Some users call it the most transparent mastering plugin available. It looks nice, and it works, so while we wouldn’t consider it “top notch, it’s still quite excellent. It features a simple interface, mostly centered around the knobs, with a single accent color (in this case, blue). The design of Tokyo Dawn Records plugins often strikes us as “professional,” and that goes for Kotelnikov too. Its main controls include threshold, peak crest, soft knee, ratio, attack, release peak, release RMS, makeup, dry mix, out gain, Delta, and bypass.
This VST features a 64-bit multi-rate processing structure, “Delta” oversampled signal path, “Crest factor” based control scheme, flexible sidechain highpass filter, advanced stereo linking options, Delta preview mode, latency compensated click-free bypass, and user interface rescaling (100, 125, and 150%). That makes it great for stereo bus compression, in addition to a host of other applications, including mastering, of course. It can change the dynamic range in a major way without losing the original tone, timbre, and punch of any signal. What makes it awesome is that it’s quite transparent. And in that sense, it’s almost like a transient shaper. TDR Kotelnikov is a powerhouse wideband dynamics processor. It’s powerful enough to be used as a limiter too. Some producers have MCompressor as their favorite compressor, so that should give you a good sense of how good it is. The visualizer makes it easy for you to see how you’re altering the sound too.Īs with all MeldaProduction plugins, MCompressor features a nice, attractive interface that isn’t overly mechanical, technical, or intimidating. It’s still kind of a steal of a deal either way though.Īnyway, MCompressor features an adjustable compression shape as well as up-sampling options for added clarity.Ĭontrols include input, RMS, output, threshold, attack, ratio, release, sidechain compression, and controls for sidechain compression – high-pass and low-pass.
But if you want to unlock all the features, you’ve got to upgrade for $59.
Now, to get MCompressor, you will need to download the MFreeFXBundle, just so you know.Īnother FYI is this – yes, you can get the bundle for free, and yes, it’s great. If you haven’t heard of the MFreeFXBundle, have you been living under a rock? It includes a lot of great essential mixing VST plugins, just like the MCompressor. It’s one of those compressors that always seems to add instead of taking away. The compression works great on guitars, bass, drums, and more. It’s got a semi-realistic to realistic look, with easy-to-use controls. We’re a big fan of its user interface, which mimics classic outboard gear. It includes features like negative (over) compression, parallel (New York style) compression, options to compress left and right channels independently (dual mono), peak and RMS compression (relaxed), and a high pass filter to reduce bass overload (deep).
True to form, you can achieve everything from smooth, gentle leveling, to full on crunch, punch, and pump. These are the shape shifters that will help you create different compression results. We can see, though, that the DC1A features controls for out, GR, input, output, deep, relaxed, dual mono, and negative.
Which is perhaps giving too much attention to one thing. Turn a dial, and you will immediately notice a difference, which to me is always the mark of a finely tuned dial. The DC1A, though, despite its simplistic controls and appearance, is reasonably versatile, and great sounding. Torque - Fabfilter Pro-Q3 can do a similar thing.Klanghelm’s DC1A is the little brother of their more fully featured and advanced compressor, DC8C. Sounds crazy but UJAM RETRO is great for creative uses IMHO. if I didn't have it I would probably use something in UJAM RETRO Finisher to get similar effects. but a budget version (which I've never tried but is probably quite close) would be TG12345 - I don't have a non-Waves alternative to this, sorry.ĭBX 160 - Although not equivalent you may consider į6 Dynamic Floating Band EQ (By far my most used plugin) - Fabfilter Pro-Q3 without question. Click to expand.SSL G - I use this instead: ĬLA 2A - I don't often find myself reaching for any virtual LA-2A compression but I recently did a demo of and was quite impressed.ĬLA 3A - I use the BF-3A from this instead: ĬLA 76 - I use these instead: (Slate also has a "modern" and a blacky version but I gravitate to this one)