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The technique of balancing the loudest and softest components of an audio signal is known as compression. While it may appear easy, these concepts are based on a variety of circuitries that produce sounds that are rough, aggressive, colorful, or transparent and polished. With so many Compressor plugins available today, determining which one specializes in analog compression can be challenging. In this article, we’re going to dive into the types of compressor plugins that offer the true analog character, along with the top 12 analog compressor plugins available in 2023.
Contents
What is an analog emulation compressor plugin?
An analog emulation compressor plugin uses digital technology to mimic the sonic characteristics of old hardware compressors. They are able to closely replicate the same warmth, depth, and presence as hardware analog compressors, while also providing consistent results and the ability to recall. Besides providing smooth balanced compression, they add realism to your ITB mixes.
Why are there so many analog compressor plugins in the market?
Analog emulation plugins allow upcoming producers and engineers to recreate the sonic characteristics of vintage hardware compressors in their DAW recording sessions and mixes, without having to spend a fortune on buying analog gear or booking expensive studios which have them.
Additionally, analog compression plugins also introduce harmonic saturation and some of them emulate the natural hum found at 50 and 60Hz, adding realism and coloration that can bring life and dynamics to your sound.
With advanced side chaining options, a plethora of custom presets, and an excellent GUI, they are worth checking out!
Are the Free analog Plugins Actually Any Good or Should I Invest?
Free plugins are a good starting point if you’re unsure of which plugin to invest in. However, the free ones are limited in terms of features, quality of emulation, and support. Attention to detail, regular updates, and customer support are common benefits of paid plugins. If you need something more robust, though, a premium plugin could be well worth the cost in the end.
What Are The Best Analog Styled Compressor Plugins?
Here’s the complete list of the best analogue styled compression plugins:
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$154.00
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$49.00
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$149.00
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$199
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$199 list price ($99 on Sale)
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- Royal Compressor
- SKNote Disto
- Slate Digital FG-Stress
- Empirical Labs Arousor
- Empirical Labs Mike-E Comp
- Universal Audio EL 8 Distressor
- Pulsar Audio Smasher
- Waves Audio CLA 76
- Universal Audio 1176 Classic Limiter
- Waves V-Comp
- Arturia Comp Diode-609
- Plugin Alliance Lindell Audio 354E
1. Royal Compressor
The Royal Compressor is a distinctly colourful vari-mu compressor with an instantly recognizable vintage sound. While being highly reactive to your signal, the Royal Compressor is excellent at adding subtlety. The random saturation algorithm creates true valve saturation, making it a no-brainer on vocals, acoustic guitars, and drum buses.
- Instant Analogue Colour.
- Random saturation algorithm creates genuinely creamy and pleasant saturation
- Reacts well when used in tracking vocals, bass, and synths.
- Free second-hand version with vintage broken knobs and all.
- Elaborate Release and Hold parameters inside the recovery section.
- Highly useful Trim function which cuts your signal up to -100dB.
- Up to 8x upsampling with hardly any latency.
- Doesn't react well to quick transients. A lot of peaks don't pop out.
- Too colourful to be applicable in different production scenarios.
- Unless you're primarily going for an analogue sound, $154 is overpriced.
If you’re looking to add the classic sound of variable-mu compressors to your digital audio workstation, the Royal Compressor may be the way to go. Similar to Abbey Road’s RS124 compressor plugin, the Royal Compressor was modeled around three EMI RS 124 units.
This is a great option for capturing nuance because of the highly detailed “Recovery” part and the three different attack models it supports.
While the royal compressor plugin is great for most things, it is slow to detect transients (particularly with drums). It works well on male vocals and gives your bass sounds an air of refinement and fullness.
Surprisingly, it has a consistency that is unusual. Like with any tool, excessive use of this compressor is unnecessary. There is still a decent amount of body added to the sound even with the input dial set to 1.
Though we didn’t think it was great for clinical mixing, because it was too colorful for corrective work. However, try slapping it on a group bus for adding a bit of analog mojo and presence.
