Although plugins do the job brilliantly, a hardware bus compressor might be a way to introduce consistency and personality into your mixing. And there are a lot to choose from beyond the big names.
Waves Magma Tube Channel Strip - Expert Review
Following hot on the heals of BB Tubes, Waves’ new tube channel strip promises to bring the Magma sound to a suite of saturation, EQ, and dynamic control, but does it deliver? We put it to our panel of Experts.
We Check Out Slate Digital FG-2A
Classic opto-compression is revered for its sound, but using one brings another big advantage that’s in short supply. Checking out its sound as well as its other bonus that’s hiding in plain sight, we get some classic opto-glow on the go…
Five Brilliant Bus Compressor Plugins For 2023
When you want to really gel those disparate elements with maximum collective solidity and musical coherence, a plugin designed specifically for the job is always going to be the better option. Here are five of the very best virtual analogue bus compressors you can treat your mixes to today.
Experts Dream Studio Gear Advent Calendar - Day 13 Rupert Neve Designs 5035 Shelford Channel
The Experts team wondered what we thought people would want to find behind the windows of a dream studio advent calendar. Today Luke Goddard chooses Rupert Neve Designs’ 5035 Shelford Channel.
We Try Newfangled Audio’s Invigorate Bus Processor - Hear It For Yourself
What mix bus processing should entail can mean different things to different engineers. We take a listen to one that not only offers three processors, but also allows command of all of them with just one control…
Seven Compression Mistakes To Avoid When Mixing
It’s the backbone of dynamics processing and one of the keys to a punchy, professional sounding mix but compression is also a potential minefield if you don’t fully understand what you’re doing. Here are some issues to look out for.
The Magic Of Channel G Console
In a well catered-for category of audio plugins, engineers have a broad choice of high quality virtual channel strips to choose from. One of the best known names in the business recently gave theirs a refresh. See and hear its features for yourself.
We Try POWAIR To Get Consistent Mix Compression The Easy Way
Compressing entire music mixes effectively can present different challenges to channel processing. We look at ways in which to achieve controllable, consistent compression that works with the music.
Lindell Audio Releases Low Cost 1176 Hardware - LiN76 Vintage Limiting Amplifier
Lindell Audio has announced a low cost hardware 1176 style compressor. We have the details.
Sonible Smart Comp 2 - We Take A First Look
With intelligent tools promising automated workflows to aid the engineer, can they really know what the mix needs? We look at some of the decisions made by one of the very latest and compare it with a manually set up compressor…
Stam Audio SA-76D+ Tube 1176 Announced
Stam Audio has announced their latest replica hardware 1176 model, the Stam Audio SA-76D+, featuring an switchable tube output stage. We have the details.
Five More Creative Audio Compression Tips
Adding to our half-dozen dynamics shaping tricks from last year, here are five more techniques with which to take your compressors into more artful territory than they perhaps might generally occupy.
4 Things The PSP Impressor Does - Can Your Compressor Do This?
When it comes to choosing a compressor, the modern audio engineer is not short of choice. With so many out there, what features, if any, can set a compressor apart from the rest?
Creating A Room Sound From Scratch The Vance Powell Way
In this free excerpt from PureMix Vance Powell manipulates the level of room sound on a recording by recording the sound of the room for a second time. Find out how to try this for yourself.
Fix Sibilance using An EQ Boost? No De-esser Necessary
If you find an aspect of a sound undesirable, rather than trying to control or eliminate that, maybe boosting what surrounds it will make it palatable. See how Jimmy Douglass fixes esses by boosting the midrange rather than reaching for a de-esser.
New To Audio Compression? Try Starting Here
If you struggle with compression, Fab Dupont and PureMix may have a great place to start. Optical compressors are benign, simple and easy to understand.
Is The UBK-1 From Kush Audio Product Of 2021?
In this article Robbie Dwyer shares his product of 2021, the UBK-1 compressor from Kush Audio. It’s not new but its new to him and it’s made quite an impression.
Why Use A Third Party Compressor Plugin?
In this article Julian tries to make sense of the breadth of choices available when it comes to compression. All of our DAWs have very flexible compressors available as stock plugins. Why should you get another?
UrsaDSP Boost - Tested
For many of us, getting our mixes louder without losing quality can be a challenge. With several differences under its belt to make it stand out from the crowd, could UrsaDSP’s Boost be the limiter to enhance loudness and ditch the distortion? Luke Goddard takes things higher to find out.