BeeComps Manual

BeeComps is a family of fixed single-band dynamics processors built on a shared compressor foundation. Each product exposes one fixed model or one fixed dynamics topology directly. The family keeps a consistent graph language and control grammar while preserving product-specific behavior.

Fixed-model: A product whose identity is a fixed Classic compressor character, such as VCA, FET, OPTO, VARI-MU, Tape, Custom, or Clip behavior.
Fixed-topology: A product whose identity is a fixed broader dynamics law, such as Lookahead, Density, Level, Spectral, Gate, or Xpand.
Main and Side path: The shared state model used for Stereo and M/S operation. Side path values become audible when the product is in M/S mode and the Side path is selected.
Shared graph language: Threshold, ratio/range, makeup, envelope, and detector state use the same visual grammar across the family where the fixed product supports those controls.

Read the page in layers. First choose the fixed product identity. Then read the shared graph language, Main/Side path ownership, detector path, timing, and monitoring. Product-specific entries matter because the same visible area can mean ratio, range, clipping threshold, or fixed adaptive behavior depending on the plugin.

Feature Inventory

The BeeComps family intentionally omits multiband editing. The shared feature inventory is:

Fixed single-band product identity with product-specific plugin name, bundle identity, preset namespace, and state stamp.
No public model selector, no crossovers, no band splitting, no public filter resonance handles, no filter-corner shifts, and No BeePressor Auto capture/apply workflow.
Shared graph language for threshold, ratio or range, makeup, gain-reduction history, and top-graph parameter overlays.
Stereo and M/S processing with Main and Side path parameter sets.
Main and Side path bypass, solo, threshold, ratio or range, attack, wait, release, attack shape, release shape, and makeup where the product supports them.
Self and External keying through the shared detector path.
Detector mode, RMS window, stereo link, external blend, detector listen, and product-global ADAA where supported.
Five-band detector-only SC EQ with high-pass, three bell bands, low-pass, and global enable.
Focused envelope editor where the product has envelope behavior.
Timing drawer for attack/release curves, transfer shape/depth where supported, envelope scale, wait, and auto-release.
Engine drawer for detector controls, ADAA, and fixed-product quality controls where meaningful.
Visualizer FFT and Hi-Res modes, meter rail, meter history, right-click meter modes, and Delta monitor.
Factory presets, user presets, preset link copy/paste, compatible band-link paste from BeePressor/BeeDyn, state restoration, and host automation compatibility.

The shared architecture and nineteen product entries are grounded in the local BeeComps project Manual.md and public BeeAudioModules parameter contracts for product names, fixed identities, visible controls, default states, and unsupported-control statements. External references provide general terminology only.

The product name is part of the technical contract. BeeFET does not become BeeOPTO through a model selector, and BeeGate does not become a compressor through a ratio control. A casual reading can treat the family as one shared shell. A deeper reading should ask which fixed identity owns the gain law before interpreting any control.

Family rule

Shared controls do not imply identical processing. A ratio control on BeeVCA and a range control on BeeGate occupy related graph space, but they describe different fixed products.

Scope and Terminology

BeeComps are full-range single-band products. They do not expose BeePressor's band count, crossovers, split/remove controls, per-band filters, public resonance handles, filter-corner shifts, or Auto/Apply capture. They do not expose BeeDyn's EQ node shapes, detector detachment, or full-band EQ cascade. They use the shared compressor shell for focused single-band operation.

The fixed-model versus fixed-topology distinction matters. Fixed-model products use a Classic compressor character as the product identity: BeeVCA, BeeFET, BeeOPTO, BeeVariMu, BeeTape, BeeCustom, and BeeClip. Fixed-topology products use a broader dynamics law as the product identity: BeeLookahead, BeeDensity, BeeLevel, BeeSpectral, BeeNeural, BeeWavelet, BeeMod, BeeSNR, BeeSlide, BeeFree, BeeGate, and BeeXpand.

Absence is a control statement. No crossover means the product processes the full range. No public model selector means the plugin identity is the model or topology. No public filter resonance/corner-shift surface means filter character is not an editing layer in BeeComps. No Auto/Apply means the user sets the state directly rather than accepting captured band suggestions.

Fixed identity is a usability contract. The user does not choose a model from a menu because the product already is that model or topology. This also protects preset meaning: a BeeFET preset should not silently become an opto preset because a selector was changed.

Notation

Threshold is the detector reference. Ratio is present when the fixed product uses ratio behavior. Range is present for range dynamics such as gate and expander behavior. Wait is the shared pre-attack gain delay. Hardness is the BeeGate-facing name for hysteresis behavior. ADAA defaults vary by product; BeeTape and BeeClip default ADAA on.

System Description

The shared audio path applies input trim, reads detector state, computes gain or transfer behavior from the fixed product identity, applies the Main or Side path processing, applies mix and output trim, and publishes meter, graph, visualizer, and preset state.

The shared shell has two stable paths through the text: signal path and identity path. The signal path explains where input, detector, SC EQ, fixed law, mix, and output sit. The identity path explains which product owns the law. When the two are confused, operators often search for missing controls that are intentionally absent.

Figure 1. Shared single-band shell.

Input trim Detector and SC EQ Fixed model or topology Mix Output trim

Stereo mode uses the primary path for the stereo signal. M/S mode encodes the input into Mid and Side, processes the Main/Mid path and Side path independently, then decodes back to stereo. The selected path controls which parameter set the focused drawer edits.

Figure 2. Main and Side path ownership.

StereoPrimary path controls the full stereo signal.