Sound Examples
Vocals + Synth (Before Compression)
Fretless Bass (Before Compression)
Chords+Melody (Before Compression)
Vocals + Synth (After Compression)
Fretless Bass (After Compression)
Chords+Melody (After Compression)
2. SKNote Disto
With Disto you can make any source material sound fatter, bigger, and punchier with very few moves. The distressor emulation s pretty open and very natural, compared to the other plugins we've seen so far it's pretty comparable with UAD distressor and the Mike-E comp.
- Hottitude' adds & bypasses distortion, while the ‘Warmth' knob helps you roll off unpleasant highs within the ‘Fatso.'
- Engaging the ‘Trafo' button provides an analog transformer-like feel, which can be great for group buses.
- 2 separate Hi-Passes for removing the low end from the detector(left) and the output signal(right), depending on whether you want pre-saturation HP or post.
- Great price point to get into the world of distressors. Bang for the buck!
- Without the ‘Warmth' knob engaged, the inherent distortion is quite harsh. Might work on say, metal guitars; but not always.
- Gain knobs are very sensitive, while scrolling with the mouse, making it unsuitable for micro-adjustments.
Sound Samples:
Before
After
3. Slate Digital FG-Stress
Slate Digital brings us a 1-to-1 recreation of the Empirical labs' distressor. The FG-stress is also available in their virtual mix rack, along with many other slate plugins.
- Licensed emulation of the original Empirical Labs Distressor.
- Simple in theory. 1176-style compression-the more you crank the input, the more comp. you get, as the threshold is fixed.
- Detector boasts an HPF at 86Hz for controlling the kick & bass, and a bell EQ at 6kHz, placed perfectly for taming vocal sibilances.
- You can link and move the Input and Output levels in tandem by holding down ‘Shift' which allows for clinical compression.
- Simplified GUI. Extremely easy to understand.
- Great for parallel processing your dry drums or vocals with the mix knob.
- Like Universal Audio, It's only available for Slate Digital's VMR, which can be an issue.
- While mid-range compression on vocals is transparent, it could've been less harsh, especially as it moves VCA to Opto.
Slate Digital has attempted to produce a replica of the distressor used in the Empirical laboratories. Like many other slate plugins, the FG-stress is included in their digital mix rack.
This distressor emulation is intriguing since the ratio curves vary in personality and topology, bringing with them a new kind of compression. It has a mix knob, two types of distortion, and interesting detection settings.
The detection setting basically has a high pass filter, a mid-scoop/boost and a ‘link’ option which come in handy. While the vocal/mid-range compression is transparent, it could’ve warmed up the harshness better, given that it can move from VCA to Opto.
The presets include famous Distressor settings like the 10:1 Opto compression for bass and the full mix presets, which are worth checking out.
4. Empirical Labs Arousor
This plug-in similar to the original hardware counterpart works amazingly on any source and overcomes most of the other software plugins
- Easy to understand controls and signal path. Fairly clean UI with time settings on top & side-chain EQ at the bottom.
- Sounds great on bass in parallel compression, especially when you crank the saturation & ‘Rivet' it.
- ‘Attack Modification' gives you aggressive comp. without choking your drums. You can dial to 10, get the punch & pull down the wet.
- Can emulate the LA2A, 1176 & Dbx within the presets. Worth trying out if you're looking for a FET, Opto, or VCA-style Distressor.
- None!
Again, the guys at empirical labs have gone and done it! They’ve recreated their iconic distressor unit in digital form and named it Arousor. Like its hardware inspiration, this plugin is incredibly flexible in terms of input and output, and it easily outperforms the majority of the other distressors out there.
It looks like the real distressor and can produce distorted sounds similar to the renowned analog version, so it’s an excellent alternative for those who appreciate the distressor sound but can’t buy the original.
Compared to its analog predecessor, it is more flexible in terms of ratio, providing for more rounded compression that can achieve both transparent and gritty effects.
The two Opto modes provide in-depth features and flexibility, while the ‘Soft-Clipping’ and ‘Attack-Modification’ sections are elaborate. It can also emulate the LA2A, 1176 & Dbx quite well, as found in the presets.
Also, this software version has a built-in sidechain with detector EQ, making it worth checking out even if you own the hardware!
