KVR Audio

Danilo Villanova · Post by **Danilo Villanova** » Wed Nov 05, 2025 11:01 pm

This thing is seriously impressive and flies under radar, so I thought it deserved its own thread. it's basically a clone of the Fabfilter compressor. Sounds great and uses very little CPU, even in 8x oversampling.

About

ZL Compressor is a dynamic range compressor with the following key features:

Intuitive GUI feedback: Real-time Peak & RMS display; Hardware-accelerated rendering.
Optimized CPU usage: Efficient lookahead & up to 8x over-sampling.
Versatile Compressor Settings: Four compression styles & Extensive compression parameters; Post compression clipper.
Advanced Side-chain Control: 8-band parametric equalizer; Stereo mode & link control.
Top Panel

Download: https://github.com/ZL-Audio/ZLCompressor

They also have an equally impressive EQ: https://github.com/ZL-Audio/ZLEqualizer

Andreya_Autumn · Post by **Andreya_Autumn** » Wed Nov 05, 2025 11:16 pm

Nice.

whassup · Post by **whassup** » Thu Nov 06, 2025 12:44 am

No. This comp is way too good for that price!
Unfortuantely even beyond it's price.
It is too good to be a secret sauce.
See my sig.

Morty-C-137 · Post by **Morty-C-137** » Thu Nov 06, 2025 6:44 am

So this is running on Juce.. any issues so far or running stable and snappy? (macOS)

Danilo Villanova · Post by **Danilo Villanova** » Thu Nov 06, 2025 11:02 am

Morty-C-137 wrote: Thu Nov 06, 2025 6:44 am So this is running on Juce.. any issues so far or running stable and snappy? (macOS)

No idea. Works like a charm in Windows.

BackInCheck · Post by **BackInCheck** » Sat Nov 08, 2025 2:17 pm

Morty-C-137 wrote: Thu Nov 06, 2025 6:44 am So this is running on Juce.. any issues so far or running stable and snappy? (macOS)

It's not "running on Juce". JUCE is merely a framework to streamline the process of creating (coding) audio plugins. What makes you think that using JUCE framework to code plugins has any bearing on performance on macOS?

Morty-C-137 · Post by **Morty-C-137** » Sat Nov 08, 2025 3:17 pm

BackInCheck wrote: Sat Nov 08, 2025 2:17 pm
Morty-C-137 wrote: Thu Nov 06, 2025 6:44 am So this is running on Juce.. any issues so far or running stable and snappy? (macOS)
It's not "running on Juce". JUCE is merely a framework to streamline the process of creating (coding) audio plugins.

I may be mistaken in my assumptions, but in my experience thus far, installing a plugin created with JUCE, I thought also installed JUCE related dependencies on macOS.

BackInCheck · Post by **BackInCheck** » Sat Nov 08, 2025 5:08 pm

Morty-C-137 wrote: Sat Nov 08, 2025 3:17 pm
BackInCheck wrote: Sat Nov 08, 2025 2:17 pm
Morty-C-137 wrote: Thu Nov 06, 2025 6:44 am So this is running on Juce.. any issues so far or running stable and snappy? (macOS)
It's not "running on Juce". JUCE is merely a framework to streamline the process of creating (coding) audio plugins.
I may be mistaken in my assumptions, but in my experience thus far, installing a plugin created with JUCE, I thought also installed JUCE related dependencies on macOS.

That would be news to me, especially considering that many (if not most) commercial audio plugins have also been coded using the JUCE framework, since it's the most populuar and evolved tool for this task. It's used by everyone, from Arturia to Eventide Audio to Sonnox to Slate Digital to UAD to Valhalla DSP...

Morty-C-137 · Post by **Morty-C-137** » Sat Nov 08, 2025 7:06 pm

Ah. I think I have seen ‘juceLock’ type files on my system for some manufacturers like XLN Audio.

Ok, so JUCE does not need dependencies installed on the system.. say, like Java did? Sorry if this is a total blasphemous noob question to some coders

whassup · Post by **whassup** » Sat Nov 08, 2025 8:56 pm

Morty-C-137 wrote: Sat Nov 08, 2025 7:06 pm Ah. I think I have seen ‘juceLock’ type files on my system for some manufacturers like XLN Audio.

Ok, so JUCE does not need dependencies installed on the system.. say, like Java did? Sorry if this is a total blasphemous noob question to some coders

I like your question as all people are not a specialist in almost everything.

Danilo Villanova · Post by **Danilo Villanova** » Fri Nov 14, 2025 2:38 pm

I was about to buy PSP Impressor (incredible compressor, btw) But I can basically do everything that one does with this one (except for saturation) at much lower CPU.

dug dog · Post by **dug dog** » Thu Jan 01, 2026 4:46 pm

Danilo Villanova wrote: Wed Nov 05, 2025 11:01 pm They also have an equally impressive EQ: https://github.com/ZL-Audio/ZLEqualizer

I haven't tried the compressor but I agree that the EQ is very impressive.

OverBrightBlueLED · Post by **OverBrightBlueLED** » Thu Jan 01, 2026 6:54 pm

Hello all, how do you download the installer for the PC VST version, sorry. I cannot seem to understand what to download and where from. Lots of folders. Thanks

dug dog · Post by **dug dog** » Thu Jan 01, 2026 8:40 pm

That Github page is confusing. Try this instead. The D/L links are just below the embedded Youtube video.

https://zl-audio.github.io/plugins/zlco ... tallation/

OverBrightBlueLED · Post by **OverBrightBlueLED** » Fri Jan 02, 2026 9:53 am

Thanks for the help.

For free this is very welcome. Listen out for somewhat early low frequency distortion at most settings with 6dB reduction, even clean mode and x8 OS. It is definitely on the smoother side in terms of action a little difficult to get punch and snap. Klanghelm DC8C remains a worthwhile low price purchase for a punchy, snappy compressor.

I think a mode that is snappier and punchier would be useful.. I did try pump which helps a bit. And I am not sure why low frequencies are distorting fairly early.

Very good work and I like the GUI, looks good.

ZL Compressor - Free and open source compressor plugin