{"product_id":"blue-cat-audio-protector-412582","title":"Protector","description":"\u003ch3\u003eWhat Blue Cat Protector Is For\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eBlue Cat Protector is a \u003cstrong\u003estereo brickwall limiter\u003c\/strong\u003e plug-in designed to secure your levels and stabilize dynamics, especially on the \u003cstrong\u003emaster bus\u003c\/strong\u003e of a DAW. Its main role is simple and essential: to prevent any digital clipping at the output while allowing you to increase the overall level and perceived loudness in a controlled manner. It is aimed at both home studio producers and engineers who want a quick-to-set \"safety net\" without sacrificing transparency.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBeyond protection, Protector also becomes a \u003cstrong\u003esound design\u003c\/strong\u003e tool: placed on a track (drums, bass, synths, vocals), it can generate punch, pumping, controlled clipping, or aggressive limiting for more modern effects. The result depends on your dynamic response setting: you move from subtle control to a more colored character, ideal for denser textures and increased presence in the mix.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eMain Features\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003ch4\u003e0 dB Limiting and Waveshaping: Safety and Character\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eBlue Cat Protector combines a \u003cstrong\u003e0 dB brickwall peak limiter\u003c\/strong\u003e with a \u003cstrong\u003ewaveshaper\u003c\/strong\u003e to strictly manage peaks while offering a broader sonic palette than a simple \"clinical\" limiter. The dynamic response is continuously adjustable, allowing you to tailor the processing behavior to your context: light mastering, bus control, or intentionally aggressive limiting to achieve more attack and density.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eOptional Lookahead and Latency Management\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eoptional lookahead\u003c\/strong\u003e anticipates transients for cleaner limiting, reducing artifacts on fast attacks (kick, snare, percussion). Outside this mode, the plug-in is designed to operate with an immediate feel, maintaining zero latency, which is practical during production and sessions where responsiveness is important.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eControlled Stereo: Stereo Link and DC Filter\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003estereo link\u003c\/strong\u003e control helps maintain a coherent stereo image during gain reduction: useful on a master, but also on subgroups (drum bus, instruments). A \u003cstrong\u003eDC filter\u003c\/strong\u003e is also available to remove any DC offset, preventing unnecessary headroom consumption and improving processing stability.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003ePremium Monitoring: Peak\/RMS, Loudness Boost, and Histogram\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eProtector emphasizes \u003cstrong\u003evisual feedback\u003c\/strong\u003e for fast and accurate work. Its large zoomable Peak and RMS meters, along with the gain reduction meter, make the impact of limiting immediately readable. The \u003cstrong\u003efully configurable dynamic histogram\u003c\/strong\u003e provides a more \"statistical\" view of behavior, and real-time \u003cstrong\u003eloudness boost\u003c\/strong\u003e monitoring lets you verify what you actually gain in perceived level, without relying solely on your ears at constant volume.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eSide Chain and Modulation via MIDI CC Output\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eBlue Cat Protector offers an original approach to side chaining through a \u003cstrong\u003eMIDI CC output\u003c\/strong\u003e. Beyond the classic use (triggering a dynamic action from a source), this method opens the door to \u003cstrong\u003emodulating parameters of other plug-ins\u003c\/strong\u003e in real time: you can control a filter, reverb, delay, or any automatable parameter to create very musical pumping and movement effects synchronized with the signal's energy.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eBlue Cat Workflow: Automation, Presets, and Adaptable Interface\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eLike other Blue Cat plug-ins, Protector integrates easily into a modern workflow: \u003cstrong\u003efull automation\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eMIDI Learn\u003c\/strong\u003e, preset management, state copy\/paste between instances, \u003cstrong\u003eUndo\/Redo\u003c\/strong\u003e, and smooth bypass to enable or disable processing without clicks. The interface is \u003cstrong\u003ezoomable\u003c\/strong\u003e and customizable (transparency), which helps both on a laptop and on a 4K screen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eTechnical specifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:2rem\"\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"flex:1 1 300px;width:100%\"\u003e\n  \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eType\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003eFull software\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"flex:1 1 300px;width:100%\"\u003e\n  \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDownloadable\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003eYes\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:2rem\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"flex:1 1 300px\"\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width:100%\"\u003e\n  \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eContinuous control of dynamic response\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003efrom transparent limiting to distortion\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n  \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLatency\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003ezero (except with lookahead)\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width:100%\"\u003e\n  \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAutomation and MIDI output\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003erecording output parameters as automation curves or sending MIDI CC messages\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width:100%\"\u003e\n  \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNo CPU load at idle\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003eprocessing stops in the presence of silence\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n  \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCustomizable user interface\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003etransparency and zoom\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n  \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSmooth Bypass\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003eactivation\/deactivation without noise\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"flex:1 1 300px\"\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width:100%\"\u003e\n  \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMac\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003eVST-2, VST-3, AU, AAX\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n  \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWindows\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003eVST-2, VST-3, AAX\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width:100%\"\u003e\n  \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSystem\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003eMac OS 10.9 or later\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n  \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProcessor\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003eIntel or Apple Silicon\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width:100%\"\u003e\n  \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVersion\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003e2.32\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n  \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFix\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003eVST3 did not always load correctly in Ableton Live 11\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n  \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eImprovement\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003edisplay of VST parameter values in some hosts\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n  \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAdded\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003eoption (global settings and preset input) to send MIDI events when modifying MIDI parameters (control surface updates)\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n  \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAAX\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003efixed erratic mouse behavior in Pro Tools on Mac\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Blue Cat Audio","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54360923308307,"sku":"412582","price":79.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0984\/0872\/6803\/files\/72607582bafdb2e4377c21501749a869a44dbe9a_BLUE_CAT_AUDIO_11_31236.jpg?v=1788277893","url":"https:\/\/woodbrass.shop\/products\/blue-cat-audio-protector-412582","provider":"Woodbrass.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}