The Urei 1176, dbx 160, and the Teletronix LA2A all represent modern compression touchstones: simple but sophisticated controls, musical coloration and a ‘warming up’ of the processed sound without flat-out distortion, and flexible enough to throw a range of different signals at and get great results, from pumping tube fatness to relative transparency. It’s worth bearing in mind just how much of an influence a few iconic hardware units still have over the software compressor world. Intro: The Legacy of Hardware Compressors Take the compressors on this list as a round-up of the best options available in 2016, try out the demos (or full versions, in the case of the free plugins on the list) and decide which will make it into your regular go-to collection. Ultimately, the best compressor plugin is always the one that best suites the specific task you’re undertaking and gives you the sound you want with the greatest ease and efficiency. While there have been some significant releases since the last list update – notably Klanghelm’s MJUC and TDR Kotelnikov – many old favourites have also had their reputations cemented and become firm fixtures in many producer’s toolboxes.Īs ever, it’s also important to remember that every compressor will produce subjectively better or worse results on different source material: some are great for drums, others for vocals, whilst some are specifically designed for buss, mix or mastering roles.
Several of the new entries were highlighted by readers in the Comments to the original post, so thanks to those of you who contributed suggestions and your own top selections :) Fully updated and expanded for 2016, we’ve tested pretty much every compressor on the planet to bring you the ultimate compressor plugin round-up!
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