Manic Compressor
Original price was: $149.00.$10.00Current price is: $10.00.
Note for M1 Mac Users: This plugin is not yet compiled to work natively on M1 Macs. We are currently in the process of rewriting it so that it will, but it will take some time. In the meantime, it should work under rosetta on M1 Macs.
Manic Compressor makes cumbersome and procedurally intense chores easy and intuitive. With true parallel processing, it features six compressor models and the ability to switch between them instantly without changing settings. Two EQ sections give you sidechain controlas well as the ability to create truly unique sounds unattainable by standard EQ/compressor combinations.
Available Formats
Features
- 6 Unique Compression models
- Simple Parallel compression
- “Loud Relief” for super transparent compression
Manic Compressor is not only manic, but also has multiple personalities—six to be precise, each one providing its own unique character. Manic Compressor addresses the creative needs of mix engineers in ways that no other compressor does. Its ability to instantly switch between compressors models without changing settings lets you can choose the most effective compressor for the job without losing perspective or valuable mix time. Along with supreme flexibility, Manic Compressor was conceived with true parallel compression as its core functionality. It also combines the compressor models with two sections of EQ, plus a number of innovative features that give you the ability to drive Manic Compressor as hard as you like, simultaneously creating new and unique sounds while still retaining musicality. Once you hear what Manic Compressor can do, you’ll wonder how you lived without it. Plus, it will be hard to resist the temptation to revisit old mixes with a renewed enthusiasm.
Manic Compressor—Unique Features:
- Six compressor models designed with parallel compression in mind
- Instantly switch between models with settings retained
- Separate faders for wet, dry, and master levels
- Graphic
- Wet/Dry Mix button lets wet and dry faders act as mix knobs instead of separate faders
- Three-position “Beef” switch with Thin, Neutral, and Thick settings that change the compressor’s response to an input signal
- Variable knee for subtle compression before the threshold is crossed
- “Loud Relief” relaxes response to transients during heavy compression of loud program material, allowing a natural dynamic response with extreme settings
- Tone Signal Application selects which part of your signal chain the Tone EQ affects (wet or dry).
- Mid/Side panner that can be used as a simple stereo widener or fix any mid/side level discrepancies in Mid or Side mode
Manic Compressor—Just the Facts:
- Standard compression controls
- Selectable Dual Mono, Stereo, Mid, and Side operation
- Drive controls input gain and adds analog saturation as gain increases
- Selectable internal or external sidechain
- Sidechain input listen
- Pre/Post sets tone equalizer before or after the compressor
- A/B bank lets you compare settings
Parallel-O-Grammys
Manic Compressor is built for parallel compression right from the drawing board. It comprises six unique compressor models, each optimized for the response you want from bus compression, plus separate faders for compressed, uncompressed, and master levels—offering true parallel compression in a single plug-in. However, if you want subtle compression with natural sound, you can combine the Wet and Dry faders to function like a mix knob.
The Power of Six
With Manic Compressor, you can switch between its six compressors instantly without any change in settings, so you can hear the tonal effect and impact of each in action without losing perspective. Plus, since compression is treated more and more as a creative effect, Manic Compressor is built for abuse, enabling you to go to extremes and achieve unique, musically useful sounds that go beyond the limits (so to speak) of mere level control. One such effect is the Tone EQ in a parallel compression setup.
Built-in Tone and Sidechain EQ
In standard parallel compression schemes, EQ is used to boost or cut various frequencies for pre- or post-compression effects. Ahead of the compressor, EQ can tame sounds going into the compressor, such as cymbals from being too harsh, or, it can prevent low frequencies from pulling down the mix. Used after the compressor, EQ can emphasize lost frequencies or tame those that the compressor over-emphasizes. This involves a lot of extra steps, even in software. Either way, this approach is more utilitarian than creative.
