Empirical Labs® EL8 Distressor
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The world’s most popular compressor, exactingly recreated for UAD and Apollo.
Introduced in 1993, the Empirical Labs EL8 Distressor is revered in studios all over the world as the modern, “must-have” compressor. Versatile, super fast, and offering tons of color, the Distressor picks up where the legendary UA 1176 and Teletronix LA-2A compressors leave off — a modern tool that’s equal parts utilitarian and creative, as heard on thousands of hit records.
The only authentic Distressor plug-in endorsed by Empirical Labs’ founder Dave Derr, the UAD Empirical Labs EL8 Distressor is available exclusively for UAD hardware and Apollo interfaces. An exhaustive end-to-end emulation of Derr’s iconic hardware, the UAD EL8 Distressor is the only faithful emulation of this true “desert island” compressor.Now You Can:
Track and mix with the only authentic emulation of the EL8 Distressor — the world's most popular modern compressor
Radically shape guitars, drums, and vocals with nearly infinite gain reduction variations
Harness plug-in-only features like Dry/Wet parallel processing and Headroom for user‑customizable operating level
Creatively color instruments and vocals with famous “Dist 2” and “Dist 3” modes
Embellish, pump up, or destroy bass, synth, and room mics with custom detector filtering
Mix with presets from Joe Chiccarelli (The Strokes), Vance Powell (Jack White), Jacquire King (Kings of Leon), Jimmy Douglass (The Rolling Stones), and more
Take a Listen
5-Min UAD Tip
In this video, learn how the EL8 Distressor compressor can transform your mixes into something truly special.
The Only End-to-End Distressor Emulation
The Empirical Labs EL8 Distressor Compressor plug-in provides all the features and coveted sound of the original Distressor design. UA’s team of DSP experts started with a complete circuit trace and component study of Dave Derr's selected golden unit. Simultaneously, the team analyzed three more Distressors representing the lifetime of the product — ensuring one of UA’s tightest circuit models to date.
When comparing Distressor software emulations, contrast the original hardware’s ultra-fast attack time to quickly hear where most plug-ins fail, and the authentic UAD Distressor succeeds.
The Right Ratio
The crux of the Distressor are its staggering variations in compression —
1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 6:1, 10:1, 20:1 and Nuke — each delivering unique tones and curves. Use the 1:1 ratio to gently warm up synths or strings without compression, while adding musical low-order harmonics. At the other extreme, the Nuke limiter setting is famous for adding explosive excitement to room mics, or energizing a entire mix.
Distortion Modes
The Distressor's iconic Dist 2 and Dist 3 modes feature a wide palette of compression coloration, letting you shape sources with even or combined even/odd-order harmonic distortion. From delicate thickening to burnished tape to fully saturated, the Distortion Modes, combined with low-frequency filtering, let you focus the Distressor’s textures.
Powerful Sidechain Controls
The Distressor’s sidechain control lets you easily focus your dynamics. High Pass filter unwanted low frequency pumping and breathing — perfect for drum bus processing. Band Emphasis works to tame strident vocals or can laser in on harsh “power region” instrument midrange peaks, or use both together.
You can also run the Distressor on buses, linked or unlinked, for flexible imaging. Exclusive plug-in features like Dry/Wet Mix offer easy parallel compression on a mix bus or instrument group. Finally, the Headroom control lets you optimize the Distressor’s overall operating level to your playback system.
“The UAD EL8 Distressor feels just like the hardware, giving me results that I’ve been missing in the box.”
– Jacquire King (James Bay, Kings of Leon, Tom Waits)
“The Distressor is capable of such radical compression tones, that it becomes its own instrument. I’m confident the UAD version will become just as useful as the hardware.”
– Joe Chiccarelli (Jason Mraz, Beck, The Strokes, Morrissey)
“The Distressor is the perfect all around compressor, and no studio should be without a few of them. Now with the UAD Distressor, you can have as many as you need!”
