Best Free Bus Compressor Vst
The DCAM is a unique free plugin which features a classic analog console bus compressor design. The free version is modelled on the DCAM Dynamics suite of compressors. The Freecomp is a great compressor option but its good to know the option for the full suite is there if you need it. Bus Driver is an optical compressor that provides a wide range of compression effects, reminiscent of the best vintage compressors made in the '60s. Compression is one of those studio processes that is all too often taken for granted and not usually used to its full potential.
If you want a better mix, knowing how to use compressors is key. Not every compressor does the same thing. Compressors have personalities!
In fact, you should have several compressors and get to know what each one brings to your mix.
Compressors give you more loudness without clipping. They smooth out peaks and give more punch.
So here are 7 free VST compressors plugins for you:
- Rough Rider
- OTT
- DCAM Free Comp
- TAN
- SAFE Compressor
- FR COMP 87
- MCompressor
Grab them for either Mac or PC and install them on any DAW.
Add them to your toolkit today and compress your way to success:
1. Rough Rider
By Audio Damage
Audio Damage’s Rough Rider is a modern compressor with a vintage flavour.
Rough Rider is the best for adding pump to rhythmic tracks. It’s not designed for transparency but gives great high impact bite. Drive it to get some extra crunch and warmth.
Adjust the Ratio, Attack, Release times, and Sensitivity and Makeup gain knobs to find your perfect ride.
Download Rough Rider for free here.
2. OTT
By Xfer Records
OTT is a multiband upwards/downwards compressor made by Xfer Records.
It’s an aggressive-style of compression very popular in dubstep and electro productions.
Tweak the knobs to adjust the Depth, Time, In Gain and Out Gain. Play with Highs, Mids and Lows. Adjust the percentages of upwards and downwards compression to your taste.
Download OTT for free here.
3. DCAM Free Comp
By FXpansion
FXpansion’s DCAM Free Comp is modelled after classic console bus compressors.
What does it do best? It glues together subgroups in your mix. Gluing gives you more punch and definition while also taming your peaks. Nice!
Change the settings for a more extreme creative effect.
Download DCAM Free Comp here.
4. TAN
By Acustica Audio
Acustica’s TAN compressor was modelled from classic analog VCA compressors.
It’s a versatile compressor that gives you a wide range of adjustments.
The TAN compressor has a unique ShMod knob. It allows you to fine-tune the shape of the attack. For all of you precision freaks out there!
Download TAN for free here.
5. SAFE Compressor
By Semantica Audio
The SAFE compressor is part of a unique project. Semantica Audio has one mission: “control your audio effect plug-ins using terms that normal human beings can understand!”
Just type a term into SAFE’s text box (warm, bright, etc.) and the plugin will look for a setting to match it. Add your own words for a particular setting you like.
A dream right?
Download the SAFE Compressor for free here.
6. FR COMP 87
By eaReckon
Instead of giving you a limited demo version of their ANALOG87 series, eaReckon made a fully functional free FR COMP 87.
What this plugin does best? Simplicity. The FR COMP 87 has two knobs: threshold and makeup. Choose from three speeds—fast, medium and slow. Or turn on the limiter switch if you need it. Sometimes simple is just better.
Download FR COMP 87 for free here.
7. MCompressor
By MeldaProduction
MCompressor is a feature-packed, smart compressor.
Fully customize the shape of your graph. Use the smart randomization feature to instantly generate new settings. Use side-chaining to better mix your kick and bass. Even map your MCompressor onto a MIDI controller!
The MCompressor can handle mono, stereo and even 8 channel surround processing—great if you’re mixing for video, film or movies!
Download MCompressor for free here.
Be a Comp Champ
Stock up on these compressors and build a killer virtual effects rack.
Testing lots of compressors and finding the perfect ones for each mixing situation is key.
So download this list, try them out and keep your favorites close.
Make the art of compression part of every DAW session.
Get all of the LANDR-approved free VST plugin collection:
BEST FREE VST COMPRESSORS
FREE VST COMPRESSOR PLUGINS
Below you will find a list of free compressors with links to the respective download sites. If you scroll down further you will find descriptions of the listed compressor vst plugins.
