P455 MDN Sidecar+P450 EQ Bundle
Overview
The P455 MDN Sidecar is a summing and 2-bus mixing and mastering audio plugin capturing the analog chain of Marc Daniel Nelson, a two-time Grammy and French Academy Award-nominated mixing engineer, music producer, creative director and educator.
The P455 delivers Marc’s analog workflow which includes analog summing, tube driven stereo imaging, 2-bus punchy stereo EQ, custom glue 2-bus compressor and the unique character of two high end analog to digital converters.
The P455 MDN Sidecar isn’t just a plugin; it’s a calibrated blend of Marc’s seasoned approach and Pulsar Modular progressive audio design with focus on musicality at each step of the signal path.
For years, Marc Daniel Nelson has been openly and graciously sharing his techniques and expertise. He is now taking this a step further and delivering his signature sound to you, without restrictions or compromise, through the P455 MDN Sidecar and P450 MDN EQ audio plugins.
Features
P455 MDN Sidecar
- Summing without need to insert a plugin on each channel.
- Different routings and options for a true analog workflow experience.
- Custom 2-bus compressor.
- 2-bus stereo proportional EQ.
- Two ADC emulations.
P450 MDN EQ
- 4 bands EQ with stepped frequency and gain.
- Low & High Shelf- stepped.
- Gain Multiplier to cover alternative gain and Q.
- Op-amp behavior and signature punch.
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“No other plugin does this. The 455 sounds absolutely terrific. Just like the console in studio B at
Record Plant, Sausalito. Spending a year recording Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours on that console,
the sound is burned in my head forever and this is IT. The Eq section behaves just like what I
remember. That soft saturation the more you push the eq. I have been waiting for years to have
my old friend back.“
KEN CAILLATMulti-Grammy Winning Record Producer (Fleetwood Mac, Paul McCartney, Pink Floyd, Joni Mitchell, Colbie Caillat) 
“No other plugin does this. The 455 sounds absolutely terrific. Just like the console in studio B at
Record Plant, Sausalito. Spending a year recording Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours on that console,
the sound is burned in my head forever and this is IT. The Eq section behaves just like what I
remember. That soft saturation the more you push the eq. I have been waiting for years to have
my old friend back.“
KEN CAILLATMulti-Grammy Winning Record Producer (Fleetwood Mac, Paul McCartney, Pink Floyd, Joni Mitchell, Colbie Caillat)
"The P455 MDN Sidecar is the perfect complement to my orchestral mix stem buses. For the
times when we are forced to record sections separately, the performance can unfortunately
suffer as a result. The sidecar allowed me to breathe a level of unifying cohesion into the mix
that feels warm and enveloping. Almost impossible ITB, but not now!"
ADAM MICHALAKMULTI-AWARD WINNING SCORE RECORDIST/MIXER (Star Wars, Jurassic World, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Riot Games) 
"Holy fucking s#!t. The P450,455 is the most flexible api plug-in on the planet. It’s an amazing
plug-in and I’ll be so happy to be able to use it as a creative tool designed by a creative person.
I’m extremely impressed."
RYAN FREELANDMULTI-GRAMMY WINNER PRODUCER/MIXER (Ray LaMontagne, Aimee Mann, Bonnie Raitt, Morrissey) 
“EQ, Check. Compressor, Check. Harmonics, Check, Check, Check. 2 A to D convertors, Check. The
P455 and P450 have some of the best analog emulations I’ve heard. When I put the P455 on the
Stereo bus, the mix sounded done. Marc, you really did it on this one!”
DAVE PENSADOMULTI-GRAMMY WINNER PRODUCER/MIXER (Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Mariah Carey, Shakira) 
“These aren’t your granddaddy’s plugins, they are the secret weapons you’ve been searching for.
A quantum leap forward in the super-saturated world of digital audio. You did it Marc. Thank
you for making my life just a wee bit better.”
ANTON SANKOMULTI-AWARD WINNING FILM COMPOSER (Big Love, Masters of Horror, Amanda, Fractured) 
“These are pretty wonderful plugins!
