News in the Arturia house: the "3 compressors" arrive
For some time now, Arturia has been dedicating himself not only to the realization of software tools, but also ai effects software. It recently launched 3 “old school” compressors on the market, inspired by 3 hardware in particular.
We will have to deal with the umpteenth vintage emulations or with something new and / or innovative?
I present them to you individually.
Comp fet-76
From the name you can immediately guess that it is an emulation of the iconic compressor FET (Ffire Eeffect Transistor) UREI 1176, born in the late 60s, which certainly does not need much introduction, considering the fact that we are talking about an industry standard, as regards the field of registration and mixing.
This compressor is known for having fast attack times, and is responsive in response when set in a certain way.
Over the years various revisions of this machine have been introduced, identifiable on the basis of the different looks of the interfaces. However, I will refer exclusively to the model it proposes Arthur.
As onoriginal hardware, the attack and release controls are on the contrary: clockwise (FAST) I speed up the attack and / or release, while counterclockwise (SLOW) I slow down.
With INPUT I determine how much audio material must enter the compressor, also increasing the level; therefore it is necessary to compensate everything with OUTPUT.
To optimize this I can link the two controls, by clicking on the slotted screw in the center; in this way I try to keep the perceived volume constant during adjustments.
There are the classic buttons of the RATIO (4-8-12-20) that typically can be encountered when dealing with emulations of this type.
When active ALL it is as if you were pressing them all together: a mode comes into play, by means of which the compressor takes on a explosive character, strongly responsive, and distortion is practically around the corner.
By working in this way I can give the track some aggression, imagining using this plugin as a kind of saturator/distortion, which can also destroy sound.
Note that there is no threshold control, and this changes according to the ratio I choose; you must therefore refer only to the INPUT knob.
There is the possibility to monitor the input / output signal, through VU meters, or monitor the classic gain reduction.
At the bottom right is the classic control MIX, not present on the original hardware, which can come in handy when you want to perform parallel compressions quickly.
Due to the physical limitation regarding attack times, this compressor is unable to fully safeguard transients. Much depends on the audio material I'm working with; to be precise, by its envelope and spectral content. In other words, I cannot pretend to pull the classic "blow" out of the tracks, but at the most I can safeguard the "snap".
As for the release, I can get to get fast times, and make the compressor particularly responsive, especially if I work in the mode ALL. I also have the ability to quickly save two presets (A - B); not many, but sometimes they are more than enough to decide which setting to choose.
The secondary interface: ADVANCED MODE CONTROL PANEL
By clicking on the two arrows at the top right, a second interface appears, which increases the overall size of the window. If this should represent a problem, in visual terms, it is possible to resize the total interface of the plugin by clicking on the top left, accessing the dedicated menu. Much also depends on the screen you use, in terms of size, and the resolution adopted.
Thanks to advanced controls kindly offered by Arturia, it is possible to modify (without too many pretensions) the natural behavior of the compressor.
I can also use a sidechain external, working in LINKED or DUAL mode, which can come in handy when dealing with stereo tracks. Also there is the mode REVERSED, where the detection of the left channel drives the compression of the right channel and vice versa. The channels are however treated separately.
It is also possible to compress only the MID or SIDE, so we can't process them together, loading only one instance of the plugin.
A particularly curious check is TIME WARP: we can see it as a sort of “look-ahead”, if adjusted counterclockwise. It is a parameter that we can typically find in limiter and in some compressors.
The device in practice anticipates the action by X milliseconds, thus tending to keep under control, in a decisive way, the transients of the audio material.
By adjusting it clockwise instead we no longer speak of look-ahead, but of an opposite function, thanks to which the compressor, by delaying the action of X milliseconds, is able to give an additional snap / punch to the track, recovering a certain dose of transients. This can all be set in conjunction with the ATTACK control.
