Softube - Icon: The Compressor Collection - Mixing With Mike Plugin of the Week

This video is from the "Mixing With Mike" live online classes every Wednesday evening @ 4PM US Pacific time. All live classes may be attended for Free!

[BillGraper]

I can actually HEAR the compression in your video!!! Most of the time, I don't really hear a difference, and the guy is nodding his head & saying "Yeah, I like that!" I'll be thinking "Yeah, I like how it sounds the same whether you bypass or not." 😅 This one actually sounds great!

[aleksamrkela]

Softube never disappoints. :D They're among the best in emulations, IMO.

[pranphorun]

I just know the type of compressor impact a lot of vibe in each track like this. Very thank you MIke.

[joesalyers]

Great video and overview as always Softube did a set of these same 3 compressors for Native Instruments about 10 years ago (called the the VC collection) and I thought those were amazing so when I saw these pop up yesterday I had to have them. The Native Instruments versions aren't Apple Silicon Native and probably never will be and I use them all the time. The Native instruments VC76 was always my first choice 1176 emulation. Now it's the Softube FET 2!! I have 4 DBX 160s and the Softube VCA sounds like a brand new one right out of the factory, my hardware 160s are not as clean sounding as I wish they were since they are almost 50 years old. Also no one is talking about this, all 3 of these are zero latency so you could use them live with apps like Apple's Mainstage or the App my band uses live Loudlab's SoundDesk! Since we only need 20 inputs and 10 outputs when playing live I switched to using a Thunderbolt Interface and process everything in SoundDesk. The plugins we have now that are Zero Latency are light years better than anything a stand alone digital mixer can offer. The latency round trip form the computer to our in ears is less than 3 millisecond and with my M1 Max Macbook Pro I stack effects and plugins all over the place to get a 10 times better sound than even digital mixers that cost 50, 000 dollars. Most digital mixers run at 48K and have a latency around 4 to 5 millisecond roundtrip only the really expensive mixers can run at 96K and still they have a 4 to 5 millisecond latency. We rehearsed tonight and I used the FET 2 on 4 vocal mics and the VCA on snare and it was REALLY GOOD!! Everyone noticed how much cleaner and Hi-Fi these plugins were compared to the older Native Instruments versions we had been using. I also ran all 20 channel through the Softube Tape plug which is Zero latency as well and it ran smooth for 5 hours. My M1 Max was sitting at 25% to 35% all evening. that is along with 20 SSL Channel Strips and a BX Ampeg Bass amp plus 2 instances of Amplitube and 4 midi channels running Cherry audio synths at 96K with a SSL UC1 and Behringer X-touch one controlling it all!! Softube has really outdone themselves with these compressors.

[graywyot]

I almost want to buy all the plugins that Softube releases, really like Softube's plugins.

Unrelated, but recently the plugin market has released quite a few compressor compressors that look very promising like:
- AMEK mastering compressor
- Acustica Audio Tiger
- Pulsar Modular Abyss
Would love to hear your thoughts on these plugins.
Thank you, Mike!

[DeltaWhiskeyBravo]

Great demo of these 3 compressors. Just got the Softube VCA compressor free. Looks like it'll be a good dbx160 emulation.

[SoundScienceMediaWorks]

Softube made these initially for native instruments .
It seems that the new merger has allowed them to release these units with softube beautiful gui and it seems some additional features not available in the NI versions.

I’m going to test these and see if they null.

I’m not knocking them.
I love softube and their entire ecosystem and anything that allows me to use more compressors inside console 1 is welcome as I can’t currently use an La-2A or even dbx style with out going to the inserts page in cubase

[aviatedviewssound]

The dbx 202 in the dbx 160 compressor is the SSL 4000 E sound.

[RoseGoldSound]

I was waiting for this. The VCA (although there's plenty different version of that design) is the one I have my eye one with the extra controls !

[danielkisel]

You can directly click on that 2:1 ratio in FET comp don't have to use that low switch 🙂


Thanks for the Shift shortcut!

[audiosounddoctor]

They sound the same as NI vintage collection

[joost]

I don't really dig the idea I gotta be honest I think it's kinda half hearted - there are some modern features that seem useful, but I can think of many things they didn't include too (they do sounds great though, but so do others). I think if they go as far as to give an LA2A so many controls, it kind of misses the purpose. For me personally the LA2A is all about 2 seconds set and forget. I do like the UI's, everything is more accessible than let's say Arturia plugins for example, but then on the other hand, Arturia has more advanced features for the dbx160 (basically a sort of lookahead with which you can really tweak the snappiness of it, which is really smart and incredibly useful IMHO). Just my 2 cents, and I DO like Softube stuff, love that they did the Weiss DS1-MK3 port and their tape is great to use on tracks almost like an EQ/compressor simultaneously. Thanks for the video Mike good stuff as always very thankful of your advice over the years I've been watching!

[giedriusnakas]

did you feel any advantages of using these instead of UA's same compressors? does it sound different in some way?

[johanolofandersson]

This is their take on 1176 compressors. There are a lot of 1176 models. Does Fet Compressor cover all these models?

[Mixingmachine]

Hi Michael.Did you make video about amek mastering compressor ?

[RiffLair]

I was wondering if you could help me in which to get. I'm building a digital studio let's say and I don't like having too many choices but want to have 1 of each classics, FET OPTO etc..
I was thinking on getting these 3 from Softube or MC77 & Acme XLA-3 by Plugin Alliance. Cheers!

[stansteez]

Softube already releasd them under Native Instruments 10 years ago in the Vintage Compressor bundle (VC160, VC2A and VC76). Because back then, their rationale was to not release plugin versions of devices already done by competitors… I guess they changed their mind…

[triplebeam]

There are soooo many emulations that have never been done.. I'm kinda sick of the same old stuff I wish they would do something nobody touched already

[prod.lyelye]

Would absolutely love to see a Acoustica Audio Tiger review! ❤

[Fwuzeem]

They're the same as the Arturia Compressors aren't they?