– Vance Powell (Jack White, The Dead Weather, The Raconteurs)
“From subtle compression to destruction, the Distressor handles everything with style.”
– Hector Delgado (A$AP Rocky, Selena Gomez, Lana Del Rey)
“The Distressor truly is the desert island dynamics tool, for controlling levels or creatively reshaping instruments into sounds that couldn’t be heard otherwise.”
– Chris Coady (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Beach House, Future Islands)Watch The Reviews
Customer Reviews
B. Warsaw
July 13, 2020
Love It
I’ve been the proud owner of this plugin for a while and it’s amazing. It feels like the hardware (at least to me) and simply a wonderful tool. Thank you UAD!...
Read MoreJ. Bin
July 11, 2020
Pure gold!
This emulation is amazing! I use it on vocals, guitar, bass, drums.. pretty everything!
Read MoreJ. Marshall
July 6, 2020
Great emulation
Really liking this emulation so far. Been checking it out on drums, bass, and electric guitars. Really versatile, as expected.
Read MoreA. Hicks
July 3, 2020
Perfect Vocal Compression
This is absolutely perfect for getting vocals to stand up front in the vocals without sounding too squashed. On sale, the price is just unbelievable for the quality!
Read More -
Key Features
Painstaking, end-to-end circuit emulation of the iconic hardware designed by Dave Derr, exclusively for Universal Audio
Provides the entire circuit path and control set of the original Empirical Labs hardware
Features seven fixed ratios, including Optical and Nuke, Distortion Modes, and Detector Modes
Plug-in-exclusive features include Dry/Wet parallel processing and Headroom for user-customizable operating level
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Customer Reviews
Empirical Labs EL8 Distressor Compressor
B. Warsaw
Love It
I’ve been the proud owner of this plugin for a while and it’s amazing. It feels like the hardware (at least to me) and simply a wonderful tool. Thank you UAD!
J. Bin
Pure gold!
This emulation is amazing! I use it on vocals, guitar, bass, drums.. pretty everything!
J. Marshall
Great emulation
Really liking this emulation so far. Been checking it out on drums, bass, and electric guitars. Really versatile, as expected.
A. Hicks
Perfect Vocal Compression
This is absolutely perfect for getting vocals to stand up front in the vocals without sounding too squashed. On sale, the price is just unbelievable for the quality!
L. Szekely
very usefull
Very usefull ! drums, bass etc..
A. Richardson
Love it
My drums sound so dope now
S. Heidemann
Been looking forward to this!
I have actually just been starting with UAD plugins, but this is exactly the joy and sonic quality I was looking for! Purchased the API 2500 as well which I love already and couldn't let the Distressor slide. Good choice!
j. campos
Must Have
UA's modeling of this classic piece of gear comes very close to the hardware and in my opinion is a must have for anyone serious about recording, mixing or mastering audio.
C. BOULANGER
Multi purpose tool
Very efficiant and useful in a lot of situations
S. Cupellaro
Veramente fantastico
Suona come L originale....grandi!!!
A. Reverberi
You never know
I don't know why I held back so long before grabbing the EL8. Surprisingly good, surprisingly versatile.
B. Stamnes
Classic kit, perfect modeling
Sounds sensational, easy to use, well priced.
R. Leon Junquera
Opto setting...
Is just great
D. DeBerry
What works , works
Distressor are great on rounding out your sound. The GOAT.
D. DeBerry
What works , works
Distressor are great on rounding out your sound. The GOAT.
D. DeBerry
What works , works
Distressor are great on rounding out your sound. The GOAT.
A. Petrini
Just Awesome
This plugin brings life to everything I put it into. A must have in my opinion.
G. Porrino
Distressor.
Does exactly what it's supposed to, and for a lot less dosh. Excellent.
M. Kleimert
Compressor with attitude
I like plugins that have their own personality and sound. The Distressor is such a plugin. Having worked with the hardware version I must say you really nailed it
M. Montañana
Impecables armónicos
Al aplicar distressor...se logran armónicos que empujan frecuencias fantasmas. Increíble
