After watching this video i added UAD Manley compressor/limiter as second mastering Vari Mu compressor,the first naturally is stellar Fairchaild 670,i love this monster...
Then i start to wonder is it Vari Mu really the best type for mastering or better as buss compressor/limiter,because they definitely add color and nice saturation,but is this good on mastering stage.
Personally i prefer to add vital energy to the mix,lifting up sweet spots,then to squeeze gently whatever could be squeezed on mastering stage?
Fairchaild do miracles in term of making everything huge and nice,but i can't use it every time as mastering compressor,same with Manley Vari Mu...maybe just don't know how yet.
Definitely the quality vari mu plugins energize and colorize everything going through them,my question to the more advanced people,than me in mastering is - do you use vari mu compressors for mastering?
Is Vari Mu better or worse,compared to other types of compressors for mastering?
What are your personal preferences?
Vari Mu Mastering Compressors.
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VELLTONE MUSIC VELLTONE MUSIC https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=404834 - KVRAF
- 2422 posts since 19 Sep, 2017 from The Future
Last edited by VELLTONE MUSIC on Sat Jun 06, 2026 2:55 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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- KVRist
- 41 posts since 14 Jun, 2025
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VELLTONE MUSIC VELLTONE MUSIC https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=404834
- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 2422 posts since 19 Sep, 2017 from The Future
Elysia Alpha is sure bet as well.
Fairchaild 670,if i can find right settings do miracles - nothing else can make raw material so huge as 670...but have to be done right,otherwise could ruin the mix brutally
:):)Cheers
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- KVRAF
- 14435 posts since 16 Feb, 2005 from Planet Earth, Somewhere
My favourite too..
Uad's capitol master compressor second.
rsp
sound sculptist
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Funkybot's Evil Twin Funkybot's Evil Twin https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=116627
- KVRAF
- 12442 posts since 16 Aug, 2006
Mu's work really well on complex program material. I generally really dig them on pianos (about the only type of compression I really like on piano), drums, and mixbus.
But forget about the word "best", there's no such thing. There are only degrees of, "I will like this thing more on this material, than I will like this other thing on that same material". Other completely different styles of compressor/limiter may end up on the mastering chain. Something like Unisum from Tone Projects, where you've got control over so much of the action, might be the perfect compressor for some mastering engineers or tracks, while other tracks may not need compression, but rather limiting. It could also depend wildly on whether the mix was created with compression on the mixbus, which doesn't really have anything to do with mastering.
But yeah, Mu's can work really well on the mixbus depending on the track.
But forget about the word "best", there's no such thing. There are only degrees of, "I will like this thing more on this material, than I will like this other thing on that same material". Other completely different styles of compressor/limiter may end up on the mastering chain. Something like Unisum from Tone Projects, where you've got control over so much of the action, might be the perfect compressor for some mastering engineers or tracks, while other tracks may not need compression, but rather limiting. It could also depend wildly on whether the mix was created with compression on the mixbus, which doesn't really have anything to do with mastering.
But yeah, Mu's can work really well on the mixbus depending on the track.
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- KVRAF
- 1872 posts since 8 Jan, 2022
I have a real Manley vari-mu with the T-bar mod.
It's a great compressor/limiter but it's a mind numbingly good colour box.
A lot of the time I just run a signal through it with no compression. I don't know what it does to the top end but pretty much 100 times out of 100 it sound better going though.
Haven't tried the UAD version but the I have tried the Pulsar one and while it gets the compression action bang on it definitely doesn't capture whatever it is the real Mu is doing to the sound.
It's a great compressor/limiter but it's a mind numbingly good colour box.
A lot of the time I just run a signal through it with no compression. I don't know what it does to the top end but pretty much 100 times out of 100 it sound better going though.
Haven't tried the UAD version but the I have tried the Pulsar one and while it gets the compression action bang on it definitely doesn't capture whatever it is the real Mu is doing to the sound.
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- KVRist
- 353 posts since 18 May, 2020
Thermionic Culture Phoenix. No plugin equivalent, but the hardware is a cow that goes moo like the Manley.
REAPER + Davinci Resolve Pro on Manjaro KDE. Neve 88m. Focusrite 18i20 2nd gen. Neumann NDH30 headphones. Mics: Telefunken TF39, AT4050, Miktek C7e, EV RE-15. VSTs: u-he Hive 2, F'em, Renoise Redux, Apisonic Speedrum 2.
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- KVRist
- 353 posts since 18 May, 2020
Presswerk does vari-mu well. It could work in some mastering contexts especially if you are skilled with it.
REAPER + Davinci Resolve Pro on Manjaro KDE. Neve 88m. Focusrite 18i20 2nd gen. Neumann NDH30 headphones. Mics: Telefunken TF39, AT4050, Miktek C7e, EV RE-15. VSTs: u-he Hive 2, F'em, Renoise Redux, Apisonic Speedrum 2.