M/SMain path owns Mid. Side path owns Side. Controls retarget to the selected path.

The detector path can use Self or External keying. The five-band detector-only SC EQ is in the detector path, not the direct audio path. Detector listen monitors the detector signal after routing and detector EQ.

Figure 3. Detector and sidechain EQ path.

Self or External key Detector mode and RMS window Five-band SC EQ Fixed product law Gain or transfer movement

Range products use a different top-graph meaning from ratio products. BeeGate and BeeXpand use range dynamics: the graph shows a threshold reference and a lower floor or range-limited movement rather than an ordinary compression ratio line. BeeGate also uses hysteresis/hardness to separate open and close behavior.

Range dynamics should be judged from threshold, floor, and stability. Threshold decides when the processor opens or starts returning toward neutral. Range decides how far the lower-level material can be reduced. Hysteresis or Hardness prevents unstable open/close motion near threshold. Ratio language is the wrong diagnostic for these products.

Control Surface

The top graph shows the parameter truth for the product. Normal compression products show threshold, ratio behavior, and makeup gain. Range products show threshold and range floor behavior. BeeClip omits ratio interaction because clipping is threshold-driven. Products without envelope behavior do not present the envelope editor as if timing controlled a detector envelope.

The focused drawer contains Mode, Key, path state, threshold, ratio or range, makeup, timing, and product-supported advanced controls. The same drawer shape appears across the family so host automation and preset review stay readable, but unsupported controls are hidden or disabled instead of faked.

The Engine tab contains detector mode, RMS window, stereo link, external blend, detector listen, and ADAA. ADAA is a product-global quality control for compatible nonlinear/static transfer stages. BeeTape and BeeClip default ADAA on because their fixed identities involve saturation or clipping. Other BeeComps default it off unless a preset changes it.

The SC EQ tab contains a detector-only five-band EQ: high-pass, three bell bands, and low-pass. Bands are fixed roles rather than separate audio EQ nodes. This EQ changes detector response and detector listen. It does not directly tone-shape the output.

The Timing tab contains advanced envelope timing plus transfer shape/depth where the product supports those families. BeeClip omits envelope timing because its fixed transfer is static clipping rather than detector-envelope compression. Gate and expander products use timing for open/close or range recovery behavior.

Table 1 is a map of shared surfaces and intentional omissions. Use it before assuming a control is missing by mistake. The family reuses graph grammar where meanings are compatible, but it hides controls that would misrepresent a fixed product.

Table 1. Shared controls and absent controls.
Area	Present in BeeComps	Absent from BeeComps	Reason
Graph	Threshold, ratio/range, makeup, gain movement, product-specific overlays.	Crossovers, split/remove, filter-corner shift.	The products are fixed full-range single-band processors.
Model identity	Fixed product name and state stamp.	No public model selector.	The product is the model or topology.
Detector	Self and External keying, detector mode, RMS window, external blend, detector listen.	Internal cross-band keys.	There are no internal bands.
SC EQ	Five-band detector-only SC EQ.	Public audio EQ node editing.	SC EQ shapes detection, not tone directly.
Automation	Stable product parameters and supported editor state.	BeePressor Auto and crossover automation.	Those belong to multiband topology.

Interaction Rules

Drag threshold vertically on the graph or focused threshold affordance. Drag ratio horizontally where ratio is enabled. BeeGate uses the former ratio track as Range, not Ratio. Drag makeup vertically from the gain affordance. Use path bypass and solo to isolate Main, Mid, or Side behavior.

Use M/S mode when Mid and Side need different dynamics. Select the active path before editing threshold, ratio/range, makeup, timing, or advanced controls. A common error is to tune the Side path while monitoring a mostly Mid signal; use path solo or Delta briefly when necessary.

Use Self keying for ordinary compression. Use External keying when another host track should drive the detector. External sidechain behavior depends on host routing. Detector listen verifies the signal after detector routing and SC EQ.

Right-click meter areas for meter display choices where available. Shift-click the title to toggle Delta monitor. Return to normal monitoring before final level decisions.

BeeComps accepts compatible BeePlugs preset links. Fixed-model products accept copied BeePressor/BeeDyn band links only when the source band model matches the fixed product model. Fixed-topology products preserve sourceProduct identity through the compatible topology mapping rather than becoming new Comp choices.

Example: gate with detector EQ

On a drum close mic, set BeeGate threshold so intended hits open the gate. Set Range for the amount of closure. Increase Hardness only enough to stop chatter. If cymbal spill opens the gate, enable SC EQ, reduce high detector energy, and use detector listen before changing attack or release.

Processing Reference

Fixed-model products read like individual compressor characters. BeeVCA is the clean reference. BeeFET is faster and more assertive. BeeOPTO is smoother and slower. BeeVariMu is rounded and program-dependent. BeeTape adds saturation behavior. BeeCustom exposes transfer-curve shaping. BeeClip uses a static clipping transfer rather than ratio-driven compression.

Compressor terms such as threshold, ratio, attack, and release are aligned with common vocabulary in the JUCE Compressor reference. Broad digital-audio-effects terms, including nonlinear transfer, filtering, metering, and dynamics categories, are cross-checked against DAFX and the JUCE DSP namespace. BeeComps product behavior remains defined by the local product source.

Fixed-topology products change the gain-law family. BeeLookahead uses anticipatory peak control with reported latency. BeeDensity combines downward compression with low-level density lift. BeeLevel combines RMS leveling with faster peak control. BeeSpectral works from spectral gain behavior. BeeNeural uses deterministic causal state behavior. BeeWavelet, BeeMod, BeeSNR, BeeSlide, and BeeFree use adaptive laws that are not ordinary Classic compressor models. BeeGate and BeeXpand use range dynamics.

