Playfair Audio Dynamic Grading 2 Review
A Revolutionary Approach to Dynamics Processing
Introduction
In the ever-evolving world of audio production, dynamics processing remains a cornerstone of achieving polished, impactful mixes. Playfair Audio’s Dynamic Grading 2 challenges the conventional compressor paradigm by offering a unique, intuitive, and visually driven approach to shaping audio dynamics. Building on the success of its predecessor, version 2 introduces a refined interface, enhanced features, and expanded capabilities, making it a compelling tool for music producers, audio post professionals, and mastering engineers. This review explores the plugin’s functionality, usability, sound quality, and how it stacks up against similar products in the market.
Overview and Key Features
Dynamic Grading 2 is not just another compressor—it’s a dynamic range controller that redefines how engineers interact with audio dynamics. Inspired by image processing techniques, the plugin uses dynamic histograms to provide a visual representation of a signal’s loudness distribution, allowing users to precisely shape three distinct dynamic regions: Floor (low-level details like reverb tails or noise), Body (the core of the signal, such as vocal timbre or instrument sustains), and Punch (transients and percussive elements). Each region can be independently compressed or expanded, offering unparalleled flexibility.
Headline Features
Redesigned Hybrid Interface: Combines graphical handles with traditional ratio and gain knobs for intuitive and musical adjustments.
Dynamic Histograms: Input and output histograms visualize the signal’s dynamic range, making it easy to identify and target specific loudness levels.
Magic Eye Display: A spectral visual aid that enhances clarity for frequency-based dynamic adjustments.
Source Learn: Automatically analyzes the input signal and suggests initial settings for the Floor, Body, and Punch ranges, streamlining setup.
Multichannel Support: Compatible with formats up to 9.1.6, ideal for immersive audio and cinematic projects.
Auto-Lookahead and Natural Release Ballistics: Ensures smooth, artifact-free processing.
Preset Management: Includes a curated library of factory presets and allows users to save and recall custom settings.
Safety Limiter: Automatically prevents output peaks from exceeding +6 dBFS, protecting against clipping during aggressive expansion.
CPU Efficiency and Low-Latency Mode: Optimized for performance, with Eucon compatibility for control surfaces.
The plugin supports 64-bit AU, VST3, and AAX formats on macOS (10.13 or later, including Apple Silicon) and Windows (10 or later). Priced at €149 (with an introductory offer of €119 until February 28, 2025), it’s a free upgrade for existing Dynamic Grading v1 users.
Usability
Dynamic Grading 2 shines in its user-friendly design, drawing comparisons to adjusting brightness in photo editing software. The interface features two vertical gold bars—one for input and one for output—flanked by histograms that display the signal’s loudness distribution. Users drag handles to define the Floor, Body, and Punch ranges on the input side and adjust their corresponding output levels to apply compression (narrowing the range) or expansion (widening it). This visual approach eliminates the need for traditional parameters like threshold, ratio, and attack, making it accessible to both novices and seasoned professionals.
The Source Learn feature is a standout, automatically detecting the signal’s dynamic ranges and suggesting starting points, which significantly reduces setup time. The Magic Eye Display provides a clear view of spectral content, aiding in precise adjustments, while the Curve Display offers a familiar transfer function view for users accustomed to traditional compressors. However, the lack of automatic makeup gain requires manual adjustment of the Body range’s output handle for level-matched A/B comparisons, which can be tedious. Additionally, the absence of a mix knob for parallel processing and limited undo/redo functionality (though added in v1.3) may frustrate some users.
Sound Quality
The plugin delivers transparent, musical results, with smooth dynamics processing thanks to its auto-lookahead and natural release ballistics. On vocals, moderate compression in the Body range with light expansion in the Punch range enhances intelligibility and presence without sacrificing clarity, making it ideal for dialogue and voiceovers. For drums, expanding the Punch range can add snap and impact, while compressing the Body increases density without dulling transients. The Floor range is particularly effective for reducing background noise or enhancing reverb tails for creative effects, such as in ambient synth mixes.
