Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor
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The world’s most remarkable and revered audio compressor — available as a UAD plug-in.
The Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor plug-in for UAD hardware and UA Audio Interfaces provides everything from a velvet touch to an iron fist — making it a go-to on records by Muse, Green Day, Gnarls Barkley, and more. Designed by Brainworx, the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor plug-in is a thorough emulation of the high-end hardware.
Few pieces of audio hardware are as revered as the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor. Created by enigmatic mastermind, Peter Reardon, this five-rackspace behemoth tempers dynamics and tames transients like no other compressor in history. With its serial, two-stage dynamics control and switchable output transformer matrix.Mix and master with an emulation of the legendary Shadow Hills Compressor, endorsed by Peter Reardon
Harness Nickel, Iron, and Steel transformer types for a wide range of distortion characteristics and transient limiting
Use separate Optical and Discrete (VCA) dynamics sections for two-stage serial dynamics control
Employ 90 Hz sidechain filtering for musical compression of low-frequency program material
Three Majestic Compressors in One
The genius of the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor plug-in is its ability to control dynamics in two stages — an Optical and Discrete (VCA). Both sections can be bypassed, effectively providing three compression sounds (Optical, Discrete, and combined) in a single unit.
The Optical section is highly program dependent, with basic Threshold and Gain settings, and a two-stage release time akin to the classic LA-2A — perfect for gently taming dynamic range. The Discrete section takes over where the Optical section leaves off, provides precise control over gain, threshold, ratio, attack, and release.
Switchable Output Transformers — Nickel, Iron, and Steel
The Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor plug-in’s tonal palette is enhanced by a unique matrix which allows selection between three output transformers — Nickel, Iron, and Steel. By switching the selected transformer type in and out of the signal path, you can hear the different frequency response, distortion characteristics, and transient limiting of each transformer — going from “clean” (Nickel), to “colored” (Iron), to “dirty” (Steel).
“The Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor plug-in is the ultimate last-stop in a mixing chain. It’s punchy, hi-fi, and has lots of options. ”
– Joe Chiccarelli (Jason Mraz, Beck, The Strokes, Morrissey)
“The UAD Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor plug-in sounds incredibly accurate and gives me the tone I need — especially on the drum bus!”
– Dean Coleman
“The UAD Shadow Hills plug-in is replacing my 670 on the stereo buss. The two sides allow me to accomplish what I was using multiple compressors to achieve.”
– Mark Needham (The Killers, Neon Trees, P!nk)
“The Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor plug-in has character and punch that no other plug-in can duplicate! ”
– Adam Hawkins (Twenty One Pilots, Switchfoot, Keith Urban)Customer Reviews
D. Perez
January 26, 2022
Incredible!
incredible near to the analogue version. Every project sounds better with it!
Read MoreA. Orsolini
January 17, 2022
Top
Per un buon master non c’è altra soluzione…lavora come la macchina che emula!! Fantastico!!!
Read MoreS. Alfarano
January 12, 2022
Simply Brilliant
i never had the luck to try the original hardware, but this plug will blow your mind out !!
Read MoreI. Yunakov
December 14, 2021
Shadow Drums
great on drum bus, great on mix bus, perfect glue for your mixes #NewWorld #Newears #NewColors
Read MoreB. Hastings
November 19, 2021
Get it or Regret it
This is hands-down the best sounding compressor I have ever heard. If you need grab...it's got it....if you need smooth creamy comp...it's got that too! if there is such a. thing as a...
Read More -
Key Features
Meticulous emulation of the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor, licensed and endorsed by Peter Reardon
Created by Brainworx, developed exclusively for the UAD Powered Plug-Ins platform
Separate Optical and Discrete (VCA) dynamics sections for two-stage serial dynamics control
Separate Threshold and makeup Gain for each dynamics section
Fixed Ratio, Attack and Recover settings within the Discrete section
Transformer matrix switches between Nickel, Iron, and Steel output transformers — like selecting between 3 distinct vintage console outputs
90 Hz sidechain filtering for musical compression of low-frequency program material
Large, accurate VU meters provide Optical, Discrete, or Output gain views
Custom presets created by Shadow Hills founder and designer Peter Reardon
Requires UAD-2 DSP Accelerator Card or Apollo Interface, available from authorized dealers worldwide
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Customer Reviews
Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor
D. Perez
Incredible!
incredible near to the analogue version. Every project sounds better with it!
A. Orsolini
Top
Per un buon master non c’è altra soluzione…lavora come la macchina che emula!! Fantastico!!!
S. Alfarano
Simply Brilliant
i never had the luck to try the original hardware, but this plug will blow your mind out !!
I. Yunakov
Shadow Drums
great on drum bus, great on mix bus, perfect glue for your mixes
#NewWorld #Newears #NewColorsC. Bors
Works well
Worth the money, i purchased with coupons 44 euro :)
B. Hastings
Get it or Regret it
This is hands-down the best sounding compressor I have ever heard. If you need grab...it's got it....if you need smooth creamy comp...it's got that too! if there is such a. thing as a perfect compressor, this is it.
M. Cammarata Briguglia
From Shadow to Hills
Great master bus compressor, subtle, for glue, for some color with discrete section , mixing and mastering. Friendly and easy to use. Great!
J. McLachlan
Monster Compressor
I've been using the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor on my drum bus and wow is it a game changer!!!
S. Tydeman
This is a BEAST plugin for your tool belt....
Man this thing is killer. Highly recommend it. Versatile and HUGE sounding. Love at first listen.
P. Motyczak
Not just mastering
Not just a mastering compressor. I use it with everything, subtle or not so subtle. Great compressor.
M. O'Brien
Would be nice if they fixed it.
Fix The bug in Cubase!
S. Tieger
SHADOW HILLS MASTERING COMPRESSOR
Great tool... glues it all together
E. Bureau
Perfect mastering compressor
The only non-vintage compressor that I use. I do late 60' inspired productions, and mainly use Fairchild, Teletronix etc. However, this compressor has been my go-to for mastering tasks. It just makes everything you put through it sound better. More coherent, more polished and more present. Really easy to use despite all the knobs.
D. Kuchta
Ulitmate Mastering Compressor
If you want to sound like the pros, this is it!
G. Herrera
One word (Glue)
It is so good on bass and drums but shines on the master bus for making things all come together
a. kumar
Shadow hils master compressor
It's amazing plug-in
a. kumar
Shadow hils master compressor
It's amazing plug-in
a. kumar
Shadow hils master compressor
It's amazing plug-in
L. Tian Siung
Nice tool
Nice and easy to use
J. Harper
Good plugin
This plugin adds versatile compression that is great for mix bus and master tracks. there was a noticeable difference when applied to vox bus of a track I had been working with. Clean sound
