The Universal Audio Empirical Labs Distressor is a true end-to-end digital recreation of a famous studio compressor. Originally introduced in 1993 this iconic piece of equipment has become a staple in recording studios around the globe. Known for its versatility and lightning-fast response the Distressor brings a whole new level of colour and character to your recordings. Building upon the legacy of the UA 1176 and Teletronix LA-2A compressors the Distressor takes compression to new heights. It seamlessly combines utilitarian functionality with creative flair resulting in a tool that is unmatched in its capabilities. The Distressor has been featured on countless hit records making it an essential part of any audio engineers arsenal. Designed in collaboration with Empirical Labs founder Dave Derr the UAD Empirical Labs EL8 Distressor is the only authentic plug-in emulation of this legendary hardware. With an attention to detail that is second to none every aspect of the Distressor has been meticulously recreated. From its unique sonic characteristics to its intuitive controls this plug-in faithfully captures the essence of the original hardware. Please Note: This product comes in the form of a digital download code that will be sent to your email for activation.
The only end-to-end Distressor emulation The Universal Audio Empirical Labs Distressor is not just your average compressor plugin. UAs team of DSP experts went to great lengths to provide a faithful emulation of the original Distressor design. They started by conducting a complete circuit trace and component study of Dave Derrs selected golden unit. In addition they thoroughly analyzed three more Distressors to capture the full range of variations that the product has undergone over its lifetime. The result is one of UAs most accurate circuit models to date ensuring that you get the true sound and functionality of the original hardware. Ultra-fast attack time When comparing the Distressor software emulations on the market the ultra-fast attack time is where many fall short. However the authentic UAD Distressor excels in this area. With lightning-fast attack time you can easily shape the dynamics of your audio sources ensuring clarity and precision. Whether youre taming transients or adding punch to your mix the Distressors attack time is there to help you achieve the desired result. Staggering compression ratios The heart of the Distressor lies in its wide range of compression ratios. With options including 1:1 2:1 3:1 4:1 6:1 10:1 20:1 and Nuke you have an incredible amount of control over the compression characteristics. Use the 1:1 ratio to gently warm up synths or strings without compression while adding subtle harmonics. On the other hand the Nuke limiter setting is perfect for adding explosive excitement to room mics or energizing an entire mix. Whether you need subtle compression or extreme dynamics shaping the Distressor has got you covered. Iconic distortion modes The Distressor is well-known for its distinctive distortion modes labelled as Dist 2 and Dist 3. These modes offer a wide palette of compression colouration allowing you to shape your audio sources with even or combined even/odd-order harmonic distortion. From delicate thickening to burnished tape to fully saturated sounds the Distortion Modes combined with low-frequency filtering provide you with endless creative possibilities. Whether you want to add warmth and character or push your tracks to the edge the Distressors distortion modes allow you to achieve the desired textures. Powerful sidechain controls The Distressor also offers powerful sidechain controls that allow you to focus your dynamics precisely. The high-pass filter helps eliminate unwanted low-frequency pumping and breathing making it ideal for drum bus processing. The band emphasis feature can tame strident vocals or target harsh instrument midrange peaks. You can also combine both features to achieve your desired outcome. Additionally you can run the Distressor on buses linked or unlinked for flexible imaging. Exclusive plug-in features such as Dry/Wet Mix offer easy parallel compression on a mix bus or instrument group. Finally the Headroom control optimizes the Distressors overall operating level to suit your playback system ensuring maximum compatibility and quality. Reviews “This is the definitive Distressor Emulation” – Dave Derr (Founder of Empirical Labs) “The UAD EL8 Distressor feels just like the hardware giving me the results that Ive been mixing in the box.” – Jacquire King “The Distressor is capable of such a radical compressor tones that it becomes its own instrument. Im confident the UAD version will become just as useful as the hardware.” – Joe Chiccarelli “The Distressor is the perfect all-around compressor and no studio should be without a few of them. Now with the UAD Distressor you can have as many as you need.” – Vance Powell FeaturesThe world’s most popular compressor exactingly recreated for UAD and Apollo. Track and mix with the only authentic emulation of the EL8 Distressor — the worlds most popular modern compressor Creatively colour instruments and vocals with famous “Dist 2” and “Dist 3” modes Radically shape guitars drums and vocals with nearly infinite gain reduction variations Embellish pump up or destroy bass synth and room mics with custom detector filtering Harness plug-in-only features like Dry/Wet parallel processing and Headroom for user‑customizable operating level Mix with presets from Joe Chiccarelli (The Strokes) Vance Powell (Jack White) Jacquire King (Kings of Leon) Jimmy Douglass (The Rolling Stones) and moreSpecificationsOperating system:Mac: 10.15 Catalina 11 Big Sur 12 Monterey or 13 Ventura Windows: Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit editions)Processor: Intel AMD or Apple silicon processor Disk space: 10 GB available SSD storage Activation:Internet connection to download software and authorize native UAD plug-ins Free iLok account with iLok Cloud or iLok USB (2nd generation or higher) Free UA Connect application for managing native UAD plug-insProduct code: 1172-74
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