The sidecar in particular! The A-to-D/Line Amp section alone adds a magical glue, weight, and
dimension to any source. I will definitely be using this for Atmos. The EQ section is one of the
closest to the real thing i’ve heard adding all the transient op-amp goodness from the hardware!
The compressor is great at adding life to flat sources or gluing dynamic tracks together. The only
thing missing(wink wink) is a final limiter and this thing will be the only thing on the end of every
mix!”
J. CLARKATMOS/360 PRODUCER/MIXER (Jennifer Lopez, MK, Rauw Alejandro, The Hold Steady, Mickey Guyton, Nelly) 
“This thing sounds incredible. Turn up the input on the P455 and just enjoy the instant vibe. The
bias knob is the secret sauce and Atticus or Wille will be on every mix I do.”
SAMARTH DHAWANMIX ENGINEER (The-Dream, Breez Kennedy, Nile Rodgers, Joelle James) 
The P450/455 absolutely gives you full access to Marc’s unique and beautiful sound on the mix
bus. Marc has mixed my music for over a decade and I immediately hear his signature
fingerprint. High headroom, dimension, and a solid low end. Somehow, I’m now one of those
guys who reviews a plugin by saying ‘It’s on everything I do’. Seriously. It is."
BRIAN S. CARRAWARD WINNING COMPOSER (Family Guy, American Dad, Superpower, The Landing) 
"I've known Marcus for a very very long time and have always respected his ears and meticulous
approach to audio. So when he called to say he had some new plug-ins, I immediately had to
hear them. I'm mid mix on an album and quickly added the MDN Sidecar to a percussion bus
and was immediately impressed with the flexibility and sound. So yeah, that's staying. The MDN
EQ was next and offered that familiar clarity and presence I'm accustomed to hearing from API.
Kinda fat... kinda clear... guess that's staying, too. Obsessively summing through extensive
analog chains, any plug-ins I use must compete with my racks of outboard gear or they never get
used. Well, these new MDN "units" are definitely getting used. Great job!"
THAI LONG LY, CASAWARD WINNING ENGINEER/PRODUCER (Robbie Williams, Postmodern Jukebox, Dionne Warwick, Hadrien Feraud, Stanley Clarke) 
“No other plugin does this. The 455 sounds absolutely terrific. Just like the console in studio B at
Record Plant, Sausalito. Spending a year recording Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours on that console,
the sound is burned in my head forever and this is IT. The Eq section behaves just like what I
remember. That soft saturation the more you push the eq. I have been waiting for years to have
my old friend back.“
KEN CAILLATMULTI-GRAMMY WINNING RECORD PRODUCER (Fleetwood Mac, Paul McCartney, Pink Floyd, Joni Mitchell, Colbie Caillat)
“I'm not sure we need just another EQ/Compressor channel strip. That is... unless it's bringing
something new and different to the table. The P455's compressor in combination with the "Dog
Pound" and "Line Amp" parameters is doing just that and not like a dozen plugins I already own.
IT SOUNDS BRILLIANT!! ”
CRAIG BAUERMULTI-GRAMMY WINNING ENGINEER/PRODUCER (Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, Ed Sheeran, Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, Wu-Tang Clan) 
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"The P455 MDN Sidecar is the perfect complement to my orchestral mix stem buses. For the
times when we are forced to record sections separately, the performance can unfortunately
suffer as a result. The sidecar allowed me to breathe a level of unifying cohesion into the mix
that feels warm and enveloping. Almost impossible ITB, but not now!"
ADAM MICHALAKMULTI-AWARD WINNING SCORE RECORDIST/MIXER (Star Wars, Jurassic World, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Riot Games)
"Holy fucking s#!t. The P450,455 is the most flexible api plug-in on the planet. It’s an amazing
plug-in and I’ll be so happy to be able to use it as a creative tool designed by a creative person.
I’m extremely impressed."
