Ok, I start first, with an obvious (?) suggestion:
Melda MDynamics, since you can freedraw-in any kind of compression curve. Makes it super flexible. But the details are very annoying in this plugin. For example it is not clear what the release modes are intended for… Also the GUI is a bit of a mess to use. I actually don’t know any othe rfree paint compression curve plugin… Do you know any? MDynamics also lacks of any kind of fancy analog like emulation mode, adding harmonics.
DMG Audio TrackComp. I use it in almost every single channel, in every project.
9 different compressors in the same plugin. 1 clean compressor (DMG algo) and 8 hardware emulations. Clean interface. Great performance. Has auto-gain (makeup and output compensation).
Has it knee? -> YES
Has it range? -> NO
Has it upwards compression or mix? -> Mix knob
Has it latency? -> Zero latency
Do you use it regularly as WOC? -> I have no idea what WOC is.
Is the GUI nice to use? -> Yeah, despite emulating hardware units it has a modern interface.
Revision A and D of the classic 76 FET compressor
British (G-Bus) and American (2k5) VCA bus compressors
2A Opto compressor with lush valve output stage
Zener Comp/Limiter
160 early VCA comp for drums
British E-channel console compressor
Realtime SPICE simulation of hardware units
Common hardware mods like Sidechain filter and Response
Zero-latency
Arturia Comp FET-76 because it’s so fast and that somehow suits my sounds the best.
WOC = weapon of choice
Are these the only compressors you use? Or do you use an arsenal of compressors, for different scenarios or whatever?
I’m still baffled these are free
Klanghelm IVGI2/MJUCjr one knob compressors with lots of character
TDR Molotok/Kotelnikov have everything you’d dream of, kotelnikov is amazing for mastering
I really only need TrackComp, seriously. No need to swap between different plugins if I can change compressor engines in a dropdown menu
The only exceptions are Cytomic The Glue, which I use for mastering, and smart:comp (which I use in very specific scenarios).
I checked way too less compressor plugins to be able to tell what’s my favorite. I can only tell you what I’m mostly using. So for my drums except the kick I’m using the Softube FET compressor v1. For my rear bus setup I’m using TDR Kotelnikov (but only in case I’m not doing it the native way). And for all the tracks I would like to use the Weiss Compressor Limiter, but one cannot use this compressor at the same time as the Weiss MM1 (which I’m always using in the master track) without getting HEAVY delays, so I mostly keep the native compressor.
Dmg audio trackcomp is indeed a gem , a collection of all the best compressors modelled at circuitry level , but a bit pricey .
Second vote goes to Klanghelm dc8c , amazing quality at a bargain price (like all Klanghelm stuff),they are totally worth it .
I also use Fircomp 2 a lot , one of the cleanest compressors around
Nice, guys thanks for sharing some insights. Interesting topic imho.
Over the years I switched from a lot compressors. This doesn’t mean that I completely understood all of its features, maybe I sorted it out too quickly. But I have some common tests for a compressor:
How does it sound on a sine like lead? Is it quite heavily distorting on release (indicates unevened jump in volume, e.g. Renoise bus comp). Ok, this also is quite a mean test, sine most likely will distort here, but the amount is important. Short release = lot of crackling?
Can the compressor really capture the very first transient, so what is the setting attack = 0? Is it really a null / instant? Often compressors then also distort heavily. Again testing it then with lowpassed or sine like sounds.
I think the curve the release can have quite an impact on the rhytmic feeling, esp. when used in sidechain mode. Only a few provide features here at all.
Can you also do expansion with it, ratios below 1, like 1 : 0.8 ? Can you do upwards compression?
Will try this one now. The gui indeed is very nicely reduced to the essential, and the input/output meters are helpful. The GUI here definitely is a plus.
Oh yes, this is a nice one. Totally forgot about it, used it as “Feedback Compressor 2” back in the Intel days. @TNT So are you doing parallel compression on the rear bus then, are you using softknee here?
