M Media Audio Releases Magic Buss - Three-Stage Bus Compressor for Windows, macOS, and Linux

M Media Audio has released Magic Buss, a complete 2-bus processing chain built around three different compressor characters running in series - FET, VCA, and Vari-Mu, each with its own parallel blend control, followed by a six-band parametric EQ and a saturation stage.

Here's what they say:

Every compressor in Magic Buss runs unlinked by default - left and right channels each run fully independent detectors. L compresses L audio based on L levels only. R compresses R audio based on R levels only. The GR meters for each compressor show L and R separately, and when the mix has any stereo asymmetry, they will read differently. That is by design.

The three compressors are always in the chain and always in series. The Order dropdown selects which runs first, second, and third across all six permutations. The default FET - VCA - VM order (punch, then glue, then warmth) is a classic 2-bus stack, but reversing the order changes the feel of every stage downstream. Running VM first softens the transients before the FET sees them. Running VCA last gives you clean RMS control over whatever character the other two already established. The signal sees all three regardless - the order is what changes.

Each compressor has a Mix knob that blends the compressed signal back against the dry signal at that stage - true parallel compression at each point in the chain, not a single wet/dry control at the output. You can run the FET at heavy compression with 50% mix for forward energy without pumping, run the VCA at 100% wet for full glue, and blend the Vari-Mu at 60% for warmth without the low-end softening that comes with full ratio. Each stage is independent.

The parametric EQ runs after all three compressor stages, before saturation. Compression changes frequency response - the low end gets denser, high frequency content shifts depending on ratio and time constants, the mids behave differently with each gain element character. The EQ is positioned here because that is where you need it: correcting what the compression did, not working against uncompressed material.

M Media Audio has been in professional audio since 1994. Based in Austin, Texas, the studio has mixed and mastered across three decades - working with broadcast, national acts, local artists, and independent labels. Magic Buss is the 2-bus chain we were already running, built into one plugin so it behaves like a single piece of hardware rather than a chain of separate inserts.

Features

• Three compressor stages in series - FET, VCA, Vari-Mu - each with independent controls.
• Reorderable signal path - dropdown selects all six permutations of the three stages.
• Per-stage Mix knob - parallel compression blend at each stage, not at the output.
• Per-stage stereo Link toggle - unlinked by default, independent L/R detectors per compressor.
• Six GR meters - L and R per compressor, can show different readings when unlinked.
• Per-stage In/Out bypass - disable any compressor without removing it from the signal path.
• Six-band parametric EQ post-compression - HP, Low shelf/bell, Lo-Mid, Hi-Mid, High shelf/bell, LP.
• Saturation stage post-EQ - single Drive knob, tanh-based waveshaper, even-harmonic character.
• Output gain -12 to +12 dB with dual VU meters, 0 VU = -18 dBFS.
• Global bypass.

Pricing & Availability

Magic Buss is available for Windows, macOS and Linux in VST3 and AU plugin formats for $39 at mmediaaudio.com. A fully functional demo mode is available with no account required - the plugin plays a brief silence every 30 seconds in demo mode.

System Requirements

• Windows 10/11 - VST3 64-bit.
• macOS 11 Big Sur or later - VST3 + AU 64-bit, Universal Binary (Apple Silicon + Intel). Signed and notarized.
• Linux Ubuntu 22.04+ - VST3 64-bit.