I'm on the hunt for a particular compressor sound, thought i'd outsource it to the hive mind.

It's like a "firm but gooey" sound, like the compressor sorta grabs the note and it jumps out at you, in a warm gooey but firm way.

Hard to explain over text obviously lol. Think old tube limiters from the 50's and 60's. Vari-Mu sorta sounds. What plugin recommendations have ya got?

 

Not really Vari-Mu but..

IK Multimedia T-Racks Opto Compressor in M/S Mode, unlinked. TFPro Edward The Compressor kinda vibe. Opto Compression is kinda impossible to be done precisely with L/R type compression in analog world without destroying the stereo balance because it is.. light, hard to have to almost identical light for both channel. So the Edward Comp will convert the audio to M/S, apply compression to both channel, then convert back to Stereo. It has some nice smooth vibey leveling effect and added depth sort of sound. Even though L/R opto comp easily can be done in digital domain, using that idea and do it in digital domain still give similar result. Michael Brauer uses this technique on his FX Multibuss for some widening effect.

 

Funny coincidence, i'm literally watching Michael Brauer's "Brauerize" video series from Puremix now. I just took a brief pause so i could go search for a plugin that can replicate his Federal AM-864 comp better than the Fuse VCL-864 plugin. Weird that he is mentioned in the 1st post.

Anyway, that's very interesting, i'll look into that. This video series has certainly opened my eyes to the benefits of dual mono

 

Michael uses the Edward in VCA mode though for some reason, but still in M/S.

I don't really like that Fuse Audio Federal compressor but then I also I don't even know how a real Federal Comp would sound like. From watching yt videos I'd say it is in the range of that Altec 436, RS124 Abbey Road compressors. I like the Kush AR-1 for that type of sound, plus it has a lot of useful controls.

 

Yeah, i didn't like it either. I actually uninstalled all the Fuse stuff from my computer. Think they were a little overrated a couple of years ago tbh

Anyway, yeah i think the Federal is in that Altec, Fairchild, RCA BA-6A, sorta area. I'll check out AR-1. I haven't used it extensively yet even though Kush are one of my favourite plugin companies

 

just tried this on the FX bus of a mix i'm working on and the results sound cool, gonna continue to play with this idea. thank you for posting!

 

my top 3:
kush ar-1
pulsar mu
arturia tube

 

Pulsar Mu
Kush Novatron

 

Think i liked the MJUC, Audified and Pulsar Mu the most for the drums.

For bass, Pulsar Mu, Audified and UAD Fairchild

The only plugin in that group that i'm not familiar with is the Audified one, and that might be my favourite of the top 3 in both cases. Interesting. Will have to check it out!

 

Pulsar MU
Analog Obsessions VARIMOON
Kush Audio ar-1 and Novatron
Sonimus TUCO

 

I would have liked to answer you none because the only real tube is not found in the box, at least the heat and the randomness of the material, especially if it is hot or cold and particularly if you force things into it or in a soft way.

So for me there are several software emulations that I really like in composing, mixing, mastering I don't really have an order of preference.

But to name a few Gluecomp native to Ableton, for me one of the glues I like the most in terms of rhythmic binder, it's a real old-fashioned mayonnaise as disgusting as it is subtle depending on the context, very good for giving a pump effect or on the contrary destroy this effect and give heat.


AO Varimoon, which gives a nice mess especially in the treble and high mids works really well in my opinion on rhythm buses, I also like it a lot for vocals and some very clear elements which tend to shine brightly to better them insert into the mix.


AA Magenta stereo comp, which I mainly use in mastering mixing session, for the composition it pumps too much on the cpu and cracks too often not at all pleasant suddenly, it has a nice grain and has this very good listed binder without being stick to death and turn the tracks into toblerone.


Pulsar VARI-MU to also say it when you don't like it, I don't understand this tool, I tried in many ways but each time I find that it spoils things too much, a loudnesswar tool for my meaning without real value to add to the substrate. It's only in parallel 50% that I managed to capture something that I like more and it was in a hip-hop trap mix with a disgusting very saturated bass that resonates on the voice and the snares, that's my help smooth and break up the presence that disturbs the mix.