Wait is a pre-attack gain delay. The detector keeps tracking during Wait. Movement away from neutral waits, then follows the attack curve. Movement back toward neutral is release behavior and is not delayed by Wait.

The five-band detector-only SC EQ changes what the detector hears. It is useful when a compressor should ignore rumble, ignore sibilance, respond to vocal fundamentals, or key from a shaped external signal. It should not be used as an output EQ substitute.

ADAA is available for compatible nonlinear or static transfer stages. It reduces folded harmonic energy at extra CPU cost. BeeTape and BeeClip default ADAA on. Other products default ADAA off unless a preset changes it.

The fixed-model products are easiest to learn from BeeVCA outward: BeeVCA is the neutral reference, BeeFET changes transient grip, BeeOPTO changes program smoothing, BeeVariMu changes drive-dependent curvature, BeeTape and BeeClip add stronger nonlinear-transfer consequences, and BeeCustom exposes the transfer relation directly. The fixed-topology products are better read by the measurement law they change: lookahead, density, level, spectral, adaptive state, wavelet/detail, modulation, SNR, sliding focus, channel-free behavior, gate, and expansion.

Table 2. Fixed-model product reference.
Product	Technical behavior	Supported emphasis	Omitted or changed controls
BeeVCA	Neutral classic VCA compression with direct threshold/ratio reading.	Clean bus, vocal, instrument, or utility compression.	No model selector; no saturation identity beyond the VCA law.
BeeFET	Fast FET-style transient grab with assertive gain movement.	Drums, vocals, parallel compression, and transient control.	No opto or vari-mu selector; timing still follows shared controls.
BeeOPTO	Smoother optical-style leveling with less abrupt movement.	Vocals, bass, guitar, pads, and program leveling.	Not intended for hard peak limiting.
BeeVariMu	Rounded variable-mu behavior with firmer response under drive.	Bus control, gentle leveling, toneful compression.	No public tube circuit controls; product identity is fixed.
BeeTape	Tape compression plus saturation density.	Soft leveling, bus density, controlled saturation.	ADAA defaults on; tone can change with level, not only dynamics.
BeeCustom	Custom transfer-curve compression with point and handle shaping.	Nonstandard compression, reverse regions, shaped ratio curves.	Requires careful Delta and meter review for non-monotonic curves.
BeeClip	Static threshold soft clipper.	Peak rounding and clipping control.	No ratio interaction and no ordinary envelope timing; ADAA defaults on.

Table 3. Fixed-topology product reference.
Product	Topology behavior	Best fit	Omitted or changed controls
BeeLookahead	Delays audio relative to detector action and reports latency to the host.	Clean peak control where delay compensation is acceptable.	Live tracking requires host latency awareness.
BeeDensity	Combines downward compression above threshold with low-level density lift.	Room mics, parallel buses, sustain, and quiet detail.	Can raise noise if threshold and mix are excessive.
BeeLevel	RMS leveling followed by faster peak control.	Vocals, dialog, bass, and stems needing steady average level.	Not a transient designer; slower settings are often appropriate.
BeeSpectral	Frequency-domain spectral gain behavior without public multiband splitting.	Harshness, dense resonances, and broad frequency-selective control.	Does not expose BeePressor crossovers.
BeeNeural	Deterministic state-style adaptive gain and bounded saturation.	Adaptive character compression with more memory than a static curve.	Does not load external neural model files.
BeeWavelet	Slow carrier and fast detail recruitment-style compression.	Detail recovery and articulation control.	No public wavelet band editor.
BeeMod	Modulation-domain fast/slow envelope comparison.	Smoothing while retaining useful internal motion.	No modulation-rate editor is exposed.
BeeSNR	SNR-aware adaptive compression that relaxes on low-SNR material.	Speech, podcasts, vocals, and noisy recordings.	No user-facing noise classifier.
BeeSlide	Moving spectral centroid focus with per-channel spectral state.	Pitch-moving harshness or adaptive spectral containment.	No fixed-band crossover graph.
BeeFree	Channel-free adaptive wideband law from envelope and spectral tilt cues.	Adaptive wideband compression without fixed bands.	Not an explicit channel or band processor.
BeeGate	Gate with Threshold/Range and Hardness/hysteresis behavior.	Bleed, room tone, and low-level spill reduction.	No ratio editing; Range replaces ratio track on the graph.
BeeXpand	Downward expansion with Range and Hysteresis behavior.	Increasing separation without hard gate closure.	Range dynamics are central; not a classic compressor.

Table 4. Shared technical controls.
Control family	Technical function	Products affected	Use notes
Threshold	Detector reference for gain or transfer action.	Most BeeComps.	Set before makeup and output gain.
Ratio	Compression or expansion steepness where supported.	Ratio-based products.	Not a BeeClip or BeeGate editing affordance.
Range	Maximum downward movement or closed floor.	BeeGate, BeeXpand, compatible range dynamics.	Use lower range for subtle cleanup and higher range for stronger closure.
Hardness/hysteresis	Separates open and close behavior.	Gate and expander families.	Prevents chatter near threshold.
Makeup	Post-dynamics level trim for the active path.	Most BeeComps.	Can hide over-processing; use output meter.
Mix	Dry/wet blend.	Family-wide.	Useful for density, compression, and clipping moderation.
ADAA	Anti-aliased evaluation for compatible nonlinear/static stages.	Product-dependent.	BeeTape and BeeClip default ADAA on.