Sound Samples:
Before
After
5. Empirical Labs Mike-E Comp
Precisely modelled in close collaboration with Dave Derr, Empirical Labs Mike-E Comp offers high-calibre, one-of-a-kind saturation/compression based on the famous ELI Distressor.
- Preamp is separate from the CompSat section. Cranking the Preamp above 12dB adds soft-clipping & smooth saturation to vox & guitars.
- Unique Multi-stage preamp design. Triode-type sat. affect the signal at low gain & a second clip-circuit flattens the peaks at high levels.
- Long 100ms attack is quite useful for slow strings and vocals to pass through, as they get creamy saturation in the CompSat section.
- Great for increasing the perceived loudness of a track by adding depth, dimension, and bass extension, without adding too much actual gain.
- Can be used as a module within Softube's amp room. Great for electric guitars. Can't stress enough!
- Emphasis mode is quite intricate. Would've been better to have visual feedback as un-trained ears can't make full use of it.
Next on our list is the Mike-E comp, a fantastic plug-in created by Empirical Labs, the designers of the original Distressor hardware units, and Softube, one of the top hardware emulation companies.
Even when the saturation setting is set to maximum, E comp’s saturation adds aggression and increases perceived loudness without increasing the gain or losing snap. One of the first things we noticed is the depth, dimension, and bass extension, which are phenomenal!
The emphasis section has three settings- HF makes it sound warmer and more like tape. HF2 triggers the compressor more when highs set in, to make it smoother. LF attenuates the highs entering the compressor, making the compressor less-responsive to the highs.
6. Universal Audio EL 8 Distressor
The EL8 Distressor is a versatile analog compressor that has become a studio staple known for its adaptability, range of coloration, and precise control over dynamics in audio processing.
- Very close emulation of the original hardware. Hard to tell the difference.
- Quite rare to find such realism. Can make drum busses alive and full by tweaking just the attack, release, input & output.
- Dist2 and Dist3 control second and third-order harmonics. Engaging them can add character and grit to your vocals in the chorus.
- The famous Dbx160 Slow attack-fast release, soft-knee comp. It works great on a full mix here and helps to let the mix breathe more.
- The headroom control keeps your overall gain stage under check as it's easy to go overboard.
- Can't think of any!
Universal Audio provides its own, and very close, a recreation of the Distressor. As we would expect from UA, this model is quite close to the original hardware, with very minor audible variations.
This plugin is based on the empirical labs EL8 distressor and is only available for UAD hardware and Apollo interfaces. It is a complete representation of Derr’s iconic hardware.
It’s an exceptionally faithful simulation of this device, with the exception of being a touch more thump, dirtier and snappier, as opposed to the hardware, which provides more clarity.
The ‘Nuke’ button basically results in brick-wall limiting. The mid-boost/cut bump responds well to vocals, helping you shape them the way you see fit.
Dist2 and Dist3 control second and third-order harmonics, adding character and grit, and the ratio and threshold are controlled by the Ratio function.
A UAD version is believed to be the sole true replication of the empirical labs el8 distressor, and it is one of the best plugin emulations of this analog classic.
7. Pulsar Audio Smasher
Pulsar Audio Smasher is a versatile analog-style saturation and compression plugin, known for adding warmth, character, and dynamics to audio signals.
- British distortion's tight sound is ideal on metal, hip-hop, dubstep, rock, or aggressive vocals, adding attitude and bite.
- Immediate grit, aggression, character-filled sound. Great for most drum mics & bass variations.
- Very simple two-knob design, given that you mix predominantly by ear.
- Quite aggressive and hard to tame. But that's the basic function of the plugin.
The availability of all buttons in Smasher sets it apart from other 1176 emulators, as it’s going all-out aggressive, rude, and gritty compression at all times! You can add aggression and character to anything that you pass through this machine- be it drum overheads, bass, metal guitars, or rap vocals.
Importantly, it mimics the midrange-heavy and distinctively characterized sound of the ‘1176 blue’, instead of the ‘blacky.’
With just an input and output knob, and ration and threshold auto-set, there’s little confusion on how to use it. However, you can mix in the dry signal with the plugin’s rough and distorted compression using the mix knob, which is necessary, given how extreme the compression is.
Overall, a very simple two-knob design, which is easy to use, given that you mix predominantly by ear and are used to judging gain reduction by VU meters.
