TOP 7 COMPRESSOR PLUGINS FOR MIXING AND MASTERING
One of the two fundamentally necessary tools for mixing and mastering, besides the EQ, is of course the compressor. Depending on the area of application, you of course also need compressors with different facets. from coloring for mixing, the ability to glue in the sum processing, to very neutral and precise dynamic processors for mastering. Therefore, this compact guide is intended to provide a little help as to which compressor plugins might be an excellent choice for fine-tuning the dynamic balance of your tracks.
#1 SPL - IRON
The first candidate in this guide is the SPL IRON. A very accurate emulation of the rather expensive hardware unit that can be found in many high-end studios. The special combination of legendary vintage tubes, and modern features, together with SPL’s 120-volt technology result in an absolute workhorse for dynamic processing. Iconic 12AX7 and ECC83 tubes are used as tubes in the original, which are of course emulated very precisely here. The compressor in the core works with the Vari-Mu principle, coupled with 6 different rectifier circuits, which imitate different diode combinations, such as Germanium, Silicon, LED and others. As with many plugins from Brainworx (which worked with SPL on this emulation), the plugin also comes with TMT for more analog realism.
The SPL Iron can be used for many tasks: giving individual tracks subtle saturation, summing groups with a gentle glue factor, right up to polishing during the mastering process. My personal favorite for some years!
More info: plugin-alliance.com
#2 SSL - NATIVE X-COMP
Solid State Logic (SSL) should of course not be missing from any roundup on elementary tools for mixing and mastering – and rightly so! With the Native X-Comp, SSL delivers a very versatile all-round compressor. The X-Comp does not emulate a specific compressor from the past, but its feature set offers the possibility of replicating the behavior of certain classics like ptop, FET, Vari-Mu, and others. The A fusion of vintage and modern, so to speak.
Thanks to the very clean UI with the included analysis displays for the most important parameters, the X-Comp workflow is very pleasant and not an overwhelming plugin even for newbies. The level of dynamic processing ranges from very gentle, barely noticeable – to brick wall level. In short, an all-rounder with exceptional sound quality, well as you might expect from a company like SSL. A plugin you shouldn’t miss!
More info: solidstatelogic.com
#3 FABFILTER PRO-C 2
FabFilter is one of the modern developers who have earned a high reputation among many thanks to their outstanding quality. With the Pro-C 2 you have a very versatile compressor that remains true to FabFilter’s high-quality level and is the “go-to” compressor for many users!
In short, the Pro-C2 is a Swiss army knife among compressor plugins. 8 different compression styles, a UI that provides very visual feedback, and a lot of small detailed features, which make the use of the plugin very pleasant and always manageable for new users and also for professionals. From smooth lookahead, 4x oversampling, A/B switch, variable stereo linking, and of course, mid/side processing – everything you need is there!
If that’s not enough for you, the Pro-MB might be the best choice, roughly a multiband version of the Pro-C 2.
More info: fabfilter.com
#4 SOFTUBE - WEISS DS1-MK3
The next one in this round-up is the most top-notch tool for mixing and mastering you can get. The Weiss DS1-Mk3 is a direct port from the award-winning mastering-grade hardware processor by Weiss Engineering and with that the only plugin version you will be able to get, by the official collaboration of Weiss Engineering and Softube.
Known for its very transparent sound, while being highly versatile, for many pro-grade mixing and mastering engineers, it`s kind of the holy grail of dynamic sound sculpturing. With some enhancements compared to the original like supporting sample rate resolutions of up to 192 kHz, detailed visual insights, and several specific processing styles like transparent, loud, punch, and wide, a layout focused on fast and focused workflow – with that level of sound quality – you really need to give this special compressor a test drive. Next to the DS1-Mk3 are also 2 other tools (based on the original DS1-Mk3) available within the Weiss collection: Compressor/Limiter and the MM-1 Mastering Maximizer – in case a more reduced and topic-focused variant would better suit your needs.