Operating Procedures

Choose the product

Choose the product whose fixed identity matches the task.
Use BeeVCA for neutral compression.
Use BeeFET for fast transient grip.
Use BeeOPTO or BeeLevel for smoother leveling.
Use BeeTape or BeeClip when the transfer itself should add saturation or clipping behavior.
Use BeeGate or BeeXpand for range dynamics.
Use BeeSpectral, BeeWavelet, BeeMod, BeeSNR, BeeSlide, or BeeFree when an adaptive topology is the reason for choosing the processor.

Do not look for a model selector after choosing the product. The product name is the selector.

Set the shared compressor path

Set input trim.
Choose Stereo or M/S.
If M/S is active, choose Main/Mid or Side path before editing.
Choose Self or External key.
Lower threshold until intended movement begins.
Set ratio or range, depending on product.
Set attack, wait, release, and shapes where the product supports envelope behavior.
Set makeup only after gain movement is correct.
Use Delta briefly.
Return to normal monitoring and match output.

Use detector EQ

Open SC EQ.
Enable the detector-only EQ.
Use high-pass to reduce low-frequency detector triggers.
Use bell bands to emphasize or reduce specific detector regions.
Use low-pass to reduce high-frequency detector triggers.
Turn on detector listen while tuning.
Turn detector listen off before final judgment.

Work with BeeGate and BeeXpand

Set threshold at the point where wanted signal should open or remain present.
Set Range for the amount of reduction below threshold.
Increase Hardness or hysteresis only enough to stop chatter.
Use attack to control how quickly the processor opens or moves.
Use release to control how the processor returns toward closure or neutral.
Use detector EQ if bleed opens the processor incorrectly.

Procedure: confirm a pasted preset belongs to this product

Load or paste the preset.
Confirm the product name and current preset label.
If state resets to a clean default, assume the preset belongs to a different fixed product or is corrupt.
For compatible BeePressor/BeeDyn band links, confirm the source model or topology matches the fixed product identity.
Review threshold, path state, and detector source after paste.

Product Reference

BeeVCA is the neutral reference compressor in the BeeComps family. Use it when the technical task is threshold/ratio compression without additional adaptive topology. It is the cleanest starting point for comparing detector mode, timing, knee, SC EQ, and M/S behavior because the product identity does not intentionally add tape saturation, clipping, spectral behavior, or range dynamics.

BeeFET is the fast FET-style product. It is suited to transient grab, vocal edge control, drum compression, and parallel compression where motion should be audible. Because the response can be assertive, set threshold and attack before adding makeup. Delta is useful for confirming whether the processor is removing transient shape, body, or only peaks.

BeeOPTO is the smoother optical-style product. It is suited to leveling and program-smoothed movement where abrupt gain changes would be distracting. It is less appropriate when exact peak containment is the first requirement. Use longer release and moderate ratio when the goal is evenness.

BeeVariMu is a rounded variable-mu style product. It becomes firmer as drive increases and works well for bus or program compression where the transition into compression should feel broad. It is not a transparent utility limiter. Use output matching carefully because the product can change density as much as peak level.

BeeTape combines tape compression and saturation behavior. It can change tone as well as level. ADAA defaults on because the fixed identity includes nonlinear behavior that can create bright products when driven hard. Use Mix and output trim to control how much saturation becomes part of the final sound.

BeeCustom exposes a custom transfer curve. The curve defines how input above the threshold reference maps to output movement. It is useful for shaped compression, reverse regions, special knee behavior, or nonstandard ratios. It requires more careful metering because a custom curve can become non-monotonic or can create upward action where ordinary compression would attenuate.

BeeClip is a threshold soft clipper. It does not use ordinary ratio interaction and does not use envelope timing as a compressor does. It is useful for static peak rounding, clipping control, and controlled saturation. ADAA defaults on. Set threshold and output level while watching the output meter; high makeup after clipping can defeat the purpose of peak control.

BeeLookahead delays the audio path relative to detector action and reports latency to the host. It is useful when peak control should occur before the peak reaches output. Host delay compensation matters for parallel and live-tracked use. External keying still follows the shared detector contract.

BeeDensity combines downward compression above threshold with low-level density lift below the reference region. It can make quiet detail more present without only shaving peaks. It is useful on room microphones, parallel buses, sustain-heavy instruments, and sources where quiet information should move forward. It can also raise noise if the detector and mix are not controlled.

BeeLevel combines slower RMS leveling with a faster peak-catching stage. It is intended for stable average level before stronger mix processing. Vocals, dialog, bass, and stems often benefit from this topology. It is not the first choice for aggressive transient shaping.

BeeSpectral uses frequency-domain spectral gain behavior without exposing public multiband splitting. It can control harshness and dense resonance when broadband compression is too blunt. The shared graph remains a single-band graph; it does not become a BeePressor crossover display.

BeeNeural is a deterministic causal state-style adaptive compressor. It uses bounded state and does not load external neural model files. It is useful when conventional threshold/ratio timing feels too static. Treat it as adaptive character compression, not as an opaque external model.

BeeWavelet uses a slow carrier and fast detail relationship for recruitment-style compression. It can bring articulation forward while protecting against fast detail overshoot. It does not expose a public wavelet band editor. Use it when the audible goal is detail management rather than simple peak reduction.

BeeMod compares fast and slow envelope behavior in a modulation-domain law. It can smooth level while preserving useful internal motion. It is useful on vocals, dialog, pads, buses, and rooms where ordinary compression feels too grabby. It does not expose separate modulation-rate controls.

