Echo
PsychFX
Not a delay plugin. A subtle psychoacoustic perception processor that manipulates how the listener thinks the sound is positioned, sized, coloured, or emotionally framed, without pushing the audio into obvious effect-territory. Coordinated perceptual illusions, not transformations.
Core Components
- Width Balancer: smooth perceptual stereo rebalancing without collapsing mono integrity
- Tilt EQ: psychoacoustic tonal shaping based on brightness–warmth perception curves
- Mod Delay (Micro Modulation): subtle depth, movement, and stereo motion without audible flutter
- Spatial FX: phase and micro-timing cues that shift perceived proximity and space
- Perception Presets: centralised presets controlling the entire psychoacoustic chain at once via PerceptionPresetManager
Perception Design
Haas-zone cues
Sub-30ms inter-aural timing differences create phantom positioning without audible delay: the brain localises to the earlier channel arrival.
Loudness asymmetry
Subtle per-channel gain offsets shift perceived centre image using the brain's dominant-ear localisation shortcut.
Warmth illusion curves
Spectral tilt and even-order harmonic content trigger the perceptual category of "warmth" without audible saturation artefacts.
Proximity weighting
Combined air-absorption simulation and micro-reverb tail control perceived source distance independently of raw loudness.
Vocal presence
Makes vocals feel closer, warmer, or more intimate without adding reverb or delay tails that colour the mix.
Spatial depth
Guitars and synths get width and depth without mid-side phasing issues or mono compatibility problems.
Mix placement
Pushes elements forward or backward in the perceptual field using cues rather than volume, preserving headroom.
Subtle movement
Adds life to static sounds without the tell-tale flutter of obvious modulation effects.
Mix glue
Gives the full mix subtle spatial dimension and coherence without any single effect being identifiable.
Mastering bus
Perception presets allow full-chain psychoacoustic adjustments on the master without destructive processing.
Beta builds are coming soon. Early testers get direct input on feature development.
🔬 Planned Additions
Micro-pitch detune, L/R phase shift, exciter/saturation, and a psychoacoustic pre-delay verb. Next focus: something more immediately noticeable on instruments to balance the chain's subtlety.
Interested in Testing?
Looking for producers and mix engineers to test early builds and give feedback on the perception algorithms and workflow.