Manic Compressor gives you both practical and creative EQing. It hosts two EQ sections, both with their own preset manager, for the “all-in-one” functionality you’ve come to expect from Boz Digital. The Sidechain EQ, which is not audible, affects the signal going into the detector, determining how it reacts to program material by emphasizing or de-emphasizing selected frequencies. Additionally, the Sidechain input, selectable between internal and external sources, can be monitored in isolation for tweaking purposes.
The second EQ section is the Tone EQ, which does affect the audio output and gives you creative license to go wild if you want to. This EQ is designed to give you control over the frequency bands mainly associated with parallel compression. However, it’s not simply for low- and high-end boost. It follows its own set of rules. You can use extreme settings and blend them in with the dry signal for some truly unique sounds, unattainable by standard compressors and EQs.
Bringing Transients into Sharp Relief
You know you have a great piece of kit when you can crank knobs all the way up and still get a good sound, or an unexpectedly great sound, which is what Manic Compressor is built for—so let’s make some mistakes—that’s what it’s all about. The last “mistake” that spawned a unique compression effect was the “all button mode,” which is so 50 years ago. Among Manic Compressor’s innovative features is its Loud Relief control, which lets you apply extreme amounts of compression while relaxing the compressor’s grip on loud transients for a more natural sound.
With Loud Relief, Manic Compressor lets you visit sonic mayhem on an unsuspecting populace, crushing tracks under your merciless boot heels, and then ease off with Loud Relief, which softens the compression artifacts even under super heavy load.
Once you use Manic Compressor on your projects, we are confident that you’ll realize you’ve been missing out on a whole new world of sound that you didn’t know even existed with compression.
83 reviews for Manic Compressor
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fruc –
I’ve got about 2 dozen paid for compressors, about 2 dozen free compressors. Some a lot more expensive than others. With that said, this compressor is a real treat if you just want to have fun. Its many modes means that you can find an algo that suits your particular compression job when needed.
The interface is well thought out and doesn’t take long to learn. Even a noobie would get to grips with this quite quickly. But I don’t think it’s for absolute beginners. Intermediate to advanced, I would say is more the demographic.
This compressor has no sound. It has many sounds. It has as many sounds as you can take the time to dial in. Compression is a hard thing to master. When you start to get to that point you can use it for EQ’ing and you can use it for Gating.
If you bought this plugin in a sale, then it’s a steal. It’s not hyperbole to say that it might be the only plugin for compression you might ever need. It would go 90 percent of the way there for 90 percent of users.
Along with the very unintrusive protection scheme that Boz has for all his plugins, this plugin is a joy to use. Pretty soon, you’ll be coming back to buy more from this exemplary developer.
TL;DR: this is a really great compressor plugin.
Consona –
I have dozens of VST compressors but after watching some videos about this one I bought it and after some testing I must say what a fabulous plugin.
Love the attack and release sensitivity, let’s me dial so many various flavours of compression in. The different models add a very nice palette of diverse sound characterictics as well.
And the CPU load is so minuscule. Wow!
Great job, boz-n!
LeggeAudio –
I bought this for $30 as an impulse buy on Black Friday. Not great. It sucks the life right out of your source. Ever hit a 160x really hard? That’s what this sounds like – a flat tire. I feel like that’s why their parallel function exists at all. Multiple character profiles seems cool, but it’s not really. I’m sure someone could find a use for this, but it’s not for me.
Tre’ Ossmann –
Low CPU, great sound and flexibility. I know the intended use of this plugin is for parallel compression specifically, but even when used as a regular compressor, it still sounds good. I think the best feature this compressor has to offer is the “loud relief” knob. Which essentially, from my understanding, makes the compressor compress less as the signal is driven harder. Which makes this compressor still sound really nice even with insane amounts of gain reduction.
