Software developers Stillwell Audio have announced an interesting new dynamic processor, the Bombardier Buss Compressor. Apparently the new plug-in has been designed mainly for mix-bus processing and mastering applications — so what hides behind the distinctly Jaguar dashboard-like interface to make it so well suited to the task?
Well, the compressor is apparently of the RMS variety, which should allow for more subtle gain reduction than a peak-sensing compressor. What’s more, the RMS integration time can be continuously adjusted, so if you prefer a more ‘in your face’ sound, you just need to turn the integration time down. The “party piece” of the plug-in, however, is a processing algorithm that Stillwell are calling ‘Bomb’. Both the attack and release times can be set to Bomb mode and, when selected, they become “effectively instantaneous”, though Stillwell say that even in that mode, the compressor’s sound still remains smooth.
The Bombardier can be set to emulate either feedback or feed-forward compressor designs, and there are five pre-emphasis filter modes to choose from, allowing you to tailor the compressor’s reaction to programme material. Other controls include Drive, which adds harmonic distortion to the signal, and Sag, which emulates transformer saturation. Usefully, there’s also a Parallel control, which mixes in some of the dry signal to allow for heavier compression without smashing transients.
Available in both AU and VST formats (including a 64-bit VST version), the Bombardier Buss Compressor costs just $59 and is available to buy directly from Stillwell Audio. They’re even offering a discount of $20 to customers using the plug-in exclusively in Reaper in a non-commercial capacity.
