System and method for simulation of non-linear audio equipment

A method of emulating a target non-linear element configured to modify a received input audio signal into an output audio signal, the method comprising:

• receiving, by an input interface, the input audio signal;
• outputting, by the input interface, a first signal;
• emulating, by an emulator, a dynamic non-linear (DNL) function of the target non-linear element by receiving the first signal and outputting a second signal, wherein the DNL function utilizes at least one mode operator, and wherein the mode operator switches to a first static non-linear (SNL) function under a first set of conditions, switches to a second static non-linear function (SNL) under a second set of conditions and switches to a third static non-linear function (SNL) under a third set of conditions;
• receiving, by a mode estimator, the first signal, and determining a mode as a function of at least one previous value of the first signal, and transmitting the determined mode to the emulator;
• using at least one mode parameter to determine the switching of the mode operator, the at least one mode parameter being at least one of an energy, an amplitude and a peak value of the input signal during a short recent time period;
• receiving, by an interface, the second signal;
• and
• outputting, by the interface, the output audio signal.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program, wherein the computer program, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform:

• receiving, by an input interface, an input audio signal;
• outputting, by the input interface, a first signal;
• emulating, by an emulator, a dynamic non-linear (DNL) function of the target non-linear element by receiving the first signal and outputting a second signal, wherein the DNL function utilizes at least one mode operator, and wherein the mode operator switches to a first static non-linear (SNL) function under a first set of conditions, switches to a second static non-linear function (SNL) under a second set of conditions and switches to a third static non-linear function (SNL) under a third set of conditions;
• receiving, by a mode estimator, the first signal, and determining a mode as a function of at least one previous value of the first signal, and transmitting the determined mode to the emulator;
• using at least one mode parameter to determine the switching of the mode operator, the at least one mode parameter being at least one of an energy, an amplitude and a peak value of the input signal during a short recent time period;
• receiving, by an interface, the second signal;
• and
• outputting, by the interface, the output audio signal.

An apparatus for emulating a target non-linear element configured to modify a received input audio signal into an output audio signal, the apparatus comprising:

• an input interface configured to receive the input audio signal and output a first signal;
• an emulator configured to emulate a dynamic non-linear (DNL) function of the target non-linear element by receiving the first signal and outputting a second signal,
• wherein the DNL function is configured to utilize at least one mode operator, and
• wherein the mode operator is configured to switch to a first static non-linear (SNL) function under a first set of conditions, to switch to a second static non-linear function (SNL) under a second set of conditions and switch to a third static non-linear function (SNL) under a third set of conditions;
• a mode estimator configured to receive the first signal, the mode estimator configured to determine a mode as a function of at least one previous value of the first signal, and configured to transmit the determined mode to the emulator,
• wherein the mode estimator is configured to use at least one mode parameter to determine mode switching, the at least one mode parameter being at least one of an energy, an amplitude and a peak value of the first signal during a short recent time period;
• and
• an interface configured for receiving the second signal and for outputting the output audio signal.