U-He - Presswerk

Presswerk is a powerful dynamics processor with a musical soul. An easy-to-use interface and a rich feature set give you hands-on control over all details of your sound. Presswerk doesn't emulate famous compressors, it blends the warmth of classic hardware models with developments that are only possible in the digital domain.

Introduction to Presswerk 1.1 Video

This 20-minute introductory video focuses on the six new special 'views' and how to use them in practice. It also mentions the new unified configuration page.

Features

Presswerk has all the features you expect in a compressor...

Sidechaining: use ducking to create more space in your mixes, or get creative with keying and pumping effects.

NOTE: For help on how to get Presswerk sidechained in your DAW, please read these instructions compiled by our KVR forum members.

Adjustable compression curve and envelope. Find the best settings, get the most out of your audio using the soft knee, compression ratio, attack and release and other controls.

Loud. Oh yes, Presswerk is more than capable of making your tracks louder!

Soft clip. Roll off those harsh peaks and avoid distortion when output levels get too high.

...plus what we added to enhance Presswerk’s capabilities:

  • 6 special views for better workflow: Drum Compressor, Vocal Compressor, M/S Program Compressor, Easy Compressor, Bus Compressor, Limiter
  • M/S mode. More detailed stereo signal processing
  • DPR: Presswerk's Dual Phase Rotator option applies a radio broadcaster's trick to reduce unwanted asymmetries in the signal. It smears phases, increases headroom a little and adds bass 'oomph'.
  • Saturation. This is where Presswerk really shines - adding colour and character to your audio. Apply Saturation sparingly for subtle warmth and transient-taming, or crank it up to create tape overdrive-like effects.
  • Internal parallel compression. The Mix controls let you blend the compressed and uncompressed signals. This helps preserve some of the original, natural dynamics.

Variable detection topologies. With Presswerk you can select one of three detection modes FF (feed-forward), FB (feed-back) or INT (interactive):

  • Feed-forward is modern and 'surgical', it tracks the input very precisely.
  • Feed-back is 'musical', loose-sounding and forgiving – like classic hardware.
  • Interactive continuously analyzes the signal and blends FF and FB accordingly.
  • adjust and store global preferences
  • new MIDI learn controls

Compression is an essential part the audio engineer's toolkit. It can be applied gently to glue various parts together, more strongly to add colouration or creative dynamics, or even full-on to maximize the loudness of the final mix. Presswerk was created to fit into any workflow, no matter what kind of task you throw at it. And do so with the style, attention to detail and sound quality you can expect from u-he.