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The only end-to-end Distressor emulation
The Universal Audio Empirical Labs Distressor is not just your average compressor plugin. UA's 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 Derr's 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 UA's 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 you're taming transients or adding punch to your mix, the Distressor's 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 Distressor's 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 Distressor's 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 I've been mixing in the box." - Jacquire King
"The Distressor is capable of such a radical compressor tones that it becomes its own instrument. I'm 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
Features
- The world’s most popular compressor, exactingly recreated for UAD and Apollo.
- Track and mix with the only authentic emulation of the EL8 Distressor — the world's 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 more
Specifications
- Operating 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-ins
- Product code: 1172-74