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Today’s edition of bpb Freeware Studio features the best free compressor VST/AU plugins for Windows and Mac.
I’ve been preparing this one for quite a while since there are so many free compressors out there and it wasn’t easy to create a best-of compressors shortlist without leaving out some very good freebies.In the end I’ve decided to split the list in two parts. The main part contains my absolute favorite free compressors and the bonus part features an additional set of great freeware compressor VST plugins that are definitely worth checking out and might become your favorites.
You might also want to check out the best free multi-band compressor VST plugins and best free sidechain compressor VST plugins lists.
Follow the links for screenshots & download info:
- AC-1 by Audiocation Audio Akademie (Windows)
- BLOCKFISH by digitalfishphones (Mac, Windows)
- Classic Compressor by Kjaerhus (Windows)
- Compressive Pro by Martin Eastwood (Windows)
- D2 by de la Mancha (Windows)
- DC1A by Klanghelm (Mac, Windows)
- DCAM FreeComp by FXpansion (Mac, Windows)
- Density mkIII by Variety Of Sound (Windows)
- Endorphin by digitalfishphones (Windows)
- FL4TT3RY 2 by platinumears (Windows)
- jsCompShaper by jsAudio (Windows)
- MCompressor by MeldaProduction (Mac, Windows)
- Modern Series by Antress (Windows)
- Molot by vladg/sound (Mac, Windows)
- NightShine by discoDSP (Windows)
- ReaComp by Cockos (Windows)
- Rough Rider by Audio Damage (Windows)
- TDR Feedback Compressor by Tokyo Dawn Labs (Windows)
- ThrillseekerLA by Variety Of Sound (Windows)
- TLs-2095-LA/TLs-3127-LEA by tinbrooketales (Windows)
Extended list: BattleComp Vintage, BuzComp Free GranComp, CamelCrusher, Easy-NY, FR-COMP 87, GComp2, H2O, LMC-1, MdspCompressor, MjCompressor, NastyVCS, StereoCompressor, XPressor.
For stereo bus use, my two absolute favorites are Molot and Density mkII. Density is more transparent and smooth, a perfect tool to add glue to a mix (or a drum bus, for example) while keeping a natural sound.
Molot adds quite a bit of color however, which isn’t always what you need, but it works great when you want to add some character to bland sounds. It can also work very well on bass guitars and vocals – play around with different modes and check out the manual to see what this great unit is capable of.
Molot VST by Vladislav Goncharov.
TLs-2095-LA and TLs-3127-LEA are my secret weapons – they’re not used on every mix (probably because I’m not a big fan of the limiting amplifier design), but I try them out whenever I’m not satisfied with the results I get with other compressors. And most of the time I tell myself – damn, I should use those TBT compressors more often.
Compressive Pro is a great RMS compressor with a funky vintage analogue modeled sound and a reasonably low CPU hit. It’s quite easy to use due to its simple and clean GUI and has some nice bonus features like external sidechain and auto-gain makeup. A great all-around compressor, useful on individual channels as well as on the stereo bus. You might also want to check out D2 by de la Mancha, it is a nice sounding coloring compressor (coloration can be turned off) that’s very easy to use.
D2 by de la Mancha.
Another perfect all-rounder is ReaComp. It is very easy on the CPU and a breeze to use. Unlike Compressive Pro, this compressor is super-clean sounding and very transparent. When I just need a quick channel compressor, ReaComp is what I go for most of the time.
When you want to kick the living hell out of a track, Rough Rider is your safe bet. It will sound too over-the-top most of the time, but in certain occasions it’s THE perfect spice for a mix. If you’re not affraid of the compression police, try putting it on the master bus right at the start of a mixing session – this can work in some kinds of electronic dance music and can give the whole mix an oversaturated, super-sticky sidechained feel. If that sounds interesting, make sure you also check out Camel Crusher and LMC-1.
Rough Rider by Audio Damage.
