5 Favourite Compressor Plugins 2018
We’re approaching the end of the year, and that means…list time! And for this article I’ll be taking a look at what is currently my 5 favourite compressor plugins.
Now, before anyone gets uppity because I’m not ever talking about their favourite Avid or UAD plugins/software, all I will say about them is that unless either of those companies stop their money-grabbing policies and general resentment for people not loaded with cash (or in UAD’s case, people who don’t use Macs), I just won’t be buying or trying anything from them. The less said about them, the better.
What I discovered compiling this list is it’s a mix of old and new, some of these have been favourites for years. And Waves still have some of my faves, even though those plugs are ancient in plugin years.
Let’s kick off!
SLATE FG-STRESS
One of Steven’s most anticipated plugin releases, and a bit frustrating as it was delayed several times. It certainly delivered though when it was finally released to the public.
Painstakingly recreating the characteristics of the now world famous Distressor it really had to be done right – and it was. If you’re looking for the one compressor that can do everything and sound like pretty much every well known compressor out there, this is the one you need.
From subtle taming of peaks on a vocal to full on assault on a drum room mic, this thing has got you covered.
And one thing I really love about all of Steven’s compressor plugins is the mix knob. Quick and very easy parallel compression without the need for complicated routing. And it sounds friggin’ awesome. As with the original hardware version it shines on drums in particular.
I know some people out there hate the whole subscription model thing, and I can sort of understand it. I’d still recommend this one though. And you don’t have to buy expensive hardware to use it. 😉
WAVES CLA-76
This has been around for a good while, but is still one of those you can’t really go wrong with. And it’s really 2 plugins in one, as it has both the black and blue stripe versions.
The plugin is as many will know modelled on Chris Lord Alge’s personal 1176s, and it really does sound great. Plenty of character (and grit in the case of the blue 76), perfect for really punchy drums and in your face vocals. A lot of 1176 plugins on the market are a bit too clean and polite in my opinion, this one really isn’t.
One thing to be aware of though, is it’s VERY noisy, so I really recommend you turn off the analog noise feature on it. Otherwise the noise stacks up incredibly quickly if, like me, you’re using several of these across a mix.
Also, the CLA-2A and 3A in the same series is well worth the money. Check the Waves website regularly, as there’s always a deal going on some of their plugins, often as low as 29 bucks.
WAVES PUIGCHILD 660/670
Sticking with Waves, one of my other favourites from them is the Jack Joseph Puig Fairchild plugin, modelled on his own Fairchild compressor. 660 is the mono and 670 the stereo version.
When you’re after some tube-like colour on your tracks, this is a fabulous choice. Like many others, I love this for when I want something like late 60s Beatles-ish vibe. Especially for vocals and Ringo’s massive overcompressed overheads. And obviously on room mics.
Not clean at all, but perfect for when you want some colour to your sounds, which in todays digital age is more important than ever. These days we’ll use the clean compressors for controlling the signal and then add colour with the analog emulations. Best of both worlds!
KLANGHELM MJUC
Over the last 2 years or so this has definitely been the most pleasant surprise of them all. Practically free at a price of under 30 bucks/euros, and for that price you get 3 compressors as well as a saturation feature which is just incredible!
A massive no brainer when it comes to compressor plugins, and for a long time it was one of the audio world’s best kept secrets.
3 different takes on legendary compressor circuits:
- the 50s tube compressor with LOTS of colour (Fairchild-like)
- the 60s tube predecessor to the 1176 (the Retro 176)
- and a more modern, clean and VERY punchy take, more similar to an 1176
A couple of the modes have a Density switches, where you essentially have 2 compressors working in both feed forward and feedback mode, making it incredibly effective for controlling transients. The Istage switch on mkII and mkIII mimics and internal transformer that makes it cleaner, minimizing unnecessary noise and distortion.
You also have a «Tone» knob where you can darken or brighten the output, sort of like a tilt EQ, the Saturation knob which is just perfect for adding grit to overly digital sounds, variabke sidechain highpass filter (YES!) and mix knob for easy parallel processing.
Don’t be fooled by the extremely low price. This one could have cost 5 times as much and it would still be a bargain!
Gotta love small companies like these. Top quality at low prices – AWESOME!
WAVES RENAISSANCE VOX (RVOX)
This one is always the first insert on a lead vocal track when I mix. Very few controls, it’s dumb and just works. And despite it being almost 2o years old, sounds wicked.
Waves does have a few plugins like this (the MV2 comes to mind) where you’re not really sure what it exactly does, but it just does the trick. Pull down the main control until you get the amount of compression that you need, and adjust the output fader to level match. Done.
Quite aggressive in sound and really brings your vocal forward in the mix, which we always want. And the gate included on the left hand side is equally simple and effective. A great starting point for further processing on a vocal.
Myself I love plugins like this, even though it has no such thing as an attack, realease or threshold control. Again, quick and easy, and move on.
Obviously, there are vast amounts of really good compressors out there, these are just the top 5 that I use on every mix at the moment. This time next year, the list could very well look quite different.
Hope you found this helpful! More lists coming soon! 😉
Comments and questions are of course very welcome.