The vst plugins mentioned may be working either on PC or Mac or on both and a few are 32-bit only. However, by the use of a bit bridge and / or a plugin-adaptor (like jBridge, 32 lives, DDMF Bridgewize or Blue Cat’s Patchwork) you should be able to use these vst plugins in almost any DAW. In Klangheim Studio we use Cubase in combination with jBridge and that works like a charm without any hickups. You can read more about bit bridging in our article About Bit Bridging
MCompressor by Melda Production
DC1A by Klanghelm
MJUC Jr. by Klanghelm
Molot by VladG
Tan by Acustica Audio
TDR Kotelnikov by Tokyo Dawn Records
RoughRider3 by Audio Damage
ReaComp by Cockos
SAFE Compressor by Semantic Audio
Leveling Tool by AdHd Audio Tools
jsCompShaper by JS Audio
FRComp87 by eaReckon
GComp by GVST
LA Thrillseeker by Variety of Sound (Windows)
Density mkiii by Variety of Sound (high quality buss and mastering compressor) (Windows)
Thrillseeker VBL by Variety of Sound (Vari-Mu compressor – this is primarily a saturation tool but it also has a simple compressor that works very well on bass) (Windows)
Nasty VCS by Variety of Sound (channelstrip with opto style compressor) (Windows)
Older vst compressor plugins – but good:
Compressive Pro by Martin Eastwood (Windows)
FL4TT3RY 2 by platinumears (Windows)
Side Chain Compressor by slim slow slider (Windows)
Sidechain Compressor by Christian Budde (Windows)
dlm Sixtyfive by de la Mancha (Windows)
Kjaerhus Compressor by Kjaerhus (Windows)
Blockfish by Digital Fishphones
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MCompressor by Melda Production (Windows and Mac)
MCompressor is a very nice and very versatile vst compressor plugin. It has a good graphic user interface (GUI) that gives you good visual feedback about what you are doing both in terms of how you are compressing (soft knee, linear, or hard knee) and how much gain reduction you are employing.
You have full control over attack, release, ratio and threshold and you can target either the audio peaks or the average loudness (RMS) of the incoming signal – or set up the MCompressor to target the audio signal somewhere in between these two.
MCompressor also has a sidechain and a highpass and lowpass filter which makes it extraordinarily flexible. It comes with the Melda Free Bundle that includes quite a few other nice vst plugins. Highly recommended.
Download link: MCompressor
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DCA1 by Klanghelm (Windows and Mac)
The DC1A compressor from Klanghelm is a simple yet powerfull free VST compressor plugin. If you are a beginner this could be a good compressor to learn by since it is very easy to tweak plus you are forced to use your ears and not rely on numbers.
The DC1A is resembling an OPTO compressor. Its attack and release timings are program dependant although you have the choice between a faster response (which is the default mode) and a slower response with the ”relaxed” mode engaged. It has a fixed threshold and the more you gain the input the more compression you will get.
Use the output knob to match the compressed level to the uncompressed. This way you will not be fooled by differences in loudness between the unprocessed and the processed audio.
The DC1A can add a nice saturation effect to the audio. The saturation is stronger with higher gain reduction. You will have less saturation when the ”relaxed” mode is enabled. If you use it for just a few db of gain reduction in ”relaxed” mode it will work in a much more transparent way.
On stereo tracks you can compress the left and right side separately by enabling the ”dual mono” mode and Klanghelm has also given us an internal sidechain high pass filter which comes in handy when you want to keep the low end more intact (for instance on the drum bus). Finally you have the option of using negative compression ratios.
So, even though the DC1A looks simple at a first glance it is quite surprisingly versatile and can work well on many different types of audio material from drums and percussion to vocals, guitars, and keyboards. It is a very good sounding free VST compressor and should you want even more flexibility you should check out its ”big brother”, the DC8A, which is a high quality compressor with a lot of tweakability for just a little more than 20 US Dollars.
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MJUC jr by Klanghelm (Vari-Mu compressor) (Windows and Mac)
Yet another simple but powerful vst compressor plugin by Klanghelm. MJUC jr is a scaled down version of the amazing MJUC compressor plugin by Klanghelm. However, the MJUC jr still gives you a little of the flavour that you will find plenty of in its bigger sibling. Both plugins are emulations of the Vari-Mu compressors type and thus they add quite a bit of tube coloration / saturation.
With just a few controls – compress, make up gain, and a choice between three time constants (fast, slow, and auto) – the plugin is very easy to operate and you may be surprised about how much you can get out of this scaled down version. If you need more control and would enjoy playing with a lot of extra parameters you can buy the full version for very little money.
Download link: MJUC jr
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TDR Kotelnikov by Tokyo Dawn Records (Windows and Mac)
TDR Kotelnikov is a free VST compressor designed primarily for mastering purposes. It can function in a very transparent way and will definitely also find it’s use as a channel compressor or a group bus compressor.
The developers have added control features that you will not find on many compressors such as separate control over peak and RMS release values and a way to balance the importance and influence of each of these release times on the processing (through the peak crest knob and of course through the peak release knob and the RMS release knob).
You can also control the stereo sensitivity and chose whether the compressor should work on the full stereo audio or on the mid (”sum”) alone or the ”side” (”diff”) alone. If you want to dial in both mid and side compression and control these individually then you can simply use two instances of TDR Kotelnikov.
TDR Kotelnikov offers an internal sidechain function which gives you the option of relaxing the way the compressor responds to low end frequencies. There is also a mix option for parallel compression.