BeeSNR adapts compression from a signal-to-noise estimate. It tends to relax when material appears low-SNR so noise is not pulled forward as strongly. It is useful for speech, podcast, vocal, and variable-noise sources. It does not replace restoration tools; it is still a dynamics processor.

BeeSlide tracks a moving spectral focus and applies stronger action around that focus. It is useful when harshness or energy moves with pitch, articulation, or source change. Each stereo channel keeps its own spectral state where relevant. It remains a full-range single-band processor, not a public crossover tree.

BeeFree uses a channel-free adaptive wideband law shaped by envelope and spectral tilt cues. It is useful when fixed user-visible channels are not the desired metaphor. It should be treated as characterful adaptive compression, not as a transparent mastering limiter.

BeeGate is a full-range gate. Threshold controls the open reference. Range controls how far the gate closes below threshold. Hardness represents hysteresis behavior that reduces chatter near the threshold. Ratio is not a BeeGate editing control. Use detector EQ and detector listen when spill or bleed triggers the gate incorrectly.

BeeXpand is a full-range expander. It reduces lower-level material more gradually than BeeGate while retaining shared detector and sidechain facilities. Range and hysteresis control the amount and stability of downward movement. It is useful for separation, ambience control, and preprocessing before compression or saturation.

Presets, State, and Host Behavior

Each product keeps its own plugin identity, preset directory, bundle ID, and Product-stamped state. Stamped state from another BeeComp is rejected to a clean default state. Unstamped legacy state is migrated by copying known current-product parameters onto defaults.

Factory presets start from clean default state before applying product-specific recipe values. User presets are VST3-compatible preset files stored in product-specific preset directories. Foreign or corrupt user preset files are filtered before the preset list is shown.

Preset links can copy and paste compatible BeePlugs state. BeeComps fixed-model products accept copied BeePressor/BeeDyn band links only when the band model matches the fixed product model. Fixed-topology products use source product identity to preserve topology meaning in compatible destinations.

Host automation should use stable controls: threshold, ratio or range, makeup, mix, output, timing, detector source, path state, and product-supported advanced controls. There is no band count, crossover, node shape, or Auto state to automate in BeeComps.

External sidechain depends on host routing. If the host has no enabled sidechain bus, External keying cannot create a key signal. Detector listen is the fastest way to confirm whether the key signal exists after routing and SC EQ.

Troubleshooting

If a control is missing, confirm whether the fixed product supports that behavior. BeeClip has no ratio interaction or compressor envelope timing. BeeGate has no ratio editing. BeeComps has no crossovers, no public model selector, no public filter resonance/corner shift surface, and No BeePressor Auto.

If External keying does nothing, check host sidechain routing first. Then use detector listen. If detector listen is silent, the detector is not receiving useful key signal.

If M/S edits do not seem audible, confirm the product is in M/S mode, select the intended Main or Side path, and use path solo briefly. A Side path setting may be inaudible on a mostly mono source.

If the gate chatters, increase Hardness/hysteresis modestly, adjust release, or shape the detector with SC EQ. Do not solve chatter only by extreme Range; that can make the closure too obvious.

If Delta is silent, processing may be neutral or bypassed. Check global bypass, path bypass, dry/wet mix, threshold, ratio/range, and output. If Delta is very loud, the processor may be changing broad tone or level rather than the intended local behavior.

If a pasted preset resets, it may belong to a different fixed product or have incompatible product-stamped state. Load a preset from the current product namespace and compare.

Research and References

BeeComps documentation starts from local product truth because each plugin is a fixed product identity. The external references in this chapter support general terminology for compression, range dynamics, sidechain detection, nonlinear transfer, filter vocabulary, and manual organization. They do not imply that BeeComps products expose a generic model menu, crossover editor, or full-band EQ node system.

The manual separates fixed-model and fixed-topology products because the user-facing control contract is different. Fixed-model products identify one Classic compressor character or static transfer family. Fixed-topology products identify a broader gain-law family such as lookahead, density, spectral, adaptive, gate, or expander behavior. This taxonomy is a product-state rule as well as a documentation rule: product-stamped state should preserve identity instead of silently moving a preset into another product.

Research synthesis. Compressor and dynamic-range sources support the shared language of threshold, ratio, range, attack, release, detector, and gain movement. Nonlinear and ADAA sources support the language used for Tape, Clip, Custom, and other transfer-heavy behavior. Filter and EQ sources support detector-only SC EQ terms. Interface and metering sources support the graph, meter history, Delta, and state visibility vocabulary. The references explain the technical vocabulary; the fixed product list defines the actual surface.

Table 5. BeeComps research map.
Subject	Primary source basis	Manual use
Product identities and omissions	`BeeComps project Manual.md`; BeeAudioModules public parameter contracts.	All nineteen product names, fixed-model/fixed-topology behavior, ADAA defaults, product-stamped state, and absent controls.
Documentation architecture	Diátaxis.	Clear separation of conceptual explanation, procedures, reference lookup, troubleshooting, glossary, and index entries.
Technical writing style	Google developer documentation style guide; Microsoft Learn style quick start.	Direct product nouns, short procedures, stable terminology, and restrained warnings.
Compressor terminology	JUCE Compressor.	Common language for threshold, ratio, attack, release, and compressor-style controls.
Detector EQ terminology	W3C Audio EQ Cookbook.	General language for high-pass, low-pass, bell, shelf, Q, and filter-response terms used by detector-only SC EQ.
Digital audio effects context	DAFX; JUCE DSP namespace.	General context for nonlinear transfer, spectral behavior, metering, dynamics processing, and audio processor vocabulary.

