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  • Overview
  • Features
  • Customer Reviews
  • 4.8/5
    (282)

Regular Price: $299.00

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4.8/5
(282)

Tube compression royalty for your mixes.

As Manley Labs' flagship compressor since 1994, the Variable Mu is a tube and transformer-driven classic that exudes hand-made craftsmanship. A gold standard among mixing and mastering engineers, the Variable Mu adds clarity and cohesion to stereo buses or your entire mix.

Developed under Manley Labs' rigorous scrutiny, the Manley Variable Mu Limiter Compressor plug-in is a thorough emulation of this legendary tube limiter, and is based on the coveted “6BA6 T-BAR Tube Mod” unit. Now, its famed sound is available exclusively for UAD-2 hardware and Apollo interfaces.

Add definition and fidelity to individual tracks, stereo buses, or an entire mix

Glue together difficult mixes with signature Manley tube compression

Link channels for a precise, perfectly matched stereo image

Select from Left/Right or Mid/Side operation for precise control of stereo imaging

Use the plug-in-only Dry/Wet Mix control to easily dial-in parallel compression

Mix with artist presets from Tom Elmhirst, J.J. Blair, Mike Larson, and more

Take A Listen

Take A Listen
Manley Variable Mu Under the Hood

Manley Variable Mu Under the Hood

While the Manley Variable Mu uses the remote cut-off style gain reduction found in the Fairchild and other classic limiters, it has a sound and character all its own. Its classic dual-triode gain reduction design is constantly re-biased by the sidechain control voltages, creating a unique variable gain compressor with stunning transparency. This lets you treat source material with velvety-smooth gain reduction, while infusing warm harmonic content, free of audible compression artifacts.

King of the 2-Bus

King of the 2-Bus

The Manley Variable Mu Limiter Compressor plug-in can be used on single instruments such as bass or a lead vocal, or on subgroups like strings or horns. But its raison d'être is on the mix bus, where its expert features can unify your mixes with a rich, hi-fi fit and finish.

Powerful Controls

Powerful Controls

Parameter linking allows simultaneous adjustment of both channels with stereo signals. When unlinked, the plug-in's Mid/Side processing is actually improved over the hardware, providing phase accurate stereo imaging. The High Pass Sidechain filter prevents compression to frequencies lower than 100 Hz — letting you compress, say, overheads, while retaining punchy bottom-end. Plug-in-only controls Dry/Wet, Mix, and Headroom give you more colors to paint your mixes. Dry/Wet Mix offers easy parallel compression — perfect for polishing vocals and more. Finally, the Headroom control lets you optimize the Variable Mu’s overall level to your playback system.

Key Features

Exclusively licensed and rigorously scrutinized by Manley Labs, modeled by Universal Audio
Transparent Variable Mu tube compression for master fader, subgroups, or individual sources
Models entire stereo stereo Class A circuit, including custom tubes and transformers, input gain and gain reduction
Continuous Dual Input, Stereo Output, Threshold and Attack controls with five position Recovery controls
Sidechain Filter, L/R or M/S operation plus plug-in only Dry/Wet parallel processing Headroom and Controls Linking
Requires UAD-2 DSP Accelerator Card or Apollo Interface, available from authorized dealers worldwide

Customer Reviews

Manley® Variable Mu Limiter Compressor

Overall Rating

4.8/5
(282)

D. Zamora

July 27, 2023

Bad Horsie!!

love it i am using it on my material! specially on drums for Magia Blanca! Dario DSA

W. Manke

July 10, 2023

Vari Mu? Very Smooth

Tape Op described this plugin as a warm hug for your mixes, and that is the perfect description. For those of us "mastering" at home for small projects and podcasts this is a perfect final touch to up the volume without squishing and to add depth and detail.

J. Mateo

June 28, 2023

smooth glue!

This thing is so smooth and easy to dial in. it gives things just a smooth hug that I love it on my mixbuses and my master tracks

R. Schuster

June 26, 2023

Amazing on the mix bus

Great for drums as well

B. Worrell

June 10, 2023

Great!

I bought this plugin looking for something to give my mix character. I demoed this and felt it had an amazing character that I dare say is now my secret sauce. The sound of it is, to my ears, unique and I've already placed it across several mixes to see how it performs. I'm happy to say it does exactly what I want it to and I can't wait to put it on several more mixes!

B. Byc

May 30, 2023

bobby byc

I love its character

B. Byc

May 30, 2023

bobby byc

I love its character

A. Portillo

April 4, 2023

I love this plugin!

it is just great! I love its character, it really does glue your track nicely. Manley products are not famous for nothing. If the hardware sounds better than this, I want one!!

E. ARRUDA

February 26, 2023

Unrivaled balance!

Hi folks, I'm impressed with the accuracy of this plugin, especially on Mix Bus. By the way, I have used it a lot in Mix Drums, Bus Guitar because of its excellent glue.

J. Szeszel

January 13, 2023

Yes!

I thought for a long time. I tested. This plugin finally beat me to it. First choice of master bus compression for me.

J. FALCONERY

January 10, 2023

Profissional

Compressão espetacular. Sempre tive o desejo de adquirir esse simulação. Estou impressionado com a textura e capacidade de cola desse plugin.

G. Grinko

January 9, 2023

Very powerfull!

I use this on drums and mix bus. Its great!

R. Mangile

January 3, 2023

Mix Bus Compressor

The main choice in the mix bus and mastering

S. Gara

December 20, 2022

Drums bus

Lo uso solo per incollare tutta la drums. Funziona alla grande , da quando lo uso le mie tracce suonano benissimo.

A. Litwinowicz

December 15, 2022

Excellent Compressor and irreplaceable!

Excellent Compressor and irreplaceable! Sounds very close to hardware (90-95%). One of the best plugins I've used. I use it for all my music projects.

P. Sviyazov

December 11, 2022

Smooth

This plugin shape sounds very close to hardware for my opinion. I tried many and this one is the closest. And as well one of the smoothest and softest vocal compressors.

S. Bhatti

November 14, 2022

Simply the Best

It’s been on EVERY single one of mixes since 2018, just buy it, no regrets here!

S. Nascimento

September 18, 2022

Musical color

Nice option when I mastered in the box without my NuMu unit. Similar color.

. Oliveira

August 30, 2022

Very Good!

Thanks Universal Audio and Manley
Essential Plugin!!!

E. Larson

August 13, 2022

Incredible

Just a couple of db on the two bus and you're golden