RYAN FREELANDMULTI-GRAMMY WINNER PRODUCER/MIXER (Ray LaMontagne, Aimee Mann, Bonnie Raitt, Morrissey)
“EQ, Check. Compressor, Check. Harmonics, Check, Check, Check. 2 A to D convertors, Check. The
P455 and P450 have some of the best analog emulations I’ve heard. When I put the P455 on the
Stereo bus, the mix sounded done. Marc, you really did it on this one!”
DAVE PENSADOMULTI-GRAMMY WINNER PRODUCER/MIXER (Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Mariah Carey, Shakira)
“These aren’t your granddaddy’s plugins, they are the secret weapons you’ve been searching for.
A quantum leap forward in the super-saturated world of digital audio. You did it Marc. Thank
you for making my life just a wee bit better.”
ANTON SANKOMULTI-AWARD WINNING FILM COMPOSER (Big Love, Masters of Horror, Amanda, Fractured)
“These are pretty wonderful plugins!
The sidecar in particular! The A-to-D/Line Amp section alone adds a magical glue, weight, and
dimension to any source. I will definitely be using this for Atmos. The EQ section is one of the
closest to the real thing i’ve heard adding all the transient op-amp goodness from the hardware!
The compressor is great at adding life to flat sources or gluing dynamic tracks together. The only
thing missing(wink wink) is a final limiter and this thing will be the only thing on the end of every
mix!”
J. CLARKATMOS/360 PRODUCER/MIXER (Jennifer Lopez, MK, Rauw Alejandro, The Hold Steady, Mickey Guyton, Nelly)
“This thing sounds incredible. Turn up the input on the P455 and just enjoy the instant vibe. The
bias knob is the secret sauce and Atticus or Wille will be on every mix I do.”
SAMARTH DHAWANMIX ENGINEER (The-Dream, Breez Kennedy, Nile Rodgers, Joelle James)
The P450/455 absolutely gives you full access to Marc’s unique and beautiful sound on the mix
bus. Marc has mixed my music for over a decade and I immediately hear his signature
fingerprint. High headroom, dimension, and a solid low end. Somehow, I’m now one of those
guys who reviews a plugin by saying ‘It’s on everything I do’. Seriously. It is."
BRIAN S. CARRAWARD WINNING COMPOSER (Family Guy, American Dad, Superpower, The Landing)
"I've known Marcus for a very very long time and have always respected his ears and meticulous
approach to audio. So when he called to say he had some new plug-ins, I immediately had to
hear them. I'm mid mix on an album and quickly added the MDN Sidecar to a percussion bus
and was immediately impressed with the flexibility and sound. So yeah, that's staying. The MDN
EQ was next and offered that familiar clarity and presence I'm accustomed to hearing from API.
Kinda fat... kinda clear... guess that's staying, too. Obsessively summing through extensive
analog chains, any plug-ins I use must compete with my racks of outboard gear or they never get
used. Well, these new MDN "units" are definitely getting used. Great job!"
THAI LONG LY, CASAWARD WINNING ENGINEER/PRODUCER (Robbie Williams, Postmodern Jukebox, Dionne Warwick, Hadrien Feraud, Stanley Clarke)
“No other plugin does this. The 455 sounds absolutely terrific. Just like the console in studio B at
Record Plant, Sausalito. Spending a year recording Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours on that console,
the sound is burned in my head forever and this is IT. The Eq section behaves just like what I
remember. That soft saturation the more you push the eq. I have been waiting for years to have
my old friend back.“
KEN CAILLATMULTI-GRAMMY WINNING RECORD PRODUCER (Fleetwood Mac, Paul McCartney, Pink Floyd, Joni Mitchell, Colbie Caillat)
“I'm not sure we need just another EQ/Compressor channel strip. That is... unless it's bringing
something new and different to the table. The P455's compressor in combination with the "Dog
Pound" and "Line Amp" parameters is doing just that and not like a dozen plugins I already own.
IT SOUNDS BRILLIANT!! ”
CRAIG BAUERMULTI-GRAMMY WINNING ENGINEER/PRODUCER (Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, Ed Sheeran, Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, Wu-Tang Clan)
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Videos
Audio Examples
Specification
Supported Plugin Formats
AU, VST3, AAX (Apple Silicon ready).