BLOCKFISH is often my number one choice for use on vocals. It features a characteristic sound and a superb opto mode (modeled after the old optical compressor designs) which is great for transparent and smooth gain riding on vocals.
If you need a simple compressor to learn with, check out AC1, Classic Compressor, GComp2, and GranComp. All four have great clean interfaces and nice gain reduction meters that will show you exactly what you’re doing (especially GComp2 which also features a dry/wet waveform display)!
GComp2 by GVST.
Finally, to help you learn compression, here’s a very informative compression video tutorial by FabFilter (it’s basically a promo video for their Pro-C compressor, but also a very good compression tutorial):
And that’s all for today! Have I missed any good freebie compressor? Please suggest it in the comments section below!
Also, please share this article (you can do that easily by using the buttons below) and support BPB by spreading the word on your favorite forums and social networks. Thanks and happy mixing!
The recording industry is in a weird place right now. For years, we coveted analog hardware. Walking into a proper studio felt like stepping into the cockpit on an alien spacecraft. There were knobs and switches and gauges everywhere. It felt like a sanctuary for creativity.
Things are different now. Many of us work on our laptops and mix in the box. Hit records are being made using Virtual Recording Studios that emulate the mic lockers of famous studios. Plugins are being made that emulate vintage hardware so closely, they’re winning blind shootouts.
But that’s the thing — even after 50 years, we’re still making emulations of the 1176. Maybe things aren’t so different after all…
Just because our studios aren’t filled with knobs and switches anymore, this doesn’t mean we don’t love the sound of analog consoles.
Neve
Neve was one of the first popular console manufacturers. The sound of their early consoles is engrained in countless hit records. Their original preamp, the 1073, is self-described as “the world’s most desirable preamp.”
Part of the 1073’s charm is the built-in EQ. It features a fixed shelf at 12 kHz, two switchable low and midrange bands, and a high-pass filter. Often used for its silky-smooth high end and fat low-mids.
Years later, Neve revamped the design of the beloved preamp to “take the legendary 1073 design to the next level.” The newly designed 1084 features an adjustable high-shelf, a “Hi-Q” switch and adjustable slope for the HPF.
Both models featured fixed frequencies on all four bands. Which means you’re either boosting 1.6 kHz or 3.2 kHz — not somewhere in between.
Neve 1073/1084s are emulated by Slate Digital, Universal Audio and Waves.
In 1973, Neve released the 8048 mixing console, which featured a new combined mic/line preamp and equalizer section. These 1081 units featured “remarkable sensitivity and a fast and musical response to transients”
Neve 1081s are emulated by Universal Audio and Waves.
The Neve 8048 console also included the highly-coveted 2254 Limiter/Compressor units. Known for their “rich, thick, and round” sound, these units are great for fattening up tracks. For years, engineers used two of these units on their stereo buss.
Neve 2254s are emulated by McDSP, Plugin Alliance and Waves.
In 1985, Neve released an updated stereo version of the classic 2254 compressor, known as the 33609. Designed as a “modern” compressor at the time, the 33609 is often described as smooth and transparent.
Neve 33609s are emulated by IK Multimedia, McDSP and Universal Audio.
Acustica Audio also has a handful of Neve-modeled plugins.
SSL
Solid State Logic, or SSL, gained popularity as a console manufacture after releasing their SSL 4000E Series console in 1979. But it wasn’t until they released their G-Series desks a few years later that engineers like Bob Clearmountain, Chris Lord-Alge and Andy Wallace would start swearing by them.
In addition to colorful, punchy sounding preamps, both desks included a versatile 4-band EQ module. They featured two fully parametric midrange bands, and a bell curve option for the highs and lows.
The E Series desk used brown knobs for the low band, while the G Series used black. While it may not seem like a big difference, they actually used different cards (’02’ and ‘242’), which produced different sounds.
