Digi-Pot zipper noise & VCA + DAC

[JR.]

Yes, an LCD with 3-4 rotary encoders or pots and a switch or two, could pretty powerfully cover a full function dynamics processor with good access to enough controls at once for comp, then limiter, then de-esser, then expander... The PIA and non-analog reality is having to step through menus to get to the controls you need, when you need to.

One idea I thought about back when I was pondering a digital console control surface, was to provide some intelligence, since we have a digital brain sitting there with nothing to think about, why not anticipate the user's needs?

It seems possible to detect the presence of excess sibilance to conclude the user might want to hot jump to de-ess mode, Excessive level to predict need to tweak the limiter, etc. This could be as simple as making the mode select button, dynamically change the order it cycles to when pressed. It makes it's best guess first, then if wrong and you keep pressing, it cycles through all options. You could even offer a mode where it automatically jumps to it's best guess mode, if you are not actively using the control interface.

To be really clever, it could learn the users preferences over time, but this is harder to code in.

JR

PS: I have noticed a bad habit from some digital engineers to develop a user interface for their convenience in coding or hardware design, not for the user's convenience in operating the product. The power of digital is that it can be so soft. It is a crime to not take advantage of this benefit.