Supported Operating Systems
macOS 10.13+ Apple Silicon M1 Native and Intel CPU (Universal 2 Binary)
Windows 10+ x64-compatible CPU
Copy Protection
A one-time challenge & response over the internet. License works on up two separate machines.
Downloads
Use the slider to load the appropriate plugin data.
P455 MDN Sidecar
P450 MDN EQ
MP MIDI model 2A Controller Preset
Latest User Guides
For previously authorized computers
- Hammer circuit- intensity boost.
- Stage Focus- affects soundstage positioning.
- Updated user guides.
- CPU efficient.
- Smooth movement of BIAS and Volume Fader/Knob.
- Step/Smooth parameter icon (Step for 1:1 of the analog chain or SMOOTH to allow a little more clear/open focus enhancement).
- Smoothing for randomization routines: Lower digital distortion & increase headroom.
- This version uses more CPU.
- Optimized code solves issues with Steinberg Wavelab.
- Color coding for the compressor’s GR meter reading.
- Signal flow updated in the user guide.
- Click Gain knob- displays the value of the gain.
- On start play for certain audio material, there is a soft click sound.
- Show 80 Hz momentary when turning on S/C.
- “Audio Dimming Transition” Fixed the implementation. Default is ON.
- P455 compressor communicates the GR values to the Pro Tools. Accurate up to 5 dB.
- Official Release.
15-Day Free Demo
To start your 15-day fully functional demo for 2 computers, Press the "DEMO" button and complete the checkout. Follow the instructions you will get by email. No dongle required.
Bundled with P450 MDN EQ, a dedicated mono/stereo stepped frequency & gain 2-bus punchy equalizer.
Customer reviews
14 reviews for P455 MDN Sidecar
1-5 of 14 reviews
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DISCLAIMER: The intellectual property rights, including names, logos, and trademarks associated with studio equipment and accessory brands, including API, belong to their respective owners and are not affiliated with Pulsar Modular or Marc Daniel Nelson. This plugin is designed to replicate the unique audio equalization, compression, and summing envisioned by Pulsar Modular and Marc Daniel Nelson. Any use of names, logos, or trademarks is solely for identification purposes to illustrate the hardware chain and audio workflow that inspired this product.
Not only is this an outstanding plug-in in terms of its feature set, versatility, ease-of-use, and outstanding GUI – but the developer has also actively listened to user feedback and attempted to implement features that reflect how the user base is using and responding to this plugin. My first Pulsar Modular purchase – definitely not my last!
Absolutely killer. The first plugin I’ve heard that’s got the API comp right – organic, punchy low end weight for days. Really impressive work – highly recommended.
First off, love MDN, he is such a great mixer and we’re so lucky to have his teachings available (for free) on YT…his lessons have done more for my mixes than any others! As soon as I heard about this, didn’t bother demoing, just pulled the trigger…it’s the least I could do to support someone who’s been so gracious in sharing his skills with us at no charge.
So far I’ve had the 455 on the 2bus, group busses and lead…killer in all instances! Also put the 450 on almost all tracks, loving it even when just using to HPF or LPF…really so great sounding. And the bias on both is incredibly handy! (Highly recommend reading the manual, so many good tips on using it.)
Honestly, I seriously would recommend this for plugin of the year, maybe the decade! This plugin removes the need for so many others and does it so well.
The only thing I’d like to see is the option to take the ADC out of the chain on the 455. I have a Burl ADC and would like to A/B this with and without it in the plug. Other than that, perfect…thanks Marc and Ziad, what a gem!
This plugin is simply superb. I tested it on a current album I am producing, and as the demo ran out couldn’t fathom finishing this project without it. I spent hours comparing it to the best of the top brand plugins I already own, trying to replicate the settings and sounds, then did blind A/B comparisons – some were close and sounded perfectly fine and professional, yet each time the P455 came on, the clarity, transparency and depth just mesmerized my ears. It’s really brilliant design & code… Thank you for creating such another marvelous plugin for producers and music makers.
The finishing polish every modern mix needs – Phat Monkey