As Eventide’s tonal/transient audio splitter and FX audio plugin gets a refresh, we take a first look at Physion Mk II. Sporting some innovative new features as well as an updated look, is it worth the upgrade? See and hear it in action for yourself…

The Old Way - Envelope Shaping

Traditional envelope ‘designers’ have many uses when it comes to working with an optimal recording (and some less-than-ideal ones too). A tool’s Attack control is used on the onset of sounds to turn them up or down to make them ‘pop’ or recede as desired. At the other end, the Sustain portion can also be controlled, meaning sounds can be made tighter and shorter or longer and more expansive. The treatment can of course be used on anything, however, age-old candidates for envelope shaping are drum sounds. This kind of process is often achieved using a more traditional dynamic processor-like MO that has much in common with upward expansion or compression treatments.

Splitting The Envelope

The industry has in recent years seen several products offering a different way to control audio envelope processing. These go beyond the familiar territory of what was traditionally a type of dynamic process, using proprietary technology that is entirely divorced from merely turning things up or down. Rather than enhance or otherwise bend existing sounds, this new generation of shapers allows engineers to change sounds’ envelopes in new ways; not least to enable the production of new sounds from them.

Eventide Physion Mk II

Physion has been Eventide’s take on structural re-shaping since 2017. Using the same tech as the company’s Split EQ, this innovative tool allows engineers to separate a sound out into its transient and tonal portions. These can then be processed separately before being re-summed at the plugin’s output (if desired). While simple re-balancing of transient and tonal portions can be effected, the updated Physion Mk II allows even more in-depth surgery than classical dynamic processing by offering a number of effects treatments as well. These can be applied differently to transient and tonal portions offering powerful sound design possibilities.

Watch in the video as we use Physion Mk II on familiar ground, re-modelling a snare drum’s envelope to apply some virtual Moongel. We then stretch its legs further into sound design territory transforming other mix instruments’ fundamental shape and character.

Features In Full:

• Split audio into “Transient” and “Tonal” components.

• Radically re-shape a sound by soloing the Tonal and Transient channels. Tighten up drums by dropping the tonal section, or tune a guitar into an ambient sweep by losing the transients.

• Split, modify and reassemble any sound.

• Fine-tune the split using the four “Structural Split” controls.

• Six Transient effects available: Delay, Tap Delay, Dynamics, Phaser, Reverb, Gate + EQ.

• Seven Tonal effects available: Delay, Compressor, Pitch, Chorus, Reverb, Tremolo, EQ.

• Waveform display for clear tracking of Transient/Tonal audio in real-time.

New For Physion MkII:

• Reverse Delay Effect Type with Crystals-like Pitch Shifting.

• Sidechain Input for Dynamics and Reverse Delay Triggering.

• Polyphonic Pitch Shifting Mode and Tonal Pitch Effect Type.

• Fine Tune Per Voice and Tone Control in Pitch Effect Type.

• New GUI refresh to look like SplitEQ.

• A/B and Undo/Redo.

• Onboard Tool Tips.

• Three Colour Schemes: Normal, Dark, and Colourblind Accessible.

Physion Mk II - Worth The Upgrade?

Simply put, it depends. For many, being able to apply the new effects on offer separately to transient and tonal elements will be a ‘good-to-have’ rather than a ‘can’t-live-without’. That said, an increasing number of audio plugins come with an A/B button, which I personally prefer to my DAW’s in-built Compare function as it keeps my brain ‘in’ the plugin. Less the case with Physion Mk II, on a broader note some plugins’ complexity makes Undo/Redo virtually indispensable. Even on a more compact audio tool like Physion Mk II, anything with sliders or faders realistically needs some form of undo/redo.

Extra effects aside, it should be noted that Physion Mk II also features improved Structural Split detection from taken from Eventide’s SplitEQ; a more recent creation with newer tech under the hood. Certainly, users of v1 would be justifiably interested solely in the new operational tweaks, were it not for the promise of improved structural detection as well. For some that might tip the balance towards a worthy upgrade.