Then there is a SIDE-CHAIN EQUALIZER, fairly equipped, consisting of a high pass and low pass, plus a bell. Thanks to this equalizer I can modify the original detection of the compressor, causing it to react decisively at certain frequencies compared to others, and / or I can exclude a precise range of these from the detection. It is also possible to listen to the isolated side chain by clicking on LISTEN.
In addition to the ratio, I can also control the COMPRESSION RANGE, imposing a limitation on the maximum number of dB that it can compress on the device. By setting this control to 0 dB, it is as if you are working with one ratio of 1: 1 (no button activated).
There is basically no compression, but the input and output controls work anyway, and this is where another feature comes into play: the ability to use this plugin to color the sound, as well as for add harmonics, going to overload the entrance stage. You get sounds similar to those of a clipper, due to the particular technology of this device. The coloring is still present, even when working FULL range. The "non linearity" certainly is not lacking.
Below is the possibility to calibrate the VU meter, a comfortable one CPU indicator, and an internal BYPASS switch, which avoids as much as possible those annoying clicks / pops, typical of external bypass.
I certainly can't call it a “transparent” compressor; you can still try to do a clean intervention, without speeding up the attack / release times too much, working with a low ratio, and above all, without exaggerating with the input, in order to avoid going into evident distortion; therefore a compression tending to safeguard the transients and the tonal integrity of the signal.
For everything else, we are talking about a compressor capable of inhibiting transients in an evident way, which can give harmonics to the signal, especially when working with high input or in any case when a lot of audio material is involved. This model is also called PEAK LIMITER, due to the fact that it has a fast action, which tends to contain the signal peaks.
It is necessary to take into account the saturation introduced by the compression stage and that of the input stage; without forgetting the ALL mode, which is a bit of the workhorse of 1176. The additional controls only increase the versatility of this already good plugin.
The company was certainly aware of the fact that there are several competitors on the market, offering emulations of this type. In fact he played a lot on innovation, offering various additional features, and in addition, tried to capture as much detail as possible from the original hardware, especially in regards to colorations.
COMP VCA-65
In this case we are dealing with the emulation of the historian DBX 165Anot very popular in software, to be honest. There are various emulations of the brother 160 on the market, and almost none of the 165 A; I avoid naming competitors for obvious reasons.
It is a type compressor VCA (Voltage Controlled Amplifier), which, compared to the model analyzed previously, has a detection of the dynamics of the RMS type.
We should expect, at least on paper, a less “fiscal” behavior with regard to transients.
There are the classic controls, THRESHOLD and ratio; the latter called COMPRESSION.
The device can also work in the AUTO mode: the sound is somewhat reminiscent of the brother 160, that is, a medium clean compression, with snap / punch attack and moderate release.
Working manually, I can obtain quite varied attack and release times, thus obtaining, for example, compressions that are dense and rich in harmonics, or that tend to safeguard transients.
In this case there is no overloadable input stage, but there is an “analog” type limiter, which can be deactivated, placed after the OUTPUT GAIN section, therefore post compressor. It can be used as a kind of clip/saturator, thus adding more harmonics, or to block the most hostile transients.
In general I found a more “snap” behavior compared to the model analyzed a little while ago, therefore a compressor more predisposed to safeguard / emphasize attacks.
The secondary interface is very similar to the one analyzed above, with some changes.
In addition to the external side chain, it is possible to activate the manual one: automating the button MAN, I can create pumping effects, without the help of an external track.
As for the M / S detection: you can process (only) the side, using the mid to drive the compressor (MID> SIDE), or vice versa (SIDE> MID). I would say that they are quite curious and creative ways.
I can say that it is an equally versatile compressor, in my opinion, even a little more than the previous one, with which however it is not possible to obtain the sounds of the 1176, such as, for example, those of the ALL mode, in addition to the fact that the technologies involved are different; without forgetting that the 165A has an RMS type detection.
The additional controls, also in this case, give an extra gear, increasing versatility.
Comp TUBE-STA
We are facing a rarity, especially in the software field, as competitors are scarce even in this case.
