This channel is like Planet Earth for audio engineers.

Mr Worrall always has some completely surprising new information and uses for the plugins he reviews. He is one of the very few whose videos I can rewatch and learn new things.

Came here to watch compressor review, leaving with lots compression tricks. Thanks, that was unexpected!

When you put the m/s comp on the main bus in paralleled side chain, that sounded awesome! It instantly made the track sound complete! Such a nice effect.

Duuuuuude, huge thanks for speaking about those images inside the vu meter !

Dan calling for non-hegemonic representation right from jump. 👌👌👌

hOLy cRAp. This man did an in-depth plugin review and a game changing mix technique tutorial in ONE VIDEO!

2:25 if you toggle the little grey dots on top of the output meter it changes the controls to treshold, attack and release knobs btw..

Thank you Dan! As always, this video is absolutely fantastic. Watched it 6 times now, it is so dense with pure information. Your channel is a University for mixing, learned so much from you. Forever grateful.

So very much more than a plugin review. So many insights on all things compression. Trickery shows me how I need to think. Much more useful than just a critique. Thank you.

Hi Dan, thank you for further expanding upon your answer to my question in your last video, as always your insight has been incredibly valuable, and I'm already experimenting with unlinking the stereo controls in my compressors in mix buses and in mastering stages to great effect.

18:59 just marking the absolute pearl of knowledge for future reference

Thanks, @Dan, for your broad yet concise introductory review of Process.Audio's "Rockruepel Comp.Two" plugin, and *also* for sharing your highly relevant additional tips, tricks, and insights. After viewing this video, I feel much better able to articulate my thoughts about *why* I liked this plugin after I took it for a spin myself earlier this past week. I always look forward to your your concise video reviews, tutorials, demos, various opinions, etc. This, and all of your videos about products, techniques, thought processes, etc. that also interest me, but puzzle me in various ways, are extremely helpful.

Great video as always Dan. I bought the Comp.Two before even seeing your video with the plan to use it as a drum buss compressor, which was part of your conclusion. So that means watching all your previous videos have taught me enough to at least now be on the right track when analyzing new plugins. Only another 1,000 miles to go.....

The density of useful information in these videos..

Thanks for sharing the wonderful bus compression style, and a very thorough look at this nice little compressor. The Klanghelm MJUC does have ratio controls, so I'll give that a try for some bus compression. Rockruepel Comp Two looks like a nice unit. Rockruepel means Rockpunk one might say.

Thank you one more time for your amazingly clear review!

1:52 I wasn't expecting that haha

9:14 This is awesome tip. Love those drums pushed to the extremes.

Hi Dan! First of all, thanks for your perspective and MS comp tips! I'm glad you're providing a UI/UX analysis of different plugins and I totally support you in your efforts to influence developers. I hope they will provide more useful stuff for us in the near future. I'm also with you on the interchangeability of EQs. After watching your videos and others, I assume that the majority of emulation plugins are simply a combination of simpler modules within a unique UI. You often combine Saturn with Pro-Q and Pro-C in your examples in the same manner. Ultimately, I believe we can use a narrow set of instruments and replicate the sound of different plugins. It will just require more instances of simpler ones. And when you actually work the digital eq is the best bet for me. So I wonder when a developer will create a modular EQ and compressor plugins with switchable character or circuitry emulation (such as saturation, stereo imaging, etc.) of beloved brands like Neve, SSL, Manley, while providing the same digital EQ section or compressors UI which also might switch algorithms (DMG Audio TrackComp 2). Notably, Kush split their AR-1 compressor and introduced a separate LG Drive. So inserting this kind of "character-only" plugin in a chain would also be an option, just like many mixers use channel strips plugins for analog sound emulation only. I understand that this way you sell fewer plugins. However, today, after 20+ years of digital audio, we should think of plugins not only as faithful emulations or new modern algorithms but also as problem solvers and time savers providing best possible UX. My second point is that a plugin should resolve complicated routing and trickery for us, like compressing sides with the mid signal, as you mentioned. Wouldn't it be cool to have a Pro-C instance built into the sidechain of Pro-C itself? It's cool that they have Pro-Q in it, right? By the way, for compressors with non-fixed ratio settings, the multiplier parameter might be a great addition. Recently, I revisited Jaycen Joshua's template and thought of the Rbass (Maxx Bass) plugin with built-in parallel compression/saturation and PS22, which probably replicates your comb filtering trick with a mono signal and its delayed copy. A standard features should be volume-compensated drive/headroom, linked with key modifier input/output stages and threshold/makeup gain. In this regard, I think of your Shadow Hills Comp review every time I use it or try to set the Black Box by increasing saturation, triode, and pentode while decreasing output. Small midi controllers like Behringer X-Touch Mini are great for this. Paradoxically, developers and mixers in the vintage days tried to improve and modify their gear only dreaming about our virtual tools and routing. Yet, now we're trying to limit our possibilities in the digital domain. So, I wouldn't mind having a UI aesthetically inspired by hardware but with rebuild digital interface and implemented tricks.