8. Waves Audio CLA 76
Waves Audio CLA-76 is a digital emulation of the classic UREI 1176 compressor, offering fast and iconic FET-style compression with a simple and intuitive interface.
- Extremely fast compression. Can catch the fastest of transients. Well suited for guitars, bass, vox, & drums in most styles of metal.
- Following the Attack and release speeds on the VU meter as you're tweaking is fairly convenient with its large meter & legible digits.
- ‘Blacky' is great for a powerful sound in pop, hip-hop, or rock/metal, while the ‘Bluesy' is wonderful for adding depth to vox & pianos.
- Analog 50Hz & 60Hz options are quite useful for adding subtle hum to your tracks.
- Can't think of any!
Blackey and Bluey allude to the Rev A and blue stripe versions of the original hardware, and Waves Audio’s copy of this legendary FET compressor is one of the most accurate recreations of the original.
The ‘no compression’ mode allows you to bring the original gear’s color to your signal without compressing it. It basically bypasses the comp. and your signal passes through the FET gain reduction element, resulting in the famous characteristic FET distortion.
The ‘all ratios’ in mode replicate all of the original gear’s classic settings and buttons, along with the 4:1, 8:1, 12:1, and 20:1.
The Blackface is excellent for most drum scenarios, especially if you’re going for a forceful sound in pop, hip-hop, or rock/metal, while the Blue Stripe is wonderful for adding depth to voices.
Before
After
As you can hear, the 1176’s FET compression adds subtle distortion, while letting the notes ring out longer.
We mixed both with a volume fader ratio of 1:3.
We dialed the attack down to 3 and release to 7, where the crispness of the guitar strum is maintained but the spikes are toned down just enough to fit in with the other instruments.
9. Universal Audio 1176 Classic Limiter
Universal Audio, the company that made the legendary piece of equipment in the first place, was expected to have its own take on the digital world for it. In fact, they have a whole package with Rev A, Rev E, and blue stripe versions of the unit.
These digital versions are exact copies of the hardware compressor, with no extra features. As expected, it’s pretty simple, sounds very natural, and you can hardly tell the difference between it and the hardware.
Previously Universal Audio plugins were only available to hardware owners but now Universal Audio plugins are natively available on any device with both perpetual licenses and a subscription service called UAD Spark.
10. Waves V-Comp
The Universal Audio 1176 Classic Limiter is an iconic analog compressor renowned for its fast and transparent dynamics control, favored by audio professionals for its versatile and vintage sound.
- Believable Diode-Bridge compression for $29! Can't ask for more!
- The Analogue percentage dials are quite useful in dialling in exactly how much colour you need.
- Limiter Level controls with 800ms attack variations are quite innovative & useful as they can also be tried on vocals and synths.
- Great for most drum bus, mix bus, and master bus applications.
- Not always the best option for capturing micro-dynamics. We recommend to listen carefully to the Analog percentage as you add it to sensitive material.
As it sounds great on groups of instruments, the Waves V-Comp, which is a diode bridge compressor, is mostly used on the drum bus, mix bus, and master bus. By making use of the program-dependent fast and slow attacks on drums and bass, you can immediately inject analog characters into your mix bus.
As a milder alternative to the 1176 FET plugins we’ve seen so far, the Waves V-Comp can be used to get good vocal takes as well. However, it is important to listen to the diode bridge distortion on this plugin carefully, as it’s not always the best option for capturing micro-dynamics.
For instance, the Waves Fairchild660/670, which is a Vari-Mu compressor plugin, is a perfect candidate for capturing minute pitch changes and micro-dynamics perfectly.
Before
On Drums
On Bass
After
Parallel Drums (WET) Fast limiter
Parallel Drums (WET) Slow limiter
Bass Ratio 2:1
With the limiter deactivated, you can notice how the gravity of the bass is more focused on the lower mids as opposed to the low frequencies.
Bass Ratio 3:1
11. Arturia Comp Diode-609
The Arturia Comp Diode-609 is a software emulation of the classic Neve 33609 compressor, offering vintage analog warmth and dynamic control for audio processing in the digital realm.