Compared to traditional compressors, Dynamic Grading 2 offers finer control over specific dynamic ranges, avoiding the bluntness of conventional tools that process the entire signal uniformly. For instance, it can tame sibilance in vocals without relying on a dedicated de-esser or reduce room noise without affecting the core signal, tasks that typically require multiple plugins. However, some users note that the plugin’s “Live” mode, designed for low-latency tracking, compromises sound quality compared to its standard mode, which has higher latency (over 8000 samples).
Comparisons to Similar Products
Dynamic Grading 2 stands out in a crowded field of dynamics processors, but it shares some conceptual similarities with other innovative plugins:
Sonnox Oxford Inflator: Like Dynamic Grading 2, the Inflator enhances perceived loudness and punch without traditional compression. However, it lacks the granular control over specific dynamic ranges and the visual feedback of histograms, making Dynamic Grading 2 more precise for targeted adjustments.
FabFilter Pro-C 2: A versatile compressor with multiple modes and sidechain options, Pro-C 2 offers detailed control but requires more technical knowledge to achieve complex dynamic shaping. Dynamic Grading 2’s histogram-based interface is more intuitive for creative tasks, though Pro-C 2 may edge out in surgical precision for multiband compression.
iZotope RX 10 Advanced: While RX 10 excels in restorative tasks like de-essing and noise reduction, Dynamic Grading 2 integrates these capabilities into a single plugin, reducing the need for multiple tools. For example, compressing the Punch range can address sibilance, while expanding the Floor reduces noise, all within one interface.
MeldaProduction MCompressor and DDMF Comprezzore: These plugins allow editable transfer functions for custom dynamics shaping, similar to Dynamic Grading 2. However, their interfaces are less immediate, requiring more parameter tweaking, whereas Dynamic Grading 2’s visual approach feels more like “drawing” the desired dynamics.
APU Dynamics Optimizer and Soundtheory Kraftur: Both incorporate histogram-based workflows, likely inspired by Dynamic Grading’s original release. However, Dynamic Grading 2’s refined GUI, Source Learn, and multichannel support give it an edge in versatility and ease of use.
While Dynamic Grading 2 may not replace every compressor in a producer’s toolkit, its ability to combine compression, expansion, and transient shaping in a single plugin makes it a powerful alternative to chaining multiple processors, streamlining workflows and reducing CPU load.
Real-World Applications
Music Production: On a drum bus, Dynamic Grading 2 can enhance transient punch while controlling sustain, achieving a balanced, lively sound without sacrificing clarity. For bass, it adds density to the Body while preserving note attacks, ensuring the instrument sits well in the mix.
Audio Post-Production: In dialogue processing, moderate Body compression paired with light Punch expansion delivers clear, intelligible speech, even in noisy recordings. The Floor range can minimize background hum or room tone, rivaling dedicated noise reduction tools.
Mastering: The plugin excels in stereo mastering, adding energy and density while maintaining transient detail, making it a go-to for final polish.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Intuitive, visually driven interface simplifies complex dynamics processing.
Source Learn and Magic Eye Display streamline setup and spectral adjustments.
Versatile for music, post-production, and mastering, with multichannel support up to 9.1.6.
Transparent, musical sound quality with minimal artifacts.
CPU-efficient with low-latency mode for tracking.
Cons
No automatic makeup gain, requiring manual level adjustments for A/B comparisons.
Missing mix knob for parallel processing.
High latency in standard mode may be impractical for real-time tracking.
Limited undo/redo functionality, though improved in recent updates.
Verdict
Playfair Audio Dynamic Grading 2 is a game-changer for dynamics processing, offering a fresh, intuitive approach that bridges the gap between technical control and creative expression. Its histogram-based interface and ability to independently shape three dynamic ranges make it a versatile tool for a wide range of applications, from music production to immersive audio projects. While it lacks some features like automatic makeup gain and a mix knob, its strengths—ease of use, visual clarity, and musical results—outweigh these shortcomings. Compared to competitors like FabFilter Pro-C 2 or iZotope RX 10, it offers a unique workflow that prioritizes speed and creativity, making it a must-have for engineers seeking to break free from traditional compressor limitations.
Rating: 9/10
For audio professionals and creatives looking to elevate their mixes with precision and flair, Dynamic Grading 2 is a worthy investment. Its innovative design and robust feature set make it a standout in the crowded dynamics processing market. Try the 14-day free trial at playfair-audio.com to experience its potential firsthand.