Best of the best colored/character compressors

[BoogerSnot]

Recently got two Baby Audio plugins, IHNY-2 and Smooth Operator, and am very pleased with them.

Smooth Operator, maybe not technically a compressor, but like IHNY-2 you can slap it on a master track to alter the character of a song.

What I particularly like about both is their ease of use: Good results, not a lot of tinkering required.

[Ploki]

Smooth Operator is a FFT resonance supressor.
I don't think it qualifies for this thread in any way.
Anything except metering plugins will change the "character" in some way.
an EQ will change the character of the track even if its a clean EQ, but nobody would call that a character compressor.

[MJACau]

Smooth Operator is a FFT resonance supressor.
I don't think it qualifies for this thread in any way.
Anything except metering plugins will change the "character" in some way.
an EQ will change the character of the track even if its a clean EQ, but nobody would call that a character compressor.

Suppression is compression. It acts like a odd multi band compressor adding 'Colour'.

[saint_william]

Airwindows needs some more love here

Preassure5 is a go to for me.

Pyewacket ver not clean and kind of flips the script on colouring the sound. I would do
a bad job of an explanation. I don’t use it everywhere but is fun!

[BoogerSnot]

Smooth Operator is a FFT resonance supressor.
I don't think it qualifies for this thread in any way.
Anything except metering plugins will change the "character" in some way.
an EQ will change the character of the track even if its a clean EQ, but nobody would call that a character compressor.

"...Spectral Compression..."

Though yeah, re-read the original post, which called for "NON-CLEAN" compression. I had in mind character/tone/color. Smooth Operator pretty much goes the other way of non-clean.

[Ploki]

Smooth Operator is a FFT resonance supressor.
I don't think it qualifies for this thread in any way.
Anything except metering plugins will change the "character" in some way.
an EQ will change the character of the track even if its a clean EQ, but nobody would call that a character compressor.

"...Spectral Compression..."

Though yeah, re-read the original post, which called for "NON-CLEAN" compression. I had in mind character/tone/color. Smooth Operator pretty much goes the other way of non-clean.

IIRC legacy algorithm actually does add saturation/color.
So you might be on to something

[_leras]

Every compressor fits if you know how to turn its knobs

Sure, But not all have attack and release even.

There's a huge difference between a simple LA-2A and something like the very technical Elysia Alpha.

The point is it’s all very source dependent, and what target sound you’re after.
I dont get “bus compressors”. A bus can have many different sources.
I compress the my vocal with proc2 usually. And not on “bus” setting.

I think we're on the same page. The UAD la2a make most things sound better. Doesn't work for some things though.

Totally agree source material makes a difference. For me, this is why some compressors work better on busses.

Busses, to me, are more a mix of different elements rather than say a group of similar sounds. I think this is where some things like the Elysia Alpha or a vari mu type work well. Can bring up a mixed signal in a pleasing way, especially if attack and realese work with the groove.

If I had to with a single compressor, I think I'd go with a bus comp to that could also do individual sounds. Maybe Manley Vari Mu, neve 2254 or even API2500 rom UAD. All overkill for a high hat though!

[martiu]

hi, i need new compressor, something big
thanks

[sinkmusic]

I wouldn't call it the best, but Yum Grater is out and it is not transparent.. at all
https://yum-audio.com/TheGrater
https://yum-audio.com/GraterLight

[robindrieghe]

pajsoil is a dirt cheap unique sounding compressor that just got updated and deserves more attention.

[jules99]

MJUC all the way. And Pulsar Mu.