brainworx Alpha Compressor alternatives?

[LGK_Dude]

I just watched the demo video and this compressor seems very unique to me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... sCZCpOXbf0

It seems to me that autofast feature is very unique (1:20ish in the video) and I thought the soft clipper functionality (4:30ish on the video)was very cool and I was surprised at how it gives so much headroom without loosing apparent volume was in the examples. That combined with the not so unique functions (but for sure helpful and missing in my other plugins) of a mix knob and high pass filter, and it seems this compressor seems to be a welcomed addition to the toolset.

But I must admit even $99 sale price, its a stretch for me right now so I'm wondering if there are any alternatives I should look at? Or should I start saving now and hope it part of their christmas sale this year?

Thanks in advance for your reply.

[ObsoleteAcc99]

It's one of their better plugins that's for sure. If i was going to pick a totally unique alliance comp though it would be the mpressor (absolutely NOT designed for mastering though in any way shape or form, this one is for track smashing duties lol). That one can do things i can't easily replicate with my other plugins whilst sounding good.

Alpha is a nice mastering compressor but it needs work to get there.. I find myself endlessly tweaking it and not ending up actually using it.

Have you got some time to try the fully functional demo on some of your own unmastered mixes? That's the key to this one and knowing if it will do what YOU want, and you can get it cheaper than 99 at a reseller.

I must admit for b&b duties and master buss, if i ever use an alliance comp it always seems to be vertigo.

[LGK_Dude]

Yeah, not much demo time unfortunately, but I've learnt in the past not to buy things blind so I hope to be able to do something today, and of course if I dont have enough time to properly demo, I'll just wait for another sale (there is ALWAYS another sale, haha!) I'm not really looking for a mastering compressor, I'm mainly looking for a good vocal comp that will be transparent, yet do the job. I'm wondering would either the mpressor or alpha compressor plugins might fit the bill?

The features from both compressors that sound the most interesting for this application is the "fast attack" setting which might be able to grab sharp words quickly without making a normal compressor pump. In the same vein, the alpha compressor has the nice high pass filter setting which you can set so the low end in a male voice (again with plosives) is not causing the compressor to pump. I'm not sure if this is in mpressor though?

I'm currently running an 1176 and/or LA2a on my vocals (or PSP oldtimer sometimes) but I wonder if this can do a better job as my first compressor in the chain to transparently control the dynamics, and then I can add either the 1176 or LA2A after as a sort of "color?"

I'm also always interested in drum compressors - perhaps the mpressor would work good as a parallel comp. Will have to try that out.

[Googly Smythe]

I'd agree with TheoM just to add that although I'd never use the full Alpha on tracks it does come with a baby sibling that is designed for tracking. It may be a bit on the subtle side though.

[Guillotin]

You won't find anything like alpha compressor for that price...!

[Harry_HH]

I just watched the demo video and this compressor seems very unique to me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... sCZCpOXbf0

It seems to me that autofast feature is very unique (1:20ish in the video) and I thought the soft clipper functionality (4:30ish on the video)was very cool and I was surprised at how it gives so much headroom without loosing apparent volume was in the examples. That combined with the not so unique functions (but for sure helpful and missing in my other plugins) of a mix knob and high pass filter, and it seems this compressor seems to be a welcomed addition to the toolset.

But I must admit even $99 sale price, its a stretch for me right now so I'm wondering if there are any alternatives I should look at? Or should I start saving now and hope it part of their christmas sale this year?

Thanks in advance for your reply.

I agree with comments given so far. I'm very much in the similar situation, wanted to buy in fact both the Elysia Alpha and Mpressor. I have tested both - as said Alpha is hugely praised by some people, to me an alternative for mastering compressor is TDR Kotelnikov, very transparent, easy to use compressor with great feature (GE even more). Alpha and Kotelnikov are very different kind of products, I guess Alpha is more versatile but at the same time more difficult to optimize (and much more expensive, even in the sale).
Mpressor is really a beast when you want to squeeze the signal, make the instrument sound compressed. The only compressor I have, which sound a bit similar is URS compressor "1975", by the way a really great tool - just set a low treshold, high compression level, relatively slow attack and push the input signal, your piano or guitar sound like canned energy.

[dwozzle]

Can't say how they'll work for you, in your applications, but two most definitely worth looking at are Klanghelm's MJUC, which is inexpensive and amazing, especially at full quality, and Boz Digital's Manic Compressor, very flexible but still easy to use, great sounding, and on sale, I think only until the end of Monday.