SSL 4000 EQ modules are emulated by Slate, Brainworx (Plugin Alliance) Universal Audio and Waves — many of which offer both the E and G Series models.
Not only were the EQ modules on the SSL 4000G Series awesome, so were the dynamic modules. Fast, punchy, and energetic, these units include an Expander/Gate, as well as a compressor.
SSL 4000 dynamics modules are emulated by Slate, Brainworx (Plugin Alliance), Universal Audio and Waves.
Finally (as if that weren’t enough to sell you on a console), the buss compressor on the 4000 consoles has been described as a “holy grail compressor that does both transparency and glue.” SSL says it makes mixes sound “bigger, with more power, punch, and drive.”
The SSL 4000 buss compressor is emulated by Slate, Universal Audio and Waves.
API
Today, many pieces of outboard gear come in the form of 500 series units. That technology was invented in 1969 by Automated Processes Inc., better known as API. As far back as 1970, API was creating “modular consoles” outfitted with a variety of hand-picked 500 series modules. While many of us think of the lunchbox as a modern invention, production began back in 1985.
Over the years, API has put together a killer channel strip, starting with the 512c mic preamp. Often described as “highly musical and rich-sounding.”
Unfortunately, nobody has properly emulated the 512c yet, but Slate has an API setting on their Virtual Console Collection.
In 1971, API developed their 550A EQ module. The 550A features 3 bands with 7 selectable frequencies. The high and low bands can be switched from shelf to bell shapes, and the HPF can be toggled in or out.
One of the coolest features is the “Proportional Q”, which increases the Q value the harder you turn the gain knob. Essentially, the bell becomes more narrow the more you cut or boost.
Years later, API developed the 550b, adding a fourth band for more midrange control.
API 550A/b modules are emulated by Antelope Audio, IK Multimedia, Universal Audio and Waves.
In the early 70s, API released the 525 “feedback” compressor/limiter. They featured variable threshold and output levels, a unique “ceiling” control and a de-ess function. So far, the only proper recreation comes from LSR audio.
Finally, one of the most modern entries on the list, the API 2500 is a rack mount buss compressor that’s absolutely loaded with features. You can toggle between the old “feedback” or new “feed forward” compression styles. It uses patented THRUST technology to insert a selectable high-pass filter before the detector circuit. Plus, it has auto make-up gain!
The API 2500 is emulated by Universal Audio and Waves.
Other Consoles*
While they aren’t modeled as often as Neve, SSL or API, there are a few other console emulations worth mentioning. The UK was pumping out quality records in the 60s and 70s with some pretty unique sounds. Much of that sound can be traced back to two studios.
In 1968 EMI installed a new console at Abbey Roads; the TG12345 console. It was a solid-state replacement for their current “REDD” tube consoles. These consoles had a “cleaner, brighter and punchier” sound. Waves make a plugin emulation of the TG channel strips, EQs and compressors.
In the 1970s, London’s Trident Studios built 13 Trident A-Range Consoles. They went on to record hit records for David Bowie, Rod Stewart, and Frank Sinatra. The consoles were described as having a musical, colorful and unusual sound. Slate offers a Trident console emulation plugin, while Softbue offers one for the A-Range EQ.
*OK, so these EQs were never part of a console, but they’re one of the most popular hardware EQ emulation plugins. Pultecs are often described as natural, and musical.
The EQP-1A works differently than any other EQ — it boosts and cuts at the same time. It features a low-shelf with 4 selectable frequencies, and adjustable boost and attenuation knobs. Similarly, the high-self has 7 selectable frequencies, and 3 separate selectable frequencies for the attention selector.
Yeah, it makes more sense when you see it in action. The MEQ-1 equalizer focuses on the midrange and is just as confusing/pleasant.
Of course, there are many more console manufacturers with their own unique sounds. SSL alone has over a dozen, each with their own quirks and charms. But these consoles are all highly regarded as some of the greatest ever made. Try them out and see what a difference they can make on your mix!
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