This thing is a swiss army knife of a compressor. Highly recommend.
bubble07 –
This is a fantastic compressor, very easy to use with lots of functionality. I wish I’d bought this ages ago.
oscarfishermusic –
a Dr. diagnosed me ‘Manic’ so you know I wasn’t gonna pass up on this compressor! This compressor works great! lots of options! it really is a Manic Compressor!
eno –
Love the versatility of this one. It’s not often, but then very effectively used.
fridburg –
on all subgroups and percussion works pretty well with the signal, the switching option is very good, you can always choose the nature of the sound
Alexphilipp –
REAPER shows zero load with this compressor! Even native has 0,1%
After using it a bit this compressor became my default. Simply art of coding!
kevinsparks –
Being able to eq the wet and/or dry within the plugin is brilliant. CPU usage is incredibly low too, so go hog wild
Razzia –
I didn’t know what exactly to expect, but I had no inkling that Boz Digital was such a standout developer. I’d heard good things, but nobody who’s been involved with music for a while needs any more compressors. Manic Compressor was heavily discounted though, so I briefly tried it and bought it. I had so much fun just experimenting with all the different modes and tonal options. It’s unusual to find a plugin that’s got so many bells and whistles while still being simple, intuitive, and to-the-point with not an ounce of fat or gimmick. There’s something fabfilter-esque about it (albeit with more reasonable pricing).
Like so many enthusiasts I’ll often pick up a plugin because it’s shiny and new or so discounted that it forces my hand, and then I get a few compulsory uses out of it and mostly just go back to whatever my workflow was before. But when I started using Manic Compressor I thought, “oh yes. this fits perfectly with how I think and work.”
Chucaro Albaradize –
One of the most versatile compressors ever made, and that goes for both dynamic control and character. For the price it is such a no-brainer. The CPU hunger is great, even considering all the functions available. The only thing missing for it to be pretty much complete is an external side-chain input for Pro Tools, which I still have hopes it will be released. I could live with only this compressor and my pair of TX5Cs for all compressor tasks.
mylescs –
This is the compressor I have been waiting for. Well done!
infectramusic –
Phenomenal compressor! Breathes life into my drum and vocal parts with the ease of use of parallel compression it offers. I saw a producer using this on his live stream and was blown away by how it worked. Now I am using it and couldn’t be happier.
Pichon –
I expected it to be more versatile. This comp does not behave like normal comps, so it´s hard to get satisfactory results (with 6 different comps!!!). I would not use it as bus comp or for glueing. Automatic release would be a great feature. Blacl Friday Price was 99, with coupon 79, now it is 79 and I am curious about the regular price next year. Regular Price was 149 $ first. I hope this was not just a trick or marketing strategy to make people believe they could save a whole lot of money buying this plugin !-?
c7diminished –
it’s a God sent compressor. great on sources that needs a life to them.
pascal.studio9 –
JUST AMAZING !!! parallel compression in one plug in ! perfect
mikeyschulz –
So versatile and such character when you need it. With so much meat you’ll need more gravy!
kulakowskij –
Very cool! Would love to have a feature that saves the knob positions when switching between the 6 styles, this way you can dial them in to the same Gain Reduction and actually be able to A/B them without turning knobs to readjust every time you switch between compression style.
ALXZ –
Finally someone use the brain!!!! is a pain in the boot to make a parallel compression setup all the time… Awesome idea, i need to try and make different approaches and compare with my old school and Manic, for start is GREAT !! and very cool.
nordicboz –
Truly amazing comp!
Makes parallel compression simple while adding a twist to it.
Sounds musical – extreme – subtle, everything’s there.
Congratulations Boz!
xaviager –
Excellent plugin! In 5 minutes you are getting incredible textures and sounds…
Thx again Boz!
vicnest –
The workflow and well-thought features. Definitely one unique software compressor comes with many variety of tones and dynamic shaping capabilities. Enjoy the time mixing with it.
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This is a monster!
Finally, St3v3n Sl@te has some real stiff competition and no iLok necessary!!!
(resubmitted because I couldn’t select 5 stars)
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This is a monster!
Finally, St3v3n Sl@te has some real stiff competition and no iLok necessary!!!
sthhde –
I really like the ergonomic design and the easy comparison of different basic compression types. Nice sonics as well, easy to improve single tracks and mix buses. Congrats, BDL!
RIER Mixer –
Incredible! Love the ease and speed I can get the sound I want!
bgrotto –
I just gotta stop in to say this thing is like, really, REALLY fantastic.