The extended bibliography below includes references beyond the fixed single-band surface because BeeComps still uses shared audio-engine vocabulary: compressor topology, detector design, range dynamics, nonlinear transfer, detector-only EQ, cramping and decramping terminology, metering, and graph interaction. These references are explanatory context. They do not add crossovers, model selectors, public filter-corner controls, or Dynamic EQ nodes to BeeComps. Research Table D gives item-level source coverage for the fixed products and shared single-band features.

Research Table D. BeeComps item-level source map.
Item	Coverage	Sources
BeeVCA	Neutral controlled-gain compressor vocabulary.	Giannoulis, Massberg, and Reiss; JUCE Compressor; MIT compression notes.
BeeFET	Fast FET-style transient control vocabulary.	1176 manual; compressor design survey; MathWorks compressor.
BeeOPTO	Optical-style leveling and memory language.	optocoupler compressor modeling; optical compressor modeling; compressor design survey.
BeeVariMu	Rounded, drive-dependent compressor vocabulary.	MIT compression notes; DAFX; compressor survey.
BeeTape	Tape compression, saturation, and anti-aliasing context.	ADAA with frequency compensation; nonlinear Volterra antialiasing; DAFX nonlinear effects.
BeeCustom	Custom transfer-curve and non-monotonic gain-law vocabulary.	static characteristic reference; ADAA circuit interpretation; JUCE Compressor.
BeeClip	Static clipping, nonlinear transfer, and alias-risk vocabulary.	ADAA; Volterra antialiasing; DAFX waveshaping context.
BeeLookahead	Lookahead peak control and latency tradeoff language.	MathWorks limiter; JUCE Limiter; dynamic range control.
BeeDensity	Low-level density lift versus downward compression.	dynamic-range compression principles; MathWorks DRC; compressor automation study.
BeeLevel	RMS leveling and fast peak containment vocabulary.	compressor survey; ITU-R BS.1770; EBU R 128.
BeeSpectral	Spectral gain behavior and analyzer terminology.	Smith spectral audio; Mathematics of the DFT; frequency-domain compression overview.
BeeNeural	Deterministic state-style adaptive-gain language.	real-time neural compressor modeling; state-space compressor modeling; stateful nonlinear audio modeling.
BeeWavelet	Wavelet-packet and carrier/detail terminology.	Mallat wavelet representation; wavelet packet audio coding; spectral audio processing.
BeeMod	Modulation-domain and fast/slow envelope vocabulary.	speech modulation analysis; joint acoustic and modulation frequency analysis; spectral-temporal perception.
BeeSNR	Signal-to-noise-aware adaptation vocabulary.	Ephraim and Malah speech enhancement; a priori SNR estimation review; SNR estimation study.
BeeSlide	Spectral centroid and moving-focus language.	spectral centroid perception; spectral descriptors review; spectral analysis.
BeeFree	Adaptive wideband law and non-channelized dynamics language.	dynamic-range processor taxonomy; DAFX; signal-dependent speech features.
BeeGate	Gate threshold, range, hysteresis, and chatter language.	MathWorks noise gate; JUCE NoiseGate; dynamic range control.
BeeXpand	Downward expansion and range-limited attenuation language.	MathWorks expander; dynamic-range principles; compressor survey.
Fixed-model taxonomy	Single product as fixed compressor character.	JUCE Compressor; compressor design survey; DAFX.
Fixed-topology taxonomy	Single product as fixed broader dynamics law.	DRC taxonomy; MathWorks DRC; DAFX.
Range dynamics	Range floor and hysteresis instead of ratio-only compression.	MathWorks noise gate; MathWorks expander; JUCE NoiseGate.
Main and Side paths	Stereo/Mid/Side ownership and path-specific parameter reading.	DAFX; JUCE Compressor; WCAG control identity.
Detector routing	Self, external sidechain, and detector-listen terminology.	side-branch detector design; dynamic range control; compressor detector survey.
Five-band detector-only SC EQ	Detector filtering without direct output EQ.	W3C Audio EQ Cookbook; MathWorks designParamEQ; side-branch detector reference.
Product-stamped state	Stable host state and product identity language.	JUCE APVTS; JUCE AudioProcessor; VST3 parameter automation guide; Microsoft technical style.
ADAA defaults	Quality default for nonlinear or static transfer products.	ADAA with frequency compensation; ADAA circuit interpretation; nonlinear antialiasing.
Omitted controls	Documenting absent crossovers, model selectors, filter resonance, and Auto.	Diataxis reference guidance; Google developer style; Microsoft Learn style.
Delta monitor and graph interaction	Difference monitoring, graph reading, and direct manipulation.	Cleveland and McGill; Shneiderman direct manipulation; Victor, Magic Ink.

