Not sure what you consider a "similar effect". What is it you are going after? You have tons of effects on the MX including several compressors (VCM Compressor 376, Classic Compressor, Multi-band Compressor, plus compressors combined with distortion, and distortion + delay). These can be used as INSERTION EFFECTS on individual PARTS. You mention, "without using Cubase"... not sure if that means you are not recording audio or you want to know what the MX is capable of by itself.

You have a limit to the number of simultaneous INSERTION EFFECTS that can be active at one time (4 PARTS) - but when rendering audio to a DAW (like Cubase) you can easily re-allocate your EFFECTS because you can do the transfer of data a track at a time.

The Multi-band Compressor is a leveling amplifier that works by frequency range - and is considered one of the "magical tools" used by mastering engineers to finalize your overall sound. Set in a similar fashion to how you use a 3-band EQ, the Multi-band compressor is responsible for the energy in these frequency bands - changing their overall impact (presence) or weight within the mix. On your MX the Multi-band Compressor can be used to punch up a VOICE's sound (it can be applied as an INSERT EFFECT) - This can make it more "present" in certain frequency ranges. You can boost the perceived volume without really increasing its overall output level.

We will be posting an article on using Multi-band compressors... and compressors, in general. To really get the most out of what they do takes a keen ear and a set of truthful monitors. By narrowing the dynamic range you can change the 'impact' of the music it is applied to...

You don't mention what you are attempting to do or to what it is you are attempting to apply this effect...

It's very difficult to explain in words what I'm trying to do, and it might involve difference things - or maybe I'm expecting to do too much on the MX alone.

I created this track which used parallel compression to try and make the sound 'Bigger!' - if that's the word... maybe 'fuller!!'

Example track

When I listen to it back I want to hear more instruments and keep clarity... Things just seem very narrow and I want to make it wider but the pan only goes so far to the left or right.

Not sure how to fix it.

PS: Thanks for the links 🙂

Positioning items in the stereo field can do wonders for clarity. There are 128 steps between hard right and hard left... Try to avoid the extremes, when you want to place something, rather use the full panorama. Sometimes moving something a little is more effective.

There are tools within the full version of Cubase (Pro 8) that deal with Spatial processing. But if you want to concentrate on what is built-in the MX... The processors are there. One trick to make things "bigger" is very short delay... The ear and brain locate by analyzing minute differences in signal arriving to the left before the right ear, and vice versa. For example, flangers and chorus effects can be too heavy, but a very short straight delay, tenths of a millisecond, can make the difference in our perception of the size of the ensemble. Reverberation that comes from the opposite side can also give a spatial result that affects our perception of size.

Also initial delay on reverberation gives the sound time before reflecting off of a surface. The time between the signal and the reverb gives the listener a definite sense of space. These are the details, subtle as they are, that change the listeners perception of things.

Certainly the perception of "bigger" is not as evident in a compressed stereo audio file, versus when you are listening to your multi track audio using the Cubase 32-bit floating point audio engine. So you may be experiencing a down sized feel when you mix it down.

Perhaps you should look into Cubase Pro 8 and/or WaveLab (which is mastering software).

Definitely things to think about and play around with - you are such a star BM 🙂

Cubase (Pro 8) might be the answer but to be honest I just haven't got the cash... I cannot even afford a set of studio monitors which would be on my list first anyway. I'll get them one day for sure but I think it might be Cubase (Pro 13) before I do lol. Thankfully, I've grown up making the best use of what I have (well a case of having to).

If you ever get time can you do a cubase project that demonstrates what you discussed so I can hear and see what you have changed - That might really help me.

Cheers.

You don't always need the top-of-the-line version to get good work done. The difference a lot of times is in the "elegant interface" area. In other words, what may take a few more steps in the lower version, can be done in one step in the upper version. But of course, sometimes the available routing functions in the upper versions open more doors. But don't think the next level always (automatically) means spending more money.

If you are into experimenting, you can use just your MX and the AI version of Cubase to do what you need. Print several version of certain string parts with slightly different edits on the strings, different EQ, etc.... Or with a 0.1ms delay between right channel and left channel... Experiment with the various compressors, print the same part with differing compressor settings- with and without. Use the multi-band compressor to "fit" various pieces of the whole into a frequency balanced mix. There's tons of things to experiment with sonically using just the MX and the ability to multi-track into Cubase AI.

I agree a good set of studio monitors will help your mixing capability. If you've been mixing in headphones, it is different in there. One is not better or worse than the other. The old adage about mix where your audience listens ... Has completely flipped over the years. Back in the day, before iPhones, iPods, earbuds, even before the Walkman, back then your audience was almost 100% listening through speakers - air molecules bouncing off each other _ in an actual room of some sort. Today, a large portion of the listening audience listens to music in headphones. So the old adage is correct (still) mix for where your audience listens.

I prefer, at least, making sure it sounds good out in the open air... Some times you get a false sense of what's what when you only listen in headphones. Everything is so close or seems so. I've found many things that work in headphones don't always work in speakers, but what works in speakers also always seems to work in headphones. That's been my personal experience.

Hope that helps.