins are in the same DAW session; check that no firewall blocks shared memory |
| Sidechain audio has clicks/pops | Enable **Lat.Comp** to align timing |
| Crackling at high gain reduction | Lower the Ratio or increase Attack time |

## Keyboard Shortcuts

| Shortcut | Action |
|----------|--------|
| Double-click knob | Reset to default value |
| Shift+click knob | Enter value directly |
| Ctrl+Z | Undo |
| Ctrl+Shift+Z | Redo |

## Contact & Support

- **Website:** [xeni-audio.com](https://xeni-audio.com)
- **Email:** support@xeni-audio.com
- **Documentation:** [docs.xeni-audio.com](https://docs.xeni-audio.com)

---

\begin{center}
\vfill
\textbf{XeniAudio McPlugins} — Version 1.6.0

Copyright © 2025–2026 Tony Cuny / XeniAudio. All rights reserved.
\end{center}