Analog peak shaping · Clipper v1.0.2

RSL Crucible

Get louder without losing the punch.

RSL Crucible bends peaks through the RSL 2181 VCA into a diode clip cell, so the level comes up and transients still land. CLEAN holds a precise ceiling. IMPACT adds character.

Buy for $69 Try free for 30 days

$69 founders’ price through 30 November, then $99. Version 1.0.2.

macOS: Audio Unit, VST3 and AAX. Windows: VST3 and Standalone. Activates through RSL Hub on up to 4 computers.

Most clippers are a single curve. Crucible is built as a small circuit, and every control on the faceplate is a part of it.

Hear it before and after

Each clip runs dry, then through one factory preset. Both sides are matched in loudness, so what changes is the edge, not the volume. Flip the switch while it plays.

Preset Drum Bus - Punch

0:000:11

Drum bus Drum Bus - Punch

Before

After

Snare Snare Crack

Before

After

808 808 Growl

Before

After

Master Master Bus - Loud

Before

After

From beats produced by Mev. Rendered with the plugin’s own engine, version 1.0.2.

Drive into the line by eye.

A clipper raises the level of a mix or a source by holding its loudest peaks at a fixed line. The display draws that line across the waveform and shows exactly what is being taken off, so you can push into it by eye and choose the edge by ear.

AUTO GAIN moves OUTPUT against DRIVE, so a louder setting never wins just for being louder. DELTA plays only what the core removes.

The RSL Crucible display: the waveform with the threshold line across it

2Clamps: CLEAN and IMPACT

4Diode pairs: silicon, germanium, LED and zener

8×Oversampling, and 16× when the host renders offline

16Factory presets for masters, buses, drums, 808s and bass

Two clamps, four diodes

MODE picks how the clip cell holds the line; TOPOLOGY picks the diode pair it holds it with. KNEE and ASYMMETRY shape the edge from there.

Precision feedback clamp
Clean
A transparent, precise clamp: it holds a ceiling without adding character of its own.
Passive shunt clamp
Impact
A harder, heavier edge: the level keeps climbing past the knee until it meets the rails.

Tight
Silicon
A silicon diode pair. Tight and even. The default, and the safest all-rounder.
Warm
Germanium
A germanium diode pair. A soft, warm knee that starts to round well before the ceiling.
Open
LED
An LED pair. Conducts later, so the level climbs further into the clip before it is held: open and bright, especially in IMPACT.
Hard
Zener
A zener pair. Hard and exact, the closest to a straight ceiling.

From DRIVE to the line

INPUT, DRIVE, the RSL 2181, the clip cell and OUTPUT, then the optional true peak guard and dither. Scroll and each part lights up in turn.

Part 1
Drive into a fixed line

THRESHOLD sets the level, in dBFS, where the clip cell holds the signal, and the display draws it across the screen. DRIVE pushes the signal into that line. Raise DRIVE for density and level, or lower THRESHOLD for a lower, safer ceiling.
Part 2
Round the peaks first

A detector follows the peaks and tells the RSL 2181 VCA how hard to work, so peaks arrive at the clip cell already rounded. SHAPE sets how much of the work it does, from SOFT to HARD.
Part 3
Keep the punch

TRANSIENT PRESERVE lets attacks through unrounded, and LOW END PROTECT stops the low end driving the detector without filtering the audio, so a kick or an 808 does not pull the whole mix down.
Part 4
Hold the line

A pair of diodes and a rail hold the signal at the threshold. Nothing passes it. MODE, TOPOLOGY, KNEE and ASYMMETRY decide the edge, and changing MODE or TOPOLOGY crossfades without a click.
Part 5
See what it takes off

WAVEFORM draws the threshold line and a CLIP readout, SPECTRUM compares input against output, and TRANSFER draws the core's static curve. The +CLIP and -CLIP lamps light on the circuit, and DELTA plays only what the core removes.
Part 6
Between the samples

Oversample at 1x, 2x, 4x or 8x, and render at 16x when the host bounces offline. The TRUE PEAK look-ahead guard holds THRESHOLD plus OUTPUT between samples too, and DITHER to 16 or 24 bit comes last.

16 starting points

Each assumes typical levels for its source. Clipping depends on level, so if the display shows far too much or too little being taken off, adjust DRIVE or THRESHOLD before anything else.

Master Bus
Preset	What it does
Master Bus - Control	CLEAN / SILICON, +2.0 dB drive into -1.0 dB. 8x, TRUE PEAK on. A firm, transparent hold on the loudest peaks.
Master Bus - Loud	CLEAN / SILICON, +4.5 dB drive into -1.0 dB. 8x, TRUE PEAK on. More drive and a firmer shape for level.
Master Bus - Safety	CLEAN / ZENER, 0 dB drive into -0.3 dB. 8x, TRUE PEAK on, near-HARD shape, no transient preserve. A ceiling, not an effect.
Master Bus - Warm Edge	CLEAN / GERMANIUM, +3.0 dB drive into -1.0 dB. 8x, TRUE PEAK on. A softer, warmer knee.

