---
title: XeniAudio McPlugins — User Manual
subtitle: Mc · MbMc · McMsc · MbMcMsc — v1.7.0
author: Tony Cuny — XeniAudio
date: May 2026
---

# XeniAudio McPlugins

**Professional Compressor Suite — v1.7.0**

| 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

Nothing to do. Since v1.7.0 the disk image, the installer and all plugin bundles
are signed with an Apple Developer ID and notarized by Apple, with the ticket
stapled into the files so they open even on a Mac that is offline. macOS lets
them through without a warning and without any right-click trick.

The publisher shows as **Tony Cuny** — that is the legal name behind Xeni Audio,
and the name Apple puts on the certificate.

> **Windows.** The Windows installer is *not* code-signed. SmartScreen may say
> the publisher is unknown, and a brand-new installer occasionally trips an
> antivirus heuristic. Neither is a detection — it is a reputation score that
> every unsigned release starts from zero. Click *More info* → *Run anyway*, or
> skip the installer and copy the VST3 and CLAP folders from the `.zip` into
> `C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\` and `C:\Program Files\Common Files\CLAP\`.

## 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 dot | Connected — other SHM plugins detected |
| Red dot | Error — SHM initialization failed |
| Gray dot | 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}