- Ideal for usage on the master, mix bus, or any other bus channels in your project with its analog warmth & recognizable Neve color.
- Harmonic overtones are accentuated in the compression in a subtle way, adding more realism & thickness to your vox and synths.
- Extended fine-tuning options. Generally, analog plugins don't have so many parameters for precise compression.
- Can't think of any, especially at this price point!
The Comp Diode-609 from Arturia is another diode bridge compressor plugin that emulates the sound of the iconic Neve 33609 diode compressor and limiter.
The Neve 33609 has been used for decades for mastering or two-bus compression, as it can add an innate analog warmth and the recognizable Neve color to anything you pass through this.
The best settings may be quickly and easily accessed via the presets. The user-friendly interface mimics the original Rupert Neve hardware device and is a treat to work on.
Among its many features are two diode compressor/limiter modules, a mix control for simple parallel compression, an attack speed toggle for each module, and m/s processing to improve the stereo image.
Before
After
12. Plugin Alliance Lindell Audio 354E
The Plugin Alliance Lindell Audio 354E is a virtual analog compressor and limiter plugin that emulates the classic Neve 2254E, providing smooth and musical compression for a wide range of audio sources.
- Analogue sound coupled with the added flexibility of setting the crossover freq. in MB format allows for better decision-making.
- Soft vocals, atmospheric pads, & strings can be brought to the fore by pressing the nuke button.
- 'Nuke' button is great at adding tons of gain reduction. Ideal for cranking rock vox, bass, & drums, as you add ‘dry' with the mix knob.
- Great for complex M/S techniques within the bands while separating freq. spectrums in the mix.
- 6dB/Oct. freq. slope is quite gentle. Ideal for use on the mix bus, as the bands, flow smoothly into one another.
- 'Link' button doesn't preserve the ‘offset' in the bands. So instead of reducing your relative threshold, it snaps to current band's threshold value.
- $149 might be steep for an occasional user. But a regular user won't complain as it offers a ton of possibilities.
The Lindell Audio 354E, a diode bridge compressor with multiband compression capabilities that faithfully recreates the sound of the classic Neve 2254E, is now available as a plug-in, courtesy of Plugin Alliance.
While Multiband compressor plugins, with their plethora of tweakable options, don’t generally fall within the ‘analog’ flavor category, this one by Lindell is a pleasant surprise.
If you want to add a compressor to your stereo master, this is the way to go about it. Our favorite feature is the ability to independently modify the compression on each band, as well as tweak the crossovers and filter out low frequencies in parallel.
With its wealth of extra capabilities, this diode bridge compressor excels at transient control, stereo field enhancement, and more.
Subdued input signals can be brought to the fore by pressing the nuke button; by blending the clean and compressed signals with the mix knob, lost nuances can be restored.
Before
On Stereo Master
After
Not only enhances the stereo image & space but also adds different harmonic compression in each band.
Summary
To recap, here’s the complete list of the best analog-styled compression plugins:
- Royal Compressor
- SKNote Disto
- Slate Digital FG-Stress
- Empirical Labs Arousor
- Empirical Labs Mike-E Comp
- Universal Audio EL 8 Distressor
- Pulsar Audio Smasher
- Waves Audio CLA 76
- Universal Audio 1176 Classic Limiter
- Waves V-Comp
- Arturia Comp Diode-609
- Plugin Alliance Lindell Audio 354E
Plugins like the Universal Audio 1176 Classic Limiter, Waves Audio CLA 76, and Arturia Comp Diode-609 are emulations of real hardware that you’re bound to stumble upon in professional studios. Owning a plugin that emulates that sound, is an excellent asset for any producer who is working in the box.
Using these plugins can also be a smart way to access the sound of revered hardware compressors without the need for expensive and space-consuming hardware, let alone the cost of maintaining them.
Sai is a full-time music producer located in India, and is head of Faculty at D7 Media Institute. He is the most passionate music production guru I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. Fantastic at sound design, mixing, and recording, Sai heads most of the review content, as well as dabbling in some mixing and mastering content too here at WCS. Give Sai any topic and he could write forever about it. He has over 10 years of experience working in the industry and has earned both Music Production and Music Composition & Piano degrees.
