Behind the Algorithm: The Techivation Decorrelator

Stereo imaging has always been one of the most delicate aspects of audio production. Push too far and you risk phasing, transient smearing, and tonal instability. Play it safe and your mixes can feel narrow, flat, and lifeless. At Techivation, we wanted to engineer a solution that breaks out of this compromise — and that’s how the Techivation Decorrelator at the heart of M-Imager was born.

The Problem with Conventional Wideners

Most stereo wideners rely on blunt methods: delaying one channel, offsetting EQ bands, or modulating left and right channels with chorus-like effects. While these can create a sense of space, they almost always come at a cost.

• Mono collapse: A wide mix that falls apart when summed.
• Phase smear: Loss of punch and definition, especially on percussive material.
• Artificial shimmer: Sustained notes take on a chorus or flanger-like character.

For engineers and mastering professionals, these compromises are unacceptable. Width should be powerful, but never at the expense of clarity, balance, or translation across systems.

The Phase-Only, Time-Varying Solution

The Techivation Decorrelator takes a fundamentally different approach. Instead of altering frequency balance or introducing modulation, it relies on phase-only spectrum manipulation.

Using a time-varying spectral decorrelation process, M-Imager introduces precise, controlled phase rotations that expand the stereo field organically. This avoids the static, artificial quality of traditional wideners and produces width that feels as though it belongs to the original recording.

By lowering short-term inter-channel coherence with a smooth, carefully tuned drift, the Decorrelator delivers stable width across both sustained notes and fast transient material. The result is expansion that remains natural, even under heavy use.

Preserving Transients, Punch, and Balance

One of the core design goals was to preserve the sharpness of transients. Where conventional wideners smear attacks and soften rhythmic energy, the Decorrelator maintains perfect alignment. Punch, groove, and timing remain exactly as you crafted them.

M-Imager also processes audio in Mid and Side channels, ensuring perfect mono compatibility. The centre remains unchanged, while only the Side content is expanded. Continuous alignment keeps left/right balance consistent, even when you push width aggressively.

No tonal shift. No pan bias. No compromises.

Why It Matters

For mixing engineers, this means you can stereoise mono tracks without the tell-tale “phasey” sheen. For mastering engineers, it means adding dimension with complete confidence that your work will translate across club systems, headphones, and even mono playback.

The Techivation Decorrelator isn’t just a new algorithm — it’s a new philosophy for stereo imaging. By keeping tone pure and transients intact, it delivers natural, stable width that enhances your music instead of altering it.

Experience the Difference

M-Imager introduces stereo expansion that sounds like it was built into the source itself. Transparent, phase-coherent, and mastering-grade. Available now at an introductory price until 20 September.