The compressor also provides preamp distortion that helps make your drums stand out. In the ratio section you will find a button that says ‘ALL’ which is a control that recreates the explosive mode that made the original piece of hardware so popular in tandem with its lightning fast attack. The CLA-76 features input and output knobs, attack and release knobs, and ratio buttons. The CLA-76 looks more like what the stock compressors you would find in Logic Pro X, but it is far superior in terms of sound. It is not known for having any harshness and it colors the audio just enough to give it a smooth sound rather than overdoing it like other digital compressors often do. The CLA-2A is a frequency dependent compressor that was modeled by an old, classic tube compressor called the LA-2A.īecause it is frequency dependent, that makes the CLA-2A slightly slower than other compressors, especially because there is no need for attack time or release, but that means it is smoother.

The Waves CLA-2A compressor is one of my favorites and it is one of the most popular plugins that Waves offers. Waves CLA-2A – Precise Live Innsturments’ Compressor While this EQ may be the most limited in terms of capability, it has a classic analog sound that you only find in Neve gear, and that alone is what has made me consider it one of the best VST plugins. The plugin features all 10 clipping points from the preamp and EQ so you get harmonically rich, classic saturation along with plenty of grit but also a lot of clarity. The 1073 has a 3-band EQ and there is also a post fader output. With the plugin, you can emulate a Neve preamp and then use the EQ to change the frequencies in your recording. Image credit: Universal Audio Check Universal Audio The 1073 is the only end to end Neve 1073 emulation. The Neve 1073 is one of the most revered class A transistor mics and line amps that give total clarity, sheen, and bite to your recording. The Universal Audio Neve 1073 plugin is a channel amplifier that is one of the best preamp and EQ circuits to ever come out. Universal Audio Neve 1073 – Most Revered Preamp The 550B also has a feature called ‘proportional Q’ which automatically widens the filter bandwidth at its minimum settings and narrows it at its highest settings.īoth of the EQs are great for getting that classic sound that only vintage EQs can provide. The 550B offers 7 filter frequencies reaching up to 5 octaves per band (there are 4 bands) with bands 1 and 4 offering a shelf or peak filter if you so desire. The 550B is more of a sweetening EQ but can also be used to solve frequency problems that the 550A might not be able to fix. High and low EQ can be selected as either shelving or peaking, and you are also able to insert a band pass filter. The 550A offers repeatable equalization at 15 frequency points and 5 different boosts that are then divided into 3 overlapping bands.

Best plugin for mastering