Deleted.

 

Last edited: May 17, 2024

Choose one with at least threshold, attack and release parameters and use it for the rest of your life.

 

Last edited: May 15, 2024

• Have you tried the stock compressor in your DAW?
• Have you learnt how to use a compressor?

Some times, the stock compressor does exactly what you want 95% of the time. My best advice is to use it, learn how it works, understand the nuances before moving on to other plugins that colour the sound the way you are looking for.

 

no, you will have to on your own

but I can help you with a quick checklist on what you should decide on:
1) price?
2) long-term costs, subscriptions etc.?
3) long-term software compatibility?
4) user interface functionality?
5) resource (cpu, ram etc.) usage?
6) latency?
7) sound quality?
8) versatility, usability?
9) crack-ability, demo-ability?

EDIT - I know you don't want other alternatives, but I'd consider Overloud GEMs in all your categories,
and for saturation, it's Fabfilter Saturn 2 which is most versatile imo

 

I would use Fabfilter Pro-C2 as workhorse digital compressor. Saturation, get Soundtoys Decapitator (yes, still). Fabfilter Pro-Q3 for workhorse digital EQ. You can substitute Fabfilter Saturn 2 for saturation also. If you just wanted to install that one bundle for convenience.

Your list of possible plugins is way too big. Once you get the Fabfilter bundle learned and in detail, then start adding all these other things above for color, flavor, circuit types, whatever. Only use any of them when you know why you want to use that plugin, instead of a Fabfilter plugin.

 

if you list it like that, you wont solve any problem. List it the way you mix, something that you'll 100% use on every given situation. Tool that solve the problems and give guaranteed result when in need. "kick" "snare" "acoustic guitar" "drum bus". pick one for each or maybe one that can work for multiple or all, maybe an extra that has different flavour. ie. Distressor style good for snare, but if you want snap with more low-mid content maybe the Compex style, or maybe the clean digital Fabfilter so it wont affect the recordings, just dynamic management. So you have 3 that you already tested, know will work for most common situation in the snare mixing phase. Will it work on Room track ? but sometimes it will work for Kick track, so you got a group of 4-5 that can solve everything for drums. Moving on to other instruments and so on.

For the bus, maybe separate it for genre or how fast the song is, some bus comp works great on hard hitting material but some just epic on slow music with a lot of sustained elements. That kind of mentality. Or maybe start with 1 comp, like the SSL J/E channel strip comp and try it on everything and decide which track/channel need a different flavor or other comp plugin to help which is how I do it, doesnt mean you have to do it this way, just sayin.

Or else you'll just pick 5 of each VCA, FET etc etc, back to square one and when the time you want to use them, you'll waste time deciding which compressor you'd like to use and even after you pick one, you still have to decide what type compression/sound you're going for, and still doesnt mean it will 100% work. Then back in the loop again and you will focus more on how the compressor sounds rather than what the track sounds (during the mixing) and that has super low chance that you might actually end up with a good mix as a result. just my two cents.

 

Fabfilter is "overpriced overkill" for most people (as much as I love their plugins, they're not mandatory industry standard tbh),
as a "workhorse", free TDR plugins (Kotelnikov, Molotok, Nova..) and free Klanghelm plugins (MJUC jr., DC1A, IVGI..) are more than enough for anyone starting out, despite being free they aren't really inferior to many paid products, and both those companies offer paid versions with more functionality when needed later...

 

No softube?

 

Pro-Q3 is about as close to an industry standard eq as we are likely to get. Fabfilter overkill? Never heard of it. And neither has the OP because look at his list. That, is overkill. Fabfilter plugins can be used in so many situations; they are almost like a Vintage Verb. They are new user-friendly, and there are many production tutorial videos that are nothing but Fabfilter.

Overpriced, look again at his list. It certainly seems like The Price is Right. Most of us could whittle down that list by 50% with very minimal "tough decisions". For someone with a list like this, in his situation; I think your suggestion of free plugins is not great advice. "Free" will be a nice reason (read:excuse) to download more stuff. I also do not see a point in learning more plugins that you will need to replace in the near future.

I think the Fabfilter bundle is one of the most minimalist bundles where you could literally only use them. If I was shooting for less than Fabfilter, i'd just use the stock plugins in Logic. If I want to compare and contrast all of the plugins listed, I would still use a Fabfilter plugin like a "control group", like a reference track almost. And A and B them.