Research Table A. Filter topology, detector EQ, and decramping references.
Reference	Subject	Manual use
Smith, Introduction to Digital Filters with Audio Applications	Digital filter fundamentals.	General language for detector EQ filters, cutoff, resonance, phase, and filter consequences.
Smith, Physical Audio Signal Processing	Physical and virtual audio systems.	Context for virtual analog, resonator, and filter-model terminology.
W3C Audio EQ Cookbook	Biquad EQ forms.	Shared terminology for detector-only high-pass, bell, low-pass, Q, bandwidth, and gain.
Valimaki and Reiss, All About Audio Equalization	EQ research survey.	Reference for EQ taxonomy and the difference between detector EQ and audible EQ.
Orfanidis, Digital Parametric Equalizer Design with Prescribed Nyquist-Frequency Gain	High-frequency EQ behavior.	Background for cramping and decramping language near Nyquist.
Orfanidis, High-Order Digital Parametric Equalizer Design	Higher-order parametric EQ.	Context for filter order and slope language.
Vicanek, Matched Second Order Digital Filters	Matched and decramped second-order filters.	Reference for alternatives to ordinary bilinear-transform cramping.
FAUST vaeffects library notes	Virtual analog and decramped filter implementations.	Implementation vocabulary for matched filters without treating BeeComps as a FAUST product.
MathWorks designParamEQ reference	Parametric EQ design interface.	Terminology for gain, center frequency, bandwidth, order, and filter cascades.
A pre-distortion based design method for digital audio graphic equalizer	Predistortion and equalizer accuracy.	Additional context for cramping correction and high-frequency accuracy.
Matrix-based design and realization of digital parametric equalizer	Parametric EQ realization.	Context for cascade and filter-structure distinctions.
Zavalishin, The Art of VA Filter Design	Virtual analog filters and zero-delay feedback.	Vocabulary for virtual-analog filter character and topology behavior.
Stilson and Smith, Analyzing the Moog VCF for Digital Implementation	Moog ladder discretization.	Background for ladder-filter terminology where fixed products discuss tone or nonlinear edge behavior.
Huovilainen, Non-Linear Digital Implementation of the Moog Ladder Filter	Nonlinear ladder modeling.	Context for nonlinear resonant filter terms.
D'Angelo and Valimaki, Generalized Moog Ladder Filter Part II	Delay-free loop ladder modeling.	Background for nonlinear filter topology and feedback-loop wording.
Lazzarini and Timoney, Improving the Chamberlin Digital State Variable Filter	State-variable filters.	Context for detector EQ and filter-character vocabulary.
Simper, Simultaneous Solving of Linear SVF Outputs	Trapezoidal SVF outputs.	Reference for multimode output vocabulary.
Simper, Linear Trapezoidal Integrated SVF	Optimized state-variable filters.	Reference for topology, resonance, and numerical behavior in audio SVF designs.

Research Table B. Compressor topology, range dynamics, nonlinear transfer, metering, and spectral references.
Reference	Subject	Manual use
Giannoulis, Massberg, and Reiss, Digital Dynamic Range Compressor Design	Compressor design survey.	Baseline terminology for peak/RMS detection, feedforward/feedback design, knee, attack, and release.
Giannoulis, Massberg, and Reiss, Parameter Automation in a Dynamic Range Compressor	Automatic compressor parameter setting.	Context for why BeeComps deliberately omits BeePressor Auto.
Principles of Digital Dynamic-Range Compression	Broadband, multichannel, side-branch, and spectral compression.	Context for fixed-model and fixed-topology compressor distinctions.
MathWorks Dynamic Range Control	Compressor, expander, limiter, and gate vocabulary.	Cross-check for range dynamics, gate, expander, and limiter descriptions.
FAUST compressors library	Compressor function taxonomy.	Vocabulary comparison for common digital compressor controls.
JUCE Compressor	Compressor control vocabulary.	Common naming for threshold, ratio, attack, and release.
JUCE DSP namespace	DSP module vocabulary.	General terminology for processor families, filters, and audio blocks.
Antiderivative Antialiasing with Frequency Compensation for Stateful Systems	ADAA variants.	Context for ADAA wording in nonlinear and stateful stages.
An Equivalent Circuit Interpretation of Antiderivative Antialiasing	ADAA circuit interpretation.	Background for treating ADAA as anti-aliasing rather than a tone switch.
Antialiasing for Simplified Nonlinear Volterra Models	Nonlinear alias reduction.	Context for nonlinear transfer and aliasing risk.
Efficient neural networks for real-time modeling of analog dynamic range compression	Neural compressor modeling.	Background for adaptive and state-style compressor terminology without claiming external model loading.
Modeling Analog Dynamic Range Compressors using Deep Learning and State-space Models	State-space and neural compressor modeling.	Context for stateful compressor descriptions.
Cadenza multiband compressor tutorial	Multiband compression tutorial.	Contrast term for explaining that BeeComps are not crossover products.
Smith, Spectral Audio Signal Processing	FFT, STFT, and spectral analysis.	Reference for spectral-product and analyzer vocabulary.
Smith, Mathematics of the DFT	DFT and FFT foundations.	Background for analyzer and spectral-bin descriptions.
ITU-R BS.1770	Loudness and true-peak measurement.	Metering context; BeeComps meters are product meters, not broadcast conformance claims.
EBU R 128	Loudness normalization.	Context for loudness terminology and meter specificity.