Timingwise the TDR Kotelnikov is capable of very fast settings. The attack time can be as low as 0.02 milliseconds and the release time can be as fast as 10 milliseconds for the peak release and 20 milliseconds for the RMS release. Of course you can choose slower settings as well since the attack time is fully adjustable up to 250 milliseconds and the release time likewise fully adjustable up to 2 seconds. All in all a very versatile tool for transparent compression.
TDR Kotelnikov is a fabulous free VST compressor plugin and it is amazing that you can get this quality for free. For mastering it is one of the best free vst compressors around. Highly recommended.
Should you want even more options there is a ”Gentleman’s Edition” at a very affordable price. /blue-cat-audio-vst-plugin-bundle.html.
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Thrillseeker LA by Variety of Sound (Windows only)
This is definitely one of my favorite free VST compressors and probably the one free VST compressor that I use the most. The Thrillseeker LA is a very versatile compressor. In many ways it works like an OPTO compressor but although some people on the internet describe it as a free version of the LA-2A it is much more flexible than that.
Yes, indeed, the Thrillseeker LA can work very much like an LA-2A but you have many extra options on this Variety of Sound plugin. First of all you have faster attack times (both attack and release times are dependant on the incoming audio material – just as is the case with the LA-2A – but you can tweak and control the timing to some extend with the attack and release knobs).
This means that it is possible to tweak the Thrillseeker LA to work very much like a dbx 160 when it comes to timing – or a Tubetech CL-1B as well as a Fairchild or an LA-2A compresor.
Variety of Sound has also given us control over the total harmonic distortion (THD) with the interstage section. Once you have found the right amount of compression and adjusted the attack and release to your liking you can turn on the interstage section and add 2 order harmonics. If you want to go further than that you can use the slider to add even more THD and obtain thicker saturation effects.
Finally you have the ability to colour the saturation effect to your needs and even switch on a transformer circuit simulation to fatten up the sound even more.
Thrillseeker LA has internal and external sidechain options and in the top left corner you will find a little knob that calibrates the plugin to a conservative (and advisable) mix level of -18 db.
In other words Thrillseeker LA can work as a clean compressor or as a more vintage sounding unit. It can work with much faster attack times than an LA-2A and it has its own little colour tool box in the interstage section.
You can use it as a channel compressor or indeed as a bus compressor. And last but not least: it sounds amazingly good. It proves that free plugins can sound as good as commercial plugins – and be more innovative than most of them! That is just one good reason to dive into free VST compressors and other free VST plugins. Highly recommended.
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SAFE Compressor by Semantic Audio (Windows and Mac)
The SAFE Compressor is special in the sense that it allows you to type in more intuitive or descriptive terms or words into the plugins textbox – such as for instance bright, warm, punchy etc. – and if the word or term is on the developers server the compressor will be set to parameters that can bring forward the wanted and described effect.
Bus Compressor Vst
You can save your own suggestions for semantic terms that represent a compression effect and it can then be shared with other users via the server. In other words SAFE Compressor is a unique intuitive compressor that may be of special interest to beginners.
Download link: SAFE Compressor
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Best Free Bus Compressor Vst Packs
FRComp87 by eaReckon (Windows and Mac)
FRComp87 is a delightfully simple vst compressor plugin. It only has a few controls: threshold, makeup gain, and three timings (fast, medium, and slow). Finally, you can switch in a limiter to tame peaks after the compression. Because of the simplicity FRComp is very fast to use and may be just the right starting point if you are a beginner when it comes to compression.
Download link: FRComp87
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dlm Sixtyfive by de la Mancha (Windows)
The developer de la Mancha has created a really good free VST compressor plugin inspired by the dbx 165 A compressor. However, de la Mancha’s Sixtyfive gives you several extra options compared to the hardware which inspired his work.
If you are looking for a dbx-style compressor plugin Sixtyfive is a good choice. It sounds very good and adds a little, nice coloration and character to the audio material you run through it.
De la Mancha has given you extra features like a dry/wet knob which makes it easy to dial in ”New York” or parallel compression. While the fastest attack on the original hardware is 1 millisecond de la Mancha lets you dial in even faster timings. Like the dbx 165 A de la Mancha’s Sixtyfive also has an auto attack and release button which activates a program dependant attack and release response. It also features a peak stop option for hard limiting on the final output.
Sixtyfive is a soft knee compressor. You can tweak it to give you smooth, musical compression or to work in much more agressive ways. So if you need a vintage style VCA compressor plugin with extra features you need look no further.
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GComp by GVST (Windows and Mac)
With the GComp vst compressor plugin you have full control over attack, release, threshold, hard knee or soft knee or anything in between as well as dialing in the balance between how the compressor should react to audio peaks versus RMS (the average loudness of the program material). On top of that it also includes a limiter.
You can adjust the input and output volume and GComp gives you a good visual feedback of what is going on and how much compression you are applying.
GComp has a sibling called GComp2 with a few different parameters that you could check out as well.
Download link: GComp