Thanks Dan! And ooof those top tips

i really like the sound of the comps doubled up ha. grabby!

Great 👍🏻 All the features and functionality reminds me of Cubase’s stock compressor

Plugins like these remind me why I use Fabfilters C2 all the time.

Thanks again Dan and I do appreciate as do many of the halo and click red is very nice

Another great vid again Dan and as usual you've uncovered in-built quirks that other reviewers wouldn't even find with a big map and torch. My lasting impression after listening to that drum loop for nearly 16 mins is that with Comp Two is that you have to PUSH IT, PUSH IT REAL GOOD!

I'm still learning my Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor (plugin), going to have to A/B this one with that. Thanks!

Yayyyy new Dan! Alex Brits also has an amazing video on the hardware unit (and his channel is very worth checking out in general)

You could be the first for the new crave transient eq. That would be interesting. Thanks

Great demo, Dano...Not going to lie, I was a little surprised by hearing you use "the very musical" term that has been a bit of a cliche since the early gearslutz days imho. I remember first using a Speck Audio EQ that was alleged "not to be very musical" (w/e that means?) and it turned out to make the music I was working on sound quite lovely, almost ....musical.

I'm still waiting for him to review Unisum and Kelvin by Tone Projects

It's the first software varimu which feels like the real hardware. Great character and groove box!

For what it’s worth, I think my hardware variable gain compressor has similar quadratic gain reduction curve. Even though all my explorations of various manuals point out to curve gradually sunsetting into limiting. I’ll measure today.

Worrall looking for the bi option explains a lot about this channel.

I see Dan, I click.

this makes me want to delve back into the compressor i made for the plugin i’m working on.

i really wish i could send you my drawmer 1978, it seems exactly up your alley

UADx Capitol Mastering Compressor by Universal Audio-one of the few UAD plugins that is able to run natively, without any external DSP hardware-is a fantastic vari-mu hardware emulation, and it offers a ratio control (albeit a rather hidden one). I'd reccomend taking a look at it, it sounds great on my 2-busses and drum submixes.

I wish comps would just have the same setup as Digico comps have, I love the simplicity of them, then add all the other stuff on top.

I knew things would get spicy when we got to the mid side knob 👍

Oooo another squisher! I LOVE SQUISHERS

Hey Dan, try Patchwork from Blue Cats with this for the Mix knob effect plus for input and output drive functions. I love this plugin just for that when I need it. Hope that helps.

LOLOL... i just coughed out some beer... you are hilariously witty

Oh no, not objectification of women! LOL great video Dan, and I love this compressor

transformer might be at the input and output stage so if both have the same level the difference of sound might be bigger when you compare on/off

Hi Dan, I would love to see your take on the dynamic grading „compressor“ from Playfair audio. It’s seems pretty exotic and different from all the compressors I‘ve ever used. Maybe interesting for you as well?!

Interested in trying this. I had the hardware box for many years. It was super snappy for a vari mu.

And yet… it sounds great.

You should sell a multi platform daw add on that allows the user to hover over stock plug knobs and get your quotes and notes to pop up in real time. I actually want dan worrall in a box 😊

No macOS Ventura support ? I don’t get it 🤦🏻‍♂️. Anyway…thanks to Dan for another epic review ✌️

would like to see/hear a review of Acustica Audio's El Rey 2.

You could make a video aboud why Destressor is so much liked. I know you mainly do VST. Just a 5 min talk would be nice.

Could you also take a look at the APU Loudness Compressor? The developer claims the compressor is based on how humans perceive loudness instead of being based around standard rms and peak parameters.

recently tried this and the hcl islander.... i think sonically the islander is superior... but i love this one too

Surprised you tested this before HCL Islander! I agree they really nailed the interface, but to me this doesn't sound much like a "classic" tube compressor. Not bad, but not the sound I'm after. (Same with HCL Islander!)

Man I just love Dan, I wanna hire him but I don't know for what since we basically do the sama thing xDD. If I EVER create a plugin company I'll ask him to do the introduction lol

👍⚡

My immediate first reaction is: did they really have to put pinups in the gauges? I guess it's good that they at least let you disable it

Would be interesting to hear your thoughts on Tone Projects' 'Unisum' - It is a masterpiece (apart from HYGGE)

DAN!