Research Table C. GUI, graph, and technical-documentation references.
Reference	Subject	Manual use
Apple Human Interface Guidelines, Sliders	Continuous controls.	Context for graph handles, slider direction, and value feedback.
GNOME Human Interface Guidelines, Sliders	Slider use and exact-value pairing.	Context for graph gestures paired with numeric readouts.
JUCE Slider	Plugin control implementation vocabulary.	Reference for common audio-plugin control labels and accessibility hooks.
JUCE AccessibilityValueInterface	Accessible values.	Context for exposing parameter value meaning beyond drawing.
JUCE Colours tutorial	Component color assignment.	Context for product-colored graph accents and contrast restraint.
JUCE Label tutorial	Control labels.	Context for chip labels and attached control text.
WCAG 2.2	Accessibility requirements.	Reference for contrast, focus, target size, and keyboard-accessible manual pages.
WAI-ARIA Authoring Practices Guide	Keyboard widget behavior.	Context for browser-side manual navigation and graph-like controls.
Cleveland and McGill, Graphical Perception	Quantitative graph decoding.	Reference for readable position, length, and slope encoding in compressor graphs.
Tufte, The Visual Display of Quantitative Information	Data graphics.	Context for restrained graph presentation and avoiding decorative display noise.
Shneiderman, Direct Manipulation	Direct manipulation principles.	Context for immediate visible feedback from graph gestures.
Shneiderman, Direct Manipulation for Comprehensible, Predictable and Controllable User Interfaces	Predictable direct manipulation.	Research support for reversible graph editing and visible state.
ISO 9241-110 interaction principles	Human-system interaction.	High-level context for suitability, controllability, and self-descriptiveness.
Victor, Magic Ink	Information software.	Context for showing state and measurement before asking the user to operate controls.
Diátaxis	Documentation architecture.	Reason for separating explanation, procedure, reference, troubleshooting, glossary, and index.
Google developer documentation style guide	Technical writing.	Basis for direct wording, active voice, and predictable terminology.
Microsoft Learn style quick start	Technical style.	Basis for concise procedures and reader-focused reference sections.

The product reference is kept inside one BeeComps manual because the products share detector routing, Main and Side path state, SC EQ, visualizer, metering, Delta, presets, and host behavior. Separate product entries document only the fixed identity, supported controls, omitted controls, and operating consequences that differ by product.

Endnotes

The source basis for this website manual is BeeComps project Manual.md, plus public BeeAudioModules parameter and label contracts used to verify product names, visible controls, ranges, supported behavior, and omitted behavior.
BeeComps behavior is defined by the local product manual and the public parameter, label, and state contracts. External works are used for terminology and general audio-DSP context only.
The chapter order follows explanation, procedure, reference, troubleshooting, glossary, and index divisions so operating instructions do not obscure topology descriptions or lookup material.
Research sources support the language used for filters, compressor topologies, dynamic range control, decramping, metering, graph interaction, and technical documentation. They are not claims that the products implement any cited algorithm exactly.

Bibliography

Local product source: BeeComps project Manual.md.
Local product source: BeeAudioModules public parameter and label contracts.
Diátaxis documentation framework.
Google developer documentation style guide.
Microsoft Learn style quick start.
W3C Audio EQ Cookbook.
DAFX: Digital Audio Effects.
JUCE Compressor class reference.
JUCE DSP namespace reference.

Reference Tables

Table 6. Product grouping.
Group	Products	Meaning
Fixed-model	BeeVCA, BeeFET, BeeOPTO, BeeVariMu, BeeTape, BeeCustom, BeeClip.	The product identity is a fixed Classic model or transfer character.
Fixed-topology	BeeLookahead, BeeDensity, BeeLevel, BeeSpectral, BeeNeural, BeeWavelet, BeeMod, BeeSNR, BeeSlide, BeeFree, BeeGate, BeeXpand.	The product identity is a broader dynamics law.
Range dynamics	BeeGate, BeeXpand.	Range and hysteresis are central to the gain law.
Nonlinear transfer emphasis	BeeTape, BeeClip, BeeCustom where shaped strongly.	ADAA should be considered when driven hard.

Table 7. ADAA defaults and envelope support.
Product family	ADAA default	Envelope behavior	Notes
BeeTape	On	Supported.	Saturation and compression can both affect tone.
BeeClip	On	Not ordinary compressor envelope behavior.	Threshold soft clipping is static transfer behavior.
Classic fixed models	Off unless preset changes it.	Supported except clip-specific behavior.	Use ADAA when driven hard or exposed.
Adaptive fixed topologies	Off unless preset changes it.	Product-dependent, using shared timing where meaningful.	Controls are omitted when they would misrepresent the topology.

Table 8. Host and state reference.
Subject	Behavior	Technical consequence
Product-stamped state	State carries product/variant identity.	Wrong-product state resets instead of silently changing identity.
User presets	Stored in product-specific namespaces.	BeeFET and BeeOPTO user presets do not share one state space.
External sidechain	Depends on host routing.	Detector listen verifies actual key signal.
Automation	Stable single-band controls only.	No band count, crossover, or Auto automation exists in BeeComps.
Latency	BeeLookahead reports latency where relevant.	Host delay compensation matters for parallel paths.

Glossary

ADAA defaults: Initial anti-aliasing state chosen per product. BeeTape and BeeClip default ADAA on.
Fixed-model: A product identity based on one Classic compressor model or transfer character.
Fixed-topology: A product identity based on a broader dynamics law.
Main and Side path: The path ownership model for Stereo and M/S operation.
Range dynamics: Gate or expander behavior using range and hysteresis rather than ordinary ratio alone.

Index

ADAA: Control Surface; Processing Reference; Research and References; Reference Tables. BeeGate: Processing Reference; Product Reference; Troubleshooting. BeeTape: Product Reference; Reference Tables. Compressor topology: Processing Reference; Research and References. Cramping and decramping: Research and References. Delta monitor: Feature Inventory; Interaction Rules. External keying: System Description; Troubleshooting. Five-band detector-only SC EQ: Feature Inventory; Operating Procedures; Research and References. Fixed-model: Scope and Terminology; Research and References; Reference Tables. Fixed-topology: Scope and Terminology; Research and References; Reference Tables. GUI design: Research and References. Main and Side path: System Description; Operating Procedures. Product-stamped state: Presets, State, and Host Behavior; Research and References. Endnotes: Feature Inventory; Processing Reference; Research and References.