Liminal is a dynamic threshold processor that lets you apply effects to loud, quiet and mid-level transients independently.
FlickSwitch Audio has launched Liminal, a dynamic threshold processor that splits audio into separate transient lanes based on intensity – loud, quiet and intermediate – and lets you apply independent processing to each one.
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The concept opens up a lot of possibilities: processing snare rimshots and ghost notes separately on a drum buss, rebalancing a piano performance without hours of manual editing, applying effects to specific vocal phrases based on how hard they’re hitting. Each of the three transient lanes runs its own dedicated input and output EQ, and each can be routed through up to three effect slots running in parallel or series. Lanes can be muted, soloed or level-adjusted, which gives you a surprising amount of control over the overall shape of your source material before you’ve even touched an effect.
The effects themselves cover plenty of ground: bitcrush, delay, flanger, grain, overdrive, pitch with stereo detune, reverb, repeater and waveshaper. Grain and Repeater in particular are built for sample manipulation – flipping loops, creating glitchy transitions and building ambient textures out of percussive material. Automate the Mix control, and those transitions become a performance tool. It’s a broad toolkit for a single plugin, and the transient targeting is what makes it feel focused rather than scattered.
Transient detection runs in percussive, sustain or adaptive modes, with additional control over lookahead and sensitivity for finer adjustments. Artist presets are included as starting points, and a Performance Mode with latching adds a live-use dimension that most mixing plugins don’t bother with.
Liminal runs on Mac (10.15+) as AU and VST3, and on Windows 10+ as VST3. Licenses are perpetual with two activations per purchase and lifetime free updates – no subscription needed.
A free trial is available here.