More info: softube.com
#5 LINDELL AUDIO - 354E
With the 354E by Lindell Audio, you get an emulation of the legendary Neve 2254 compressor. This already sounds quite awesome, but it goes further. Instead of just this emulation on its own, Lindell stacked 3 of them together to create a multiband version of it!
The origin was known for its rich sonic character, and the subtle but noticeable effect on drums, guitar, and vocals. The Lindell 354E might not be a very transparent plugin, or with a very modern intuitive feedback-giving UI, but it offers the sound of a rarely-modeled icon, with an extended range of possibilities. Including extras like the “SMASH” mode, for overcompressing tracks or elements – to have much more intense dynamic effect processing, and the additional Niveau filter to create API-style “thrust” compression effects. The benefits of multiband processing should be also kept in mind. Maybe due to its sound color and of course, a bit more limited usability in terms of mastering it will not be everyone`s favorite, but a great tool for single-track compression and sonic shaping.
More info: plugin-alliance.com
#6 SONIBLE - SMART:COMP 2
With the relatively new Smart:Comp by Sonible, is a new generation of dynamic processors slowly building up, bringing new features and approaches to the wide spectrum of tools for mixing and mastering.
The Smart:Comp works quite differently compared to many of the usual compression tools, its core principle is based on spectral compressing. This not only gives more access in terms of shaping the dynamics of the incoming audio signal, but it also allows a more detailed adjustment of the dynamic in a tonal context. By affecting the dynamic contour of the material in relation to its places in the frequency spectrum, you can very easily generate a well-balanced mix without losing any transparency. Together with a lot of freedom in the details, like the free-form transfer function, you still can add color, or define the dynamic processing in detail by yourself – versatile and easy to use. It also can analyze the incoming audio material and can assist you with finding the right settings, and refine the details of your instrument or track. This plugin, you really need to check out!
More info: sonible.com
#7 SOFTUBE - EMPIRICAL LABS MIKE-E COMP
Another entry into this roundup by Softube is the Empirical Labs EL-9 “Mike-E”. An emulation of the Distressor hardware compressor, known for its very tasty saturation! So definitively not the best tool for mastering, but an awesome tool for giving your single instruments and tracks a more gritty or decent saturation.
In detail, it’s a 3 stage toolbox – a preamp with a lot of crunchy distortion (if you want to), a multi-stage soft-clipping circuit for tasty saturation, and a compressor to tame and define the signal after driving them hot through the preamp and clipping circuit. The origin Distressor is also known for its “NUKE!” mode, to get instantly hot-driven and compressed results. And converse to many other “distortion-intensive” compressors, this one tends to never really sound harsh. What is preferably the distortion or saturation you would like: giving elements of the track some more character or a new facet of sound, without making the mix in total due to the added saturation of single instruments harsh, and unpleasant in the final sum. So if you are looking for great compression with a tasty amount of drive and fuzz – there you go.
More info: softube.com
# BONUS TIP: GRIP VALVE DRIVE COMPRESSOR
As a little bonus tip, it is of course also a good idea to mention my own compressor. Especially when its features and layout make it a good option for certain mixing tasks. The “GRIP Valve Drive compressor” is a combination of a classic VCA compressor, which usually works very neutrally. Together with a dedicated tube preamp unit. Which can be used with 2 different vintage tube models: Triode and pentode, the latter produces particularly extra odd harmonies. When both elements work together, GRIP can add a lot of character to the signal, especially on drums and vocals. For me personally, it is great on basses (especially guitars). The combination of vintage tubes and VCA compression can create a lot of character change, as both tube models can achieve very different results depending on the intensity. So for individual elements, a good option for balance or coloring. However, not the best choice for the sum or mastering when it comes to transparency and absolute precision.
More info: cfa-sound.com
Maybe this round-up showed you some good (or new) compressor plugins for your music production workflow and may spark some new ideas. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the guide, and thanks for reading.
