Sonible smart:comp is a smart compressor plugin, that uses frequency-dependent processing, to create well-balanced and transparent compression. FabFilter’s Pro-C2 is a powerhouse compression tool, with eight compression styles, from a classic compressor, and vocal compressor, to a mastering compressor and more.
| Sonible smart:comp | FabFilter Pro-C2 | |
| AI Compression | ✅ | ❌ |
| Trial | FREE 30-Day Trial | ❌ |
| Auto-Gain | ✅ | ✅ |
| Sidechain | ❌ | ✅ |
| Compression Styles | ❌ | 8 Compresion styles |
| Price | $179 | $155 (40% Student discount available) |
Contents
Sonible smart:comp Review
While “smart” plugins used to be just a trend, plugins like Gulfoss and Soothe 2 have proven that the idea has some validity to it.
Sonible smart:comp is a smart compression plugin that can find the parameters, for well-balanced dynamics, in seconds.
Using frequency-selective processing smart:comp analyzes over 2000 frequency bands, essentially becoming a surgical multi-band unit.
A great compressor plugin, smart:comp is something you can use on pretty much anything. Press the analyze button on a track, adjust the threshold to the amount of compression you want, and it’ll do the rest.
The Auto Gain function also helps, to instantly correct your gain, so you don’t have to worry about ruining your gain structure.
That being said, smart:comp will probably not replace your main compressor plugins, rather, it provides a great starting point for your audio. It’s perfect to perform the duties of a basic compression unit or even bus compressor, producing a clean and transparent dynamic adjustment.
Lastly, something that can be an issue with “smart” plugins, the CPU usage, is not an issue with smart:comp. It’s light enough, that you can add a lot of instances of smart:comp in one project, and you shouldn’t worry about your CPU getting upset.
Controls
While it’s mostly focused on the automatic adjustments, you get full control over the attack time, release, threshold and compression ratio of your plugin. In addition to this, you also get a spectral compression dial, with a separate sensitivity control.
On the bottom edge you’ll find the sidechain ducking switch, as well as the dry wet and gain settings.
Pros
✅ Smart Compression
✅ Clean and Transparent sound
✅ Auto Gain
✅ Frequency-Selective Procesing
✅ Low CPU usage
Cons
❌ Not cheap
❌ Won’t replace your main compressor
Pricing
Sonible smart:comp is available on Plugin Boutique for $155.
A 40% discount is available for students and lecturers on the Sonible website, in addition to a FREE 30-Day trial, so get on it!
FabFilter Pro-C2 Review
FabFilter’s Pro-C2 is arguably, the industry standard when it comes to digital compression plugins. Packed full of fetaures, this dynamic compressor is probably the best compressor you can get right now.
FabFilter products have appeared on pretty much every top VST plugin list on the internet.
Pro-C2 is an incredible compressor unit, with multiple modes.
You can use it as a clean compressor, an optical model, bus, punch, mastering compressors, as well as a vocal mode with auto-ratio.
Great as a bus compressor, adding some parallel compression or mid side processing to your audio, FabFilters Pro C2 is easily the most versatile compressor you can get.
The interface itself is an example of what plugin design should be like. It’s easy to use, see what you’re doing, but more importantly, Pro-C2 sounds incredible.
While great compressors can be found everywhere, there aren’t many that are as versatile and capable as Pro-C2.
You can also sidechain to Pro-C2, which is where you’ll also be able to adjust the EQ of your sidechain, to apply a high pass or even mid side correction to your sidechain response.
Pro-Q3 doesn’t emulate any original hardware, yet manages to have an awesome, analog hardware-like sound. FabFilter products are something we believe any producer should have, whether you get the bundle, or single plugins, it’s hard to beat them.
With intelligent auto-gain reduction, eight compression settings, awesome sidechaining capabilities and lots of other features the Fabfilter Pro-C 2 is one of the best compressor units ever!
Controls
Pro-C2 has a lot of settings and controls you can use, to adjust your compressors exactly the way you need them. Threshold, Ratio, Attack and Release are the dominant part of the UI, as they should be.
No matter what compresor plugins you use, Attack and Release times are the most important thing to get right.
You also have your Gain reduction control, which you can use to increase or decrease the gain of your audio. The already mentioned Compresion styles are in the center, with the expandable sidechain EQ, as well as auto gain, and dry wet control on the bottom edge.
Pros
✅ Eight modes of compression
✅ Sidechain EQ
✅ Auto-Gain
✅ Smooth Lookahead
✅ Custom Knee
Cons
❌ Quite expensive
Pricing
Pro-C2 costs $179 on Plugin Boutique.
But, the best way to get Pro-C2 is by buying the FabFilter Mixing Bundle, which costs $679 and comes with Pro-R, Pro-Q3, Pro-DS, Pro-G, Saturn 2, Timeless 3 and Pro-C2.
Sonible smart:comp vs Fab Filter Pro-C2 Verdict
FabFilter’s Pro-C2 and smart:comp are both awesome compressor plugins. That being said, they are meant for two different scenarios.
You’ll use smart:comp as a nice drop-on plugin, to get some instant, basic, dynamics. In contrast, Pro-C2 is a powerhouse, that can and will perform most of your compression duties on it’s own.
It seems almost unfair to pit the Sonible smart comp vs Fab Filter Pro-C2, but when it comes to judging just by how much you can do with a compressor, Pro-C2 comes ahead.
If you’re saving up for your first proper compressor plugins, get Pro-C2. If you already have a main compressor plugin though, smart:comp will be a great addition to your mixing toolbox.
Finishing Up
| Sonible smart:comp | FabFilter Pro-C2 | |
| Smart Compression | ✅ | ❌ |
| Auto-Gain | ✅ | ✅ |
| Sidechain | ❌ | ✅ |
| Compression Styles | ❌ | 8 Compresion styles |
| Price | $179 | $155 (40% Student discount available) |
Sonible smart:comp is a smart compressor plugin, that uses frequency-dependent processing, to create well-balanced and transparent compression. FabFilter’s Pro-C2 is a powerhouse compression tool, with eight compression styles, from a classic compressor, and vocal compressor, to a mastering compressor and more.
We hope that you now have all the necessary knowledge, to make a solid choice, which EQ plugin is for you. No matter which you end up choosing, both plugins are incredible at what they do, so you probably won’t be disappointed.
Toms is a music producer & DJ, born and raised in Post Soviet Latvia. Currently based in Brighton, Toms has had over 6 years of experience with all things production and in that time, he’s done a tonne of cool stuff! He’s played multiple festivals, had experience in the field with mixing & mastering and even become a freelance journalist in the music industry.
Toms currently creates music under the alias Sovereign. Producing music that’s intimate and subtle, while full of edge and energy, the young producer combines the artistic sounds of Trip Hop artists like Massive Attack, with the energy and youthfulness of producers like Flume, Jamie XX and Yaeji. You can check his stuff on Soundcloud.