Yay. You can't have too much Dan.

I kinda wish you would've pitch your voice down when playing with phase. A "Danth Vorrder" vocal sounds epic at natural pitch already :P Imagine a great "Star Wars" parody called "Audio Wars" with you saying "You don't know the power of the phase shift!"

What about the following trick? Get delta signal from the compressor and mix it with dry signal but with delta signal boosted a bit. This should increase the ratio.

You can of course "hack" the dual mono to be sort of 50% linked by using external sidechain input. EDIT: Yeah, you basically did just that but for the M/S example.

The steeper curve lends this to drums. It's ca bit hard for bus duties imo.

nice :)

Any arguments towards feature limitations as a result of authenticity are moot, as I'm not aware of any real world Vari-Mu with a true wet/dry mix, I don't see how it would be possible irl. Indeed the real world version of this unit doesn't either, so agreed on all fronts re-makeup and headroom etc.

Hello, is there chance of review of the Abyss compressor?

Can you do a video with basslane pro from tone project pls ?

Wonder how this compares to the SPL iron

will you be at gearfest in London this weekend?

If I see a link in the description to the company to get itbrought, is this an adv video? From my experience this does nothing better others can do as well. Anyway this review from Dan is great as usual

the generally worst thingy is the low fps update from the VU metering in all plugins.. that should be updated... I have also this needle clicking at the right side in mind when loudness was superior nice... back in the days..

How did you link the settings in reaper? Ive seen a few different ways but i was wondering which one you were using.

"Rüpel" is the german term for "Bully" or "Lout".

I like Magic Death Eye stereo better 😅

Plugin sounds great to me

What means "run them in series with sidechain in parallel "? @9:21

Very good, Worrall! Is that your track underneath, at the beginning? [edit: found it on Bandcamp via supplied link] Think I've heard it before, and loved it. Love when you surprise with synth-beautiful songs that deviate from your (mostly) guitar-style songs. Thanks, Dan, you old-school! (although I might be older, can't really tell your age except maybe from your raspy voice)

If a plugin is not reviewed by Mr Worrall, it does not exist.

I had to dip out at 7 minutes. It just sounds like a compressor I'd never buy that misses in some big ways.

The required effort is a feature.

Another plugin that can make a mix sounds sweeter...butn that's all

rüpel = ruepel = hooligan" or "ruffian"

I think there's something wrong with the captions, they seem to all show at the beginning and don't show during the video. Could be on my end though.

I hope the process audio guys and dolls take the feedback and make some shit happen.

"Equal opportunity objectification" haha!

Yes there's an audible difference between the logo, and the man/woman backgrounds...

Digitally modelled analogue kit always seems to port across all of the limitations of the analogue interface into the digital plugin. Stepped pots and fixed frequencies might be a consequence of the analogue circuitry, but they're annoying and silly on a plugin GUI if the GUI lets you dial in numerical values exactly. It's a shame because this plugin sounds great.

Petition to get than mankini guy 😂

I’m lost on the first “increase effective ratio” trick. How do you run the sidechain in parallel? I can’t get my head around it. It seems that things would always be in series with two instances. Can someone smarter than me explain it?

Do you recommend it for amateurs?

Revisiting 8 months later. Did the Developer address a single thing of the suggestions Dan had?

this is to me like what church is for some folks.

What are you actually listening for when adjusting compressor parameters? I tend to stop when it sounds good. However, there is zero science behind my decision .

"Equal opportunity objectification". 🤣

Has anyone else noticed that the GUI looks like a yellow-eyed monster with a square mouth and pointy teeth? Brrrr…Compressor’s going to eat me!😳… sorry… carry on!

Listening on my phone with 1 broken speaker. But I still don’t care

Hi Dan! Have you ever used Acustica stuff? I’d always passed it by because of the processor hit. But these days they are getting better on that front, and their character compression, saturation and preamps have been sounding great as well, an area where they used to be fair not great. Have been using a few of their classic unit packages for a year+, as well as some of the newer stuff like the custom gear made for Polygram in the 70s. Of course the big difference is that Acustica stuff is IR samples of the original gear. Essentially similar to visual ‘animation’, in that they are morphing through many different IRs in realtime, program-dependent. It’s been sounding good to me but i would be very curious to hear what you think about something like their vintage Neve bundle. Not ‘does it sound exactly like the original’ of course, because who cares, really. More, ‘is this adding something to a mix you couldn’t get with a regular algorithmic plugin?’ My personal answer is yes but i’d love to hear what your ears might say. Be well, sir

if i were a plugin developer, you'd be receiving a proposal from me to alpha and beta test my products. why aren't plugin manufacturers doing this?