Kush AR-1 if you like to mess things up and saturation this tool is perfect, I've had it for too little time to get a full review, but it's destructive as well as super subtle there's a really present feeling even if it has some moments I had the impression that without all make it better by dint of having insisted on looking for the perfect knob spot (ear fatigue probably)


Modern The firechainer by Antress Special mention for a 32bit which gives something that very many vst much more expensive no clearly not, it has a very powerful gap almost too much all is good with I like it very much it is in my favorites, balances the voices and gives a real warmth, gives stereo space without making it all too messy, a very pleasant gain, it tends to blur the bass a bit, probably due to the explosion of the stereo space it creates. Just a pity that it is only in double mono and no possibility of M / S ca would have been a Swiss army knife of love in my box. (Remention for the Deathcore from the same developer which copies the Distressor EL-8 Compressor clone)


SPL IRON use composition and mastering same sound-design, we are in the added value ++ feeling ++ and taking a step back because too surprised by the power of the precision and the very nuanced details that it can bring according to the parameters , I avoid using it in mixing I often have the impression of too loud too quickly and losing balance, the dynamics originally sought, loudnesswar tools also in my opinion because it makes it super fast in brick toblerone not pretty but you have to know how to be gentle and not put all the selectors on the ++


Out of category but I especially love it in a chain with the gluecomp from ableton the Comper from AO, an unpredictable and incredibly creative beast that offers a multitude of possibilities of use, + guidance for the composition and mixing framework. In the mastering session he makes things difficult and not pleasant for the work of my vision which here is obviously very personal.


Overloud 670 A delight I particularly like it for the colors and the multiple modes of operation possible to be able to manage the harmonic rate or make the compressor very hard or very soft, + the output push stage which offers a lot possibilities of widening the stereo space in MS by the side, or shrinking in other cases, it gives a super nice fishing in the mid, the unlikable linkable controls + the small notes that can be added for the parameters..


In short there is the shovel of the tube comp vari-mu if it were necessary to name only a few, that I use at the moment it will be these. Finally I would say too many tubes kill tubes and tubes are not made with just any tube

 

Vari-Mu are my favorite types of compressors. Here's a list of my favorites:

• TDR Molot GE

Might be a surprise for some, but I have a preset that makes it sound pretty similar to a gentle Vari-Mu compressor. Better controls than most Vari Mu compressors (i.e. no annoying input/threshold fiddling) & beautiful sounding, thick saturation. The preset will be posted below

• Klanghelm Mjuc

3 great sounding tube compressors in 1 plugin with an amazing UI. No input/threshold issues, just great vari-mu compression that's stupid easy to dial-in. Like all Klanghelm products it sounds very authentic without much CPU usage.

• Pulsar Mu

Sounds great. The gain reduction graph makes me very uncertain so I always have that disabled. Lookahead is a useful addition. No complaints aside from the input/threshold fiddling. A solution for this is simple: Input trim knob in a less obvious/obtrusive spot, THD/Headroom/Saturation% knob, threshold knob. That's what Klanghelm Mjuc does!
IK Multimedia Dyna-mu is very similar to this, I think Pulsar Mu has a bit more features that I like though.

• Overloud Gem Comp670

My favorite Fairchild emulation. 3 different models to choose from is fantastic and shows just how different analog gear can sound from one another due to tolerances, age & repairs. More useful features than IK Multimedia's version imo.

Honorable mentions:

• Arturia Comp Tube-Sta

When overdriven it makes a very nice type of distortion. Other than that, I find the compression style too sluggish for most situations.

Molot GE Preset:

Code:

<TDRMolotGE _preset_name="Vari-Mu" InputGain="0.0" SideHP="90" SideHPOn="On" SideRotatorOn="On" Attack="30" AttackMode="1.00" Release="80" Ratio="4.0" Threshold="-20.0" Knee="0.00" Makeup="0.0" DualStage="On" SecondaryAttack="2000" SecondaryRelease="1000" SecondaryAttackMix="0.0" FeedbackMode="On" ReleaseRelax="On" RatioSpecial="On" MidEQ="-12.0" MidEQOn="Off" MidEQMode="Dynamic" Limiter="-1.0" LimOn="Off" SatOn="On" SatMode="Dynamic" SatDrive="8.0" LoFi="Off" DryMix="20.0" Output="0.0" StereoLink="On" StereoLinkType="Normal" StereoLinkCrossover="625" StereoMode="Stereo" Quality="Eco" Bypass="Off" SidechainMode="Int. SC" DeltaMode="Off" WidthThreshold="0.0" WidthMakeup="0.0" MeterRange="9 dB" MeterMode="Relative" MeterSource="Effective" MeterSpeed="Slow"/>