Mix Bus
Preset	What it does
Mix Bus - Glue Clip	CLEAN / GERMANIUM, +3.0 dB drive into -2.0 dB. A gentle, rounded clip to hold a mix together.
Stem Bus - Clean Peaks	CLEAN / SILICON, +2.0 dB drive into -1.5 dB. Takes the peaks off a stem or group without color.

Vocals
Preset	What it does
Vocal Bus - Tame	CLEAN / SILICON, +3.0 dB drive into -4.0 dB. Soft shape, wide knee, LOW END PROTECT at 150 Hz.

Drums
Preset	What it does
Drum Bus - Punch	IMPACT / SILICON, +5.0 dB drive into -3.0 dB. Plenty of TRANSIENT PRESERVE for snap.
Drum Bus - Smash	IMPACT / LED, +9.0 dB drive into -6.0 dB. Heavy, open clipping for room and weight.
Kick & Snare Edge	IMPACT / ZENER, +6.0 dB drive into -4.0 dB. A hard, exact edge on individual drums.
Snare Crack	IMPACT / LED, +7.0 dB drive into -5.0 dB. Most TRANSIENT PRESERVE of the set, LOW END PROTECT at 200 Hz.

808s & Bass
Preset	What it does
808 Weight	IMPACT / GERMANIUM, +6.0 dB drive into -6.0 dB. LOW END PROTECT at 20 Hz, so the whole note drives the shaping.
808 Growl	IMPACT / GERMANIUM, +10.0 dB drive into -8.0 dB. Adds ASYMMETRY for even harmonics and grit.
Bass DI - Round	CLEAN / GERMANIUM, +4.0 dB drive into -5.0 dB. A rounded clip for direct bass.

Character
Preset	What it does
Samples - Crunch	IMPACT / LED, +12.0 dB drive into -9.0 dB. Negative ASYMMETRY with the link off: deliberately crunchy.
Even Harmonics	IMPACT / SILICON, +6.0 dB drive into -6.0 dB. Strong ASYMMETRY for a thicker, warmer tone.

How to get it

Own it, or get every plugin

Own it

RSL Crucible

$69once

Founders’ price, then $99. Yours to keep, with its updates.

Buy

30 days free

RSL All Access

This plus 5 more

$15/ mo, billed yearly

Every RSL plugin and every new one, with every update. No card for the trial. Or $18 monthly.

Try All Access free

RSL Complete

All 6, yours to keep

$349once

Founders’ price, then $449. Every current plugin; new ones are not included.

See RSL Complete

Specifications

Type: Analog peak shaper: RSL 2181 VCA into a diode clip cell
Edge: CLEAN or IMPACT clamp; silicon, germanium, LED or zener diodes; KNEE and ASYMMETRY
Oversampling: 1x, 2x, 4x or 8x; optional 16x when rendering offline
Latency: Fixed: 173 samples at 48 kHz. Reported to the host
True peak: Optional look-ahead guard at THRESHOLD + OUTPUT; OUTPUT readout in dBTP
Dither: Off, 16 bit or 24 bit, last in the chain
Metering: Peak, RMS or LUFS (short-term)
Channels: Mono or stereo; CHANNEL LINK L/R, M/S or OFF
macOS: macOS 11 or newer, universal binary. Audio Unit, VST3 and AAX
Windows: Windows 10 64-bit or newer. VST3 and Standalone
Presets: 16 factory presets plus Initialize; your own as .rgpreset files
Interface: 50 to 150 percent window size; opens at 75 percent
Activation: Through RSL Hub on up to 4 computers, with no license key
Current build: Version 1.0.2 on macOS and Windows
Manual: The user manual, free to read

Questions before you buy

How is it different from a compressor or a limiter?

It isn’t a compressor: there is no attack and release, and the clip cell works on the waveform itself, sample by sample. It sits on drums, bass and buses, or on the master ahead of or in place of the final limiter. With TRUE PEAK on, nothing leaves it above the ceiling between samples either.

Will it run on my machine?

RSL Crucible runs on macOS 11 or later as a universal binary for Apple Silicon and Intel, and on 64-bit Windows 10 or later. The current build is v1.0.2 on both.

Which formats do I get?

On macOS you get AU, VST3 and AAX. On Windows you get VST3 and a Standalone app.

Does it work in Pro Tools?

Yes on macOS, through the AAX version. There is no AAX build for Windows yet.

Does it add latency?

A small, fixed amount: 173 samples at 48 kHz. It is the same whatever the switches are set to, and every host with delay compensation corrects for it automatically.

How many computers can I use it on?

Up to 4. It activates through the RSL Hub app when you sign in with your Renegade Sound Labs account, so there is no license key to copy or paste.

Is there a free trial?

Yes. You can try RSL Crucible free for 30 days before you buy.

What happens to the price after the offer ends?

The founders’ price of $69 runs through 30 November, then RSL Crucible is $99. Either way it is a one-time purchase, yours to keep with its updates. You can refund it within 14 days of purchase, for any reason.

Is it included in RSL All Access?

Yes. RSL All Access includes RSL Crucible for $15 a month billed yearly, or $18 monthly, and starts with a 30-day free trial with no card needed.