Different strokes

Some people just have to be different, and these two plugins certainly qualify on that score. Sound Radix Pi is a phase relationship plugin that aims to minimise phase cancellations when summing multiple sounds in a mix. Although we often have to address phase relationships between a couple of sounds, typical techniques such as inverting phase are pretty binary. Clearly, addressing the issue over a whole mix is an ambitious proposition, and Pi does it by dynamically rotating the phase of the tracks to achieve the best overall summed signal. Although this will affect all frequencies, it’s in the lower frequencies that the benefits are most obvious, and situations where bass sounds combine inconsistently can be dramatically improved by Pi.

Sonible Proximity is a less ambitious but equally intriguing processor that addresses the balance between the direct and reverberant components of a sound. This is done within the framework of an EQ plugin, and four bands have the proximity feature. The adjustable frequency and Q width means you can be very specific about what you process, and the band-specific solo option enables you to check what’s actually happening.