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Customer Reviews

Empirical Labs EL8 Distressor Compressor

Overall Rating

521-540 of 706 Results

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P. Uszyński

May 31, 2019

My new go-to comp

For quite some time I had a feeling that I'm missing a really good comp in my mixing chain. Previously I was using Waves H-comp ("character" compression) and C1 ("transparent" compression), then I started demoing some comps from UA. Distressor is the one that made my things (mainly vocals) really shine. You can make it characterful, you can make it transparent and gentle, in case anything is missing, you can always go to something else, like 1176 or LA-2A.

And yes, I'm a UAD acolyte, the only non-UAD things in my mixing chain for now are FabFilter Q-3 and iZotope RX tools, because UAD simply beats everything I tried.

E. Stokes

May 28, 2019

My Favorite Plugin

I love this plugin on kicks! It's Like Magic to me! But I use it for other stuff as well! Amazing!!!

C. Piper

May 28, 2019

To be honest I was looking to get a hardware unit of the distressor but then a friend of mine invited me to his Studio to try out this uad plug-in. So we did that a b comparison and I honestly can say it was so close this comparison right here actually had me go and get the Apollo twin quad core. Enough said I have beat around the bush for years on uad not anymore.

R. Gun

May 13, 2019

Yes, VCA at it´s best

The better 1176.
Very wide usablility. Nuke is not All-button-mode of 1176.

R. McKean

May 12, 2019

Outstanding is an overused word

... but if you want a compressor that will make your drums pop and pump, this is the one.

I. Batista

April 16, 2019

Perfection!

Sometimes I wonder how the audio world survived all those years without Distressor!

S. Potaczek

April 11, 2019

Eh...

I own the real thing and use it every day. The plugin is okay, but when pushed hard (which is kinda the point of the distressed portion of this box), it starts to show. Not overly impressed with one compared to say the LA2A collection. Decent, but the gift of the hardware is that it stays quite invisible unless you don't want it to (whereas the software version feels more heavy-handed).

L. Lively

April 6, 2019

Sold my hardware unit

i owned the hardware for about 8 years, i own two other software emulations.......The UAD Distressor emulation......Lets just say, i processed a few drums through it and i think GOOGLE translate said "it's time to sell your hardware" when i pressed play. This and the manley massive passive made me a UAD believer.

R. Patrick

April 4, 2019

Love It!!

It adds so much to my tone!!

P. Gharapetian

March 29, 2019

Finally!

long awaited plugin version of this classic. i'm so happy to have this and it does sound just as amazing as the real deal!

S. Allí

March 25, 2019

my new lover

i really like the way that give live to drums , control synths and even voices

J. Auguste

March 25, 2019

Tight Punch

Love this compressor. The fact that I could use this on multiple channels while mixing is plus for me without having to purchase multiple units. Great addition to my setup.

J. Willis

March 22, 2019

This kills

Literally
Nails the hardware tone and now being able to put a ton of Distressors all over my mix?! I’m in love

P. Calabria

March 21, 2019

I Love It!!!


It has become my main compressor on every single element of the drums !! Fantastic also on the bass and, with a bit of attention, a little on all the instruments including vocals and guitar! Great emulation of the namesake Hardware to have at any cost !!

T. Brooks

March 15, 2019

If you don't have the real one, you need the UAD

All five stars for me. The few times I've had the pleasure to work with the hardware unit, I've absolutely fallen in love with the Distressor's tightness and unique balance of saturation and transparency. It's the richest mortar for drum buss material, whether acoustic, electronic, or combination. Its side-chaining options are also powerfully simple, especially at the initial stages of your mix where you may still be trying to key in on "sound"; between the L+R linking options and the side-chain options for handling BOTH signal-hogging lows and piercing upper-mid transients -- I feel like I can access and cycle through dozens of flavors, and intuitively. It also has the scary ability to shapeshift between Opto, FET, and VCA-like performance based on your Attack, Release and Ratio settings. Without a doubt, a powerful magic box of a compressor. And I think UAD has emulated all of this with incredible care and accuracy. Super excited to keep exploring.

Just to think of some specific applications: if you're playing with anything in the cinematic hip-hop/jazz, power-soul, or arena-pop veins, give the Distressor a go. I'm thinking Kendrick Lamar's "Institutionalized," Robert Glasper's "Black Radio" with yasiin bey / Mos Def, Emily King's "Good Friend," Adele's "Rolling In The Deep," Imagine Dragon's "Believer." With some character preamps or tape saturation early in the chain (i.e. V76, 1073), you could get flavors even more retro (yet still clean). I'm thinking Vinyl Williams, Jack White, and Danger Mouse.

J. Davies

March 9, 2019

Favorite Compressor

The Distressor is my go-to compressor for everything! The Opto present is particularly nice on vocals. I also use the LA2A for vocals and acoustic and the Fairchild for bass.

E. Guerra

March 3, 2019

It makes your instruments alive in your mix!

This is a great and versatile compressor. Very useful on bass drums, bass or acoustic guitars. I highly recommend it if you want to take advantage of the multifunctional processor.

G. Corley

February 15, 2019

Best compressor, ever!

This is my new go to compressor. I love it on just about anything. It really adds something special to the mix!

G. Corley

February 15, 2019

Best compressor, ever!

This is my new go to compressor. I love it on just about anything. It really adds something special to the mix!

L. Lammert

February 11, 2019

Wow

Can’t tell the difference between this and my hardware

521-540 of 706 Results