Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor
-
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
M. Whitebread
September 27, 2023
Peppy and versatile
Go to for mastering - very forgiving.
Read MoreC. Hallowes
July 8, 2023
Subtle and beautiful
This compressor is a whole other alternative to Neve, SSL, API and Chandler. I own all those but this still on a number of songs...
Read MoreD. Ho
June 24, 2023
This is it!
I've tried many different mastering compressors, and while they all sound great and have their unique qualities, I always come back to the Shadow Hills. The naturalness and transparency are...
Read MoreS. Akinleye
April 3, 2023
So Amazing
I've been stuck with this compressor since the first time tying it out
Read MoreS. Greenaway
March 29, 2023
Amazing Plug in
Fantastic plug in! Perfect sauce for the mix bus or master bus.
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
-
Customer Reviews
Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor
M. Whitebread
Peppy and versatile
Go to for mastering - very forgiving.
C. Hallowes
Subtle and beautiful
This compressor is a whole other alternative to Neve, SSL, API and Chandler. I own all those but this still on a number of songs is just right. It has a different, more subtle, yet beautiful feel to it.
E. bartlett
YES!!!!!
JUST GET IT.... THIS PLUGIN IT A GAME CHANGER!
D. Ho
This is it!
I've tried many different mastering compressors, and while they all sound great and have their unique qualities, I always come back to the Shadow Hills. The naturalness and transparency are second to none.
S. Akinleye
So Amazing
I've been stuck with this compressor since the first time tying it out
S. Greenaway
Amazing Plug in
Fantastic plug in! Perfect sauce for the mix bus or master bus.
V. Kozarin
Sounds absolutely fantastic
I use it on vocals with some of the presets. Makes a huge improvement to blend any type of lead vocals in a final mix. Love it
S. Lopez
The Sauce
Can You Feel Me - Dru Down
J. De la Rosa
Excelente
☺️
O. Cruz-Olivencia
Pushing the limits!!
This plugin is amazing and solid!! Top 5 for me!!
V. Trendel
Extremely sharp comp, really complet with a Great sound !
Extremely sharp comp, really complet with a Great sound !
A. Litwinowicz
This "plug" can blow your mind!
This plug can blow your mind out! It's a magic device in a plugin... It's close to perfection for mastering and mixing. This is the best plugin of this type that I have used so far. I highly recommend.
s. arıgül
Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor
Thanks UAD, Great plug-in!
a. brown
Shadows No Other!
Shadow Hills Shadows No Other!! Great Compressor even better price
L. Motta
This is Amazing!
Probably the best mastering compressor out there...
T. Yoshida
Great magic on the master track!
I double insert Shadow hills on the master track.
Using optical and VCA properly, just adding a little reduction will add polish to the song. I've never used a real device, but I'm impressed with UAD's technology. Very nice! I should have noticed this sooner.D. Luchtmeijer
Perfect in mastering chain
Love his unique compression and warmth
H. Nguyen
Good
Very good software
R. Rasiński
It works a bit differently than P.A. version
I own and use both UAD and P.A. versions of this plugin and found that they both work differently. The differences are subtle but very important in the mastering process. P.A. it changes the sound a bit, especially the Hihats and Snare Drums, while the UAD version seems more similar to the hardware. It adds a nice analog warmth without changing the sound in individual frequencies. The sound differences occur because other people are responsible for the Circuit Modeling Algorithms. The UAD version is my mastering blessing.
A. Gray
The master of masters
Shadow hills, what more could you need !
