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Apollo
Native
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Manley Variable Mu Limiter Compressor

Manley Variable Mu Limiter Compressor

Add tube compression royalty to your mixes.

  • 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

Runs natively on your macOS or Windows computer, or accelerated on Apollo audio interfaces or UAD Accelerators. View full system requirements.

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Hear It In Action

Plug-In:

Hear It In Action

Hear It In Action

Plug-In:

Hear It In Action

Plug-In:

Add Tube Compression Royalty to your Mixes

As Manley Labs' flagship compressor since 1994, the Variable Mu is a tube and transformer-driven classic that exudes handmade craftsmanship and is the gold standard among mixing and mastering engineers. The Manley Variable Mu Limiter Compressor plug-in gives your stereo buses or your entire mix the same clarity and cohesion as the high-end hardware.

Easily Add Stunning Polish

Treat your source material with velvety-smooth gain reduction, while infusing warm harmonic content, free of audible compression artifacts with the Manley Variable Mu Limiter Compressor plug-in and add a variable gain compressor with stunning transparency to your studio.

Enhance Tracks and Glue Mixes

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.

Polish your Mixes with 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, giving you phase accurate stereo imaging. Use the High Pass Sidechain filter to compress while retaining punchy bottom-end and plug-in-only controls like Dry/Wet, Mix, and Headroom for even more colors to paint your mixes.

What They Say

The Manley Variable Mu is one of my go-to compressors for all types of sounds – especially when I’m looking for an upfront, in-your-face tone. It's fun to distort too.

Mike Larson

Pharrell Williams, Daft Punk, Snoop Dogg

If you've got a ragged mix, this plug-in will give it a big hug. It's a stunning emulation of our Variable Mu hardware, right down to the last detail.

EveAnna Manley

President of Manley Labs

Frequently Asked Questions

No. These plug-ins run natively on your computer. No UA hardware is required.

Yes, 14-day plug-in demos are available. Find eligible plug‑ins

We provide three activations per license. We support activation on your computer or on an iLok USB key.

For every UAD plug-in that supports native and Apollo/UAD-2 versions, you get a license for both upon purchase, or the option to get it through an upgrade.

Native plug-ins are supported on macOS and Windows systems. See our Native UAD System Requirements article for full system requirements. An iLok account is required for managing your native plug-in licenses. We support iLok USB keys for portability, but one is not required.

Check our Knowledge Base for additional questions

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