 

Last edited: May 15, 2024

I use Luna, but it doesn't have a compressor plugin.

I've used compressor pedals many times, but I avoid them for guitar because I prefer the direct interaction with the amp and pedal. It feels different under my fingers.

While I know how to use a compressor, the hardware style feels different to me when mixing.

 

I have a quite good computer skills and I'm sure I can find all these files on sister site.
I use M1 Macbook Air 2020 8GB.

I use apollo & bit latency with 3rd party plugins but no problem for UAD. Actually many 3rd party plugins feels also smooth expect the amp sims during recording.

Thank you

 

This is a very enlightening approach. Thank you for your valuable insights.
I usually try to record Pop Rock style tracks in-the-box (ITB). Initially, I'll use Superior Drummer for drums. Apart from that, I plan to get mid-gain guitars and bass tones through Tonex. In the past, we've achieved good results with ITB recordings. Now, compared to that time, we have much better equipment, so I believe we can achieve even better results.
Thank you again for your valuable insights. I was hesitant when writing the message, but I was actually expecting this kind of approach. Deep down, I think I knew this was the right way. Sometimes, you just need to hear it.
Have a great day.

 

You can spend the next 7 years picking compressors or you can spend the next 1-2 week/s studying WHY you like what you like. You said you don't like "2D/narrow", but do you know why a compressor might sound 2D/narrow?

 

Not yet and I do not any plans to do so.

 

These are just my personal preferences: if something makes sound less dynamic, I tend to avoid it immediately, without needing a reason why (yet). I really enjoy dynamics and using the full spectrum, which is why I avoid compressor pedals for guitar in the first place.

Instead of criticizing, it would be more helpful if you could provide a proper explanation. I'm feeling confused and could really use some friendly guidance.

Thank you.

 

I choose Softube (I'm their main shill lol). Great comps and saturators. FET, OPTO and VCA can be used as saturators too. Great support, amazing UIs.

 

I don't think OP bought all of these, merely tried demos yet it seems? I understood the OP as whether any plugins in that list are worth buying

and I totally agree with that, Fabfilter FX Bundle (everything but no synths) is most complete yet streamlined pack of very usable and user friendly plugins

 

I'm suggesting learning compression would likely be more helpful than collecting more plugins at this point. Right now you're basing your decision whether to keep a plugin on 'sounds good to me, don't know why though' or somebody else's recommendation that likely also doesn't make sense to you yet. Once you understand one aspect of compression, guess who's going to have the first of many lightbulb moments that'll leave them with a nagging suspicion they ditched hundreds of plugins for the wrong reasons? Guess who's gonna download all of those plugins again! ..only to do it all over again 6 months from now. You're setting yourself up for the GAS doom-loop is what I'm saying. Learn first, then collect, because only THEN do you have the ability to tell what's actually good.

 

jethrootull, when I look your initial post - I would say you are on good track!

I would definitely consider UAD signature bundle(I saw one of the members is selling it for 250$)
UAD does the compressors really well and you are covered with bread n butter compressors(1176,LA2A,DBX160,API 2500,Fairchild,175 and 176B ,Distressor,Vari Mu..).I would then add bx_townhouse and Cytomic the Glue for SSL type of compression.Lastly AMEK Mastering Compressor ,Elysia Alpha and maybe Shadow Hills Class A for mastering duties.
You don't need like 10 different opto compressor - LA2A Collection will do fine...

As for the saturation plugins goes , I would choose maximum 5
1.Black Box analog Design HG-2MS
2.Arturia Dist TUBE-Culture
3.Fabfilter Saturn 2
4.Soundtoys Decapitator/Radiator( which one you prefer more )
5.Vertigo VSM-3(VSM-4) or Tone Projects Kelvin ( which one you prefer more )

And you are all set !

 

Last edited: May 15, 2024

As you are just starting, you could have a look at hornet plugins. They have a lot of decent plugins and they sell most of them at up to 80% discount a lot of the time. Just subscribe to the newsletter, and they will tell you about the discounts. They have a Multi Compressor, where you can switch between VCA, OPTO, FET, Console4K and VCA160 algorithms. So you would be able to have them all within a single compressor for a price that everybody can afford. I bought a lot of the plugins they offer and I think they are good quality.