VST alternatives to Massey CT4?

[AdamWathan]

Anyone have any good VST compressor recommendations? I am trying to find something with the simplicity and awesomeness of CT4 but struggling. Tried OldTimer but I can't get it to pop on my drums like CT4... CT4 with attack set to slow and release at medium was KILLER at letting through my snare pop and killing everything else, looking for any other good slow attack compressors. The Rocket is working great as my fast attack compressor/limiter but everything I've tried for slow purposes is sucking hard.

 

[Dollarosa]

Softube FET, don't own it but used it in my mates studio, also try the CL1B. After my next paid project I am buying the FET for sure.

 

[Jind]

You might want to give either of these from Stillwell - Major Tom or The Rocket. Major Tom may just fit the bill for simplicity and character - it's also gotten some good press in various forums. The price is really good for Stillwell plugs as well and really seem to be well worth the investment made.

Major Tom

The Rocket

 

[kev]

Didnt he say he already had the rocket?

 

[The Unavoidable]

I refuse to use any plugin that looks that good!

This is a real mans gui:

 

[Jind]

Didnt he say he already had the rocket?

LIES!!!!!!!!!! He added it afterwards Just Kidding - just an oversight on my part. But I really wanted to focus on Major Tom as I think it's a really nice simple comp with character.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

I love the LMC

 

[AdamWathan]

I love the LMC

Appears to be fixed fast attack and PPC only :/ I was excited for a minute

Demoing the Softube right now, sounds pretty good, CT4 still sounds better though... Also got the Waves SSL demo, pretty cool as well. Someone needs to make an RTAS to VST wrapper

 

[JeffTD]

Don't you have MHCS? That thing is nutty.

I'd buy the CLA plugins over the SSL bundle; I really actually only like the comp on the SSL stuff.

I'd also recommend anything Softube over anything Waves. CL1B, FET comp, Trident A-range EQ, etc...

 

[Metaltastic]

What about good ol' ReaComp? (honestly I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on how it stacks up)

 

[AdamWathan]

Don't you have MHCS? That thing is nutty.

I'd buy the CLA plugins over the SSL bundle; I really actually only like the comp on the SSL stuff.

I'd also recommend anything Softube over anything Waves. CL1B, FET comp, Trident A-range EQ, etc...

Nope can't even demo MHCS, any time I've tried it says my demo period is expired even though I've never used it :/

Aren't the CLA compressors 1176 and LA2As though? I thought those were super fast limiter style compressors?

I am enjoying the CL1B more and more, not stoked on forking out $400 for it though. Been playing with Oldtimer a lot more today and it's starting to feel pretty good too, hopefully that one wins me over because it's a lot cheaper

 

[AdamWathan]

What about good ol' ReaComp? (honestly I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on how it stacks up)

ReaComp is actually not bad, Oldtimer and CL1B sound a lot more musical to me though, not really sure how to describe it. Trust me, I would love to be stoked on ReaComp enough to not even want to try anything else

 

[Metaltastic]

ReaComp is actually not bad, Oldtimer and CL1B sound a lot more musical to me though, not really sure how to describe it. Trust me, I would love to be stoked on ReaComp enough to not even want to try anything else

Hmm, well if that last line was a dig at me, I fully intend on trying other plugs, once I get the money to afford to buy 'em

 

[AdamWathan]

Hmm, well if that last line was a dig at me, I fully intend on trying other plugs, once I get the money to afford to buy 'em

Oh no dude not at all! All I'm saying is ReaComp is free so I wish I liked how it sounded, would save me a ton of cash! I got it sounding pretty nice this morning actually, but I miss the simplicity of CT4. Attack is either "slow" or "fast" and then you turn up the "compression" knob, that's it Beautiful for people like me who are too dumb to know how to tweak anything properly!

 

[Metaltastic]

Haha, yeah, I definitely agree on detesting too many options; I actually bought the Voxengo Marquis Compressor some time ago and still have the license (naturally), but I fucking hate using it because of the 9 billion different ways it can be tweaked - Elephant is the same way, but at least there I've been able to realize that the 3 obscure controls (Trans Time, Trans Shape, and to a lesser extent, knee) make so little of a difference that I pretty much always leave 'em at their defaults (and I guess the creator realized that too, since they're hidden away in a sub-menu )

 

[digitaldeath]

Also, check out some of the JS plugs in Reaper.