That’s interesting. I tried it, but somehow I often wasn’t able to get the sound out of it I was aiming for… For some unknown reason, Softtube FET Compressor MK1 worked much better. But I think the Softube internally just adds some soft clipping or so…
Could yoou share some tips how to use it? More with a lot of attack or similar? Those two do not seem to be able to catch the very for transient, maybe I just tried it the wrong way… dc8c seems to sound very clean/neutral to my ears. I have to try that MJUC, but it does not seem to have softknee…? @Bluethereal On which kind of instruments do you use it, or as a bus comp?
Maybe you guys could also try out the free MCompressor, testing the custom shape mode, and tell me what you are thinking about it. The more advanced version then is MDynamics, providing a lot of detail options, character settings, temp gain, mix and what not. Sometimes in heavy sale, e.g. Black Friday.
You have to rethink a bit first. Since you can influence now nearly any dynamic range with the freedraw curve. Doing upwards compression + transient taming, no problem
Mostly not, but in case I’m doing it by using TDR Kotelnikov in dual mono mode, then sometimes slightly. The main difference between parallel compression of the rear bus and the instrument bus is apart from a different compressor the attack and ratio setting. I tend to use a slower attack with a higher ratio in the rear bus.
+1 for TrackComp 2
Yes it’s expensive, but it’s probably cheaper than buying a good VST emulation for all the different compressor models that comes with it.
Also +1 for DC8C
I use klanghelm dc8c only in advanced mode and it most cerainly can catch every transient
Also make sure the overall rms time is set to 0ms
Except…when in clean mode
All the others perfectly captures the transients , I use it mainly in limit mode with a small attack settings to let trasients through , it smashes like a mofo
About the clean mode , I.ve noticed this long ago and thougt it was a bug , so I emailed tony and this was his response
quote
Thanks for the settings.
I see, that you have the attack at 0. In clean mode the initial transient part is untouched, similar to the effect of the pre-attack control. So with high gain reduction and 0 attack you’ll see these spikes. Clean mode is better suited for instruments/busses and lower amounts of gain reduction. If you want to catch/form the initial transients of e.g. percussive signals, the smash mode is most suited for that task.
Best,
Tony
unquote
Thanks for this elaborated explanation. Seems to be a powerhouse of a compressor.
A bit unrelated, but I used to use this old compressor VST called X-PRESSOR on nearly every song and I have so many regrets. Because it crashes on modern hardware when I go back and try to play those old songs in Renoise 
Anyone else ever have a VST with regrets from the past?
not really, though I hate it when you have a fav vst(i) that you’ve eventually upgraded and the dev chose to make the name somewhat different, add _x64 or something at the end of the name and now all old renoise songfiles fail to load it.
Anyone remember the good old Block fish by digitalfishpones , done by Sascha Eversmeier who then later worked for for U-he and then Magix ?
I used it on literally every track and it sounded so good , sadly 32 bit only
Yes I remember that one, but I never realized that it sounded so good. Was using sonitus fx compressor at that time instead (way before it was bought by cakewalk), which sounded even better:
Oh yes , I remember sonitus
The thing about the digital fishfones is it was analogue modelling avan la lettre , it gave him a job at magix after that , then U-he ( he did the compressor and the tape emulator )
Endorphin is another gem of him
Black Rooster Audio VLA-2A
Great LA-2A styled Optical compressor. I really like the other VLA compressors by BRA, as well (the VLA-3A is a bit more aggressive and the VLA-FET can add a lot of character if you want it to)
Black Rooster Audio OmniTec-436C
I’ve been using this as a Glue compressor and it really hits the mark for me.
Plug and Mix Electro-Optical
This is a wonderfully simple to use Optical style compressor that just got a major update (along with the other 50+ P&M plugins). Love this one. Works great as a Leveller.
Kazrog True Dynamics
Wonderful analog modeled compressor that’s a 3-in-1. Each unit has an interesting history and is generally on the more obscure side (probably not going to see this out in the wild in their hardware forms I imagine). The Colins 26W is great; lots of THD and character with a unique compression curve. The Presto and the ITA are top notch as well and being able to switch between the 3 at will is neat. I think I paid full price for it and it was well worth it in my opinion.