We are dealing with the emulation of another vintage compressor (50s) type valve (various MU), which was used in broadcasting: the Gates STA-LEVEL.
There is no threshold control, therefore it is necessary to refer to the INPUT, among other things, which can be linked to the OUTPUT.
The ratio, as in any classic various MU compressor, is variable. That is to say: the more audio material is involved, increasing the input, the more it increases.
Compared to the other two compressors, the response is generally slower and the attack adjustment is restricted to the three-click knob, called MODE.
Practically: SINGLE corresponds to slow attack (the right transients pass), DOUBLE, medium and TRIPLE attack, fast attack.
The release, on the other hand, is regulated by means of the RECOVERY TIME control, and it is not possible to obtain fast times on average.
It has a ""warm”, And saturation is certainly not optional, especially when working with tracks rich in low frequencies. As for the FET-76 model, it is necessary to take into account the saturation introduced by the input stage, and that of the compression stage; however we are talking about different harmonics, considering that one has a FET technology, while the other is a tube.
The secondary interface is not quite similar to the previous ones, as it lacks controls.
COMP TUBE-STA: the secondary interface
They are absent TIME WARP e COMPRESSION RANGE, which I expected to find in this model as well.
The first could improve the handling of transients, as explained above, also considering the fact that I only have 3 attack times available.
Thanks to the second, I could use a virtual ratio 1: 1, and use only the input stage, perhaps to color the sound without necessarily compressing it.
I can make up for this last thing, using in a fictitious way, the EXTERNAL side chain: in this way the detection does not work, but inputs and outputs are active.
However, I hope to add these controls (especially the time warp), perhaps in a future update.
You have surely understood that this compressor certainly does not shine for versatility, especially when we compare it with the other two. The user, however, does not have to limit himself to judging a plugin based on versatility, even if this can be useful in various situations.
I was able to compare this model with a competitor, and I can certainly say that this emulation is more complete, both as regards the additional controls, and as regards the sound colors.
Also in this case Arturia has tried to break through the (little) competition, focusing on innovation and sound accuracy.
Latency and CPU consumption
Each of these plugins has multiple latency samples, but that didn't bother me at all; besides, let's not forget that there is the classic internal bypass switch.
The FET-76 and VCA-65 models fall into the category of “low CPU consumption plugins”, while the TUBE-STA has a consumption equal to double; it therefore falls into the category of "plugins with medium low CPU consumption".
The programmers told me that the tube-sta has a higher consumption, because the algorithm used is more complex.
For further information on the categories of plugins based on CPU usage, I refer you to the first two articles I wrote for this magazine. You will find various information by consulting the appropriate sections.
Personal considerations
Beyond what the manuals say, it is a good idea to test these compressors on multiple sources, taking into account behavior, sonic coloration and natural physical limitations, versatility included.
Compression is not an exact science, but it is a matter of situations and practice, which over time turns into habit.
That's why many professionals prefer on particular tracks, some types of compressors than others. They do not know any secret formula, but they simply conducted experiments, which allowed them to carry on over the years a certain sound "philosophy".
These plugins should not be seen as the classic “all-rounder” digital transparent compressors, because by nature they have a very specific DNA. However they manage, for better or worse, to adapt to all situations, especially when dealing with audio material that is not too complex.
Conclusions
Each plugin costs 99 euros, while the whole package costs 199 euros (VAT included); an honest figure I would say, given the quality of the products involved and what they offer. Summing up:
- All compressors have a convincing sound, better than other competitors.
- CPU consumption is relatively low.
- The additional controls are synonymous with innovation and versatility.
- The sound colors are certainly not lacking, so these products are definitely recommended to those who are looking for plugins that give character to the sound.
I hope for that secondary interface upgrade and maybe even a CPU optimization, as far as the TUBE-STA model is concerned; after all, these were the only things that I didn't like very much, although the compressor still sounds good.
You can also test products in DEMO version, for free, or listen to the audio samples, directly from the manufacturer's website.
That's all for today, see you next time.
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