I’m completely re-shaping drums in ways I hadn’t thought possible, and it’s completely intuitive and incredibly fast. Very, very impressed with this plugin. What I’m really, really loving about it is that the layout and scale of the controls is causing me to make much (like, MUCH) more extreme settings than I’d typically do, which is teaching me a lot about just how far I can push some of these techniques. It’s actually causing me to rethink how I’ll use other pieces of gear, which is pretty amazing.
It’s rare that I find piece of gear (or, especially, a plugin) that make me re-consider the way I use my other equipment. The Manic Compressor is one such piece. Really incredible.
redgazza –
This thing is RIDICULOUS!! Talk about an absolute game-changer. ‘High End’ plug-in companies need to sit up and take note! I can’t imagine any instrument or bus the Manic Compressor wouldn’t work wonders on.. Gary White (BAFTA nominated composer/producer)
RockhardJ –
Very happy with both the aesthetics and functionality of this plugin.
Top marks for innovation, a pleasure to use and hear it’s results.
tjarkobusink –
I did not even bother to demo it. After the magnificent Hoser and simple but wonderfully effective Mongoose (both part of my standard Master buss chain) I knew what to expect. The price is amazing for what you get. I love the Loud Relief feature, which gives you very pleasant combination of soft and hard compression. I also like how the plugin is set up visually. There’s a lot to learn, still. But it’ll be a joy to discover all the possibilities which are yet hidden from me.
prohid-audio –
Great sound of compressor and easy to use,
again nicely done Boz Digital Labs,..
Thank You
gregzik –
Really great Comp ! One of the best in terms of versatility ! Thanks Boz
lbuckman13 –
Today I recieved an email from BoZ about some sort of compressor, I’ve spent alot on plugins recently because I only want the best tools to get the best sound I can possibly get! I opened the email,I watched the video about the Manic Compressor. THIS IS A GAME CHANGER….I am now a surgeon with a scalpel, an artist with a fine brush…an engineer with presicion! I have never spent my money so fast on a product, quite possibly the only compressor you will ever need..suitable for any purpose…If I was stranded on a desert Island, with a power supply & my set up and could only use 1 compressor..guess what I would choose!!
Thank you Boz!! 5 stars!
achim1 –
Pretty Awesome! Love it already!!
gerockki –
I’ve never reviewed a single plugin even I own almost every UAD plugins, I do have every single Slate plugin and tons of others. This thing is a must have. It’s a perfect combination of plugin that gives you both worlds either you want to give nice character or glue everything together. Even the presets are more likely to made on most typical instruments that benefit using parallel compression I experienced it on acoustic guitars etc. and this plugin gave me results I can not get with any else top notch plugins. The analyzer is really useful aswell as the eq and compression modes. As the manual suggests I like using the highest compression ratio and then take it back with the fantastic loud relief knob. I’m not totally sure what it does, but it really seems to be useful to play with. And I forgot to mention the fantastic wet/dry mixmode, which really is one of the final reasons I made a purchase. This is a wonderful tool.
Sorry for my bad english, but hope you got the idea.
tommycat –
Let’s face it: music today is often ultra-compressed. The MANIC COMP has proven itself, within just 24 hours, to be one of the go-to tools at my disposal for creating audio magic. I mostly record LIVE music in matrix, using multiple mics and often under less than pristine aural conditions. The interface is EXTREMELY intuitive…..the USER MANUAL is quite possibly the best plug-in manual I’ve read to-date…..and the SOUND? Well, let’s just say that I can’t wait to get back to working on tracks and trying out new possibilities! The items which set MANIC COMP apart for me are the easily accessible “engines” offering 6 different approaches – or tonal palettes – to choose from and the INCREDIBLE visual interface which gives what I consider to be the BEST graphical illustration of what is happening audibly to the signal being compressed of any compressor I’ve seen. Compression is something that isn’t always easily understood and I think that the team at Boz Digital Labs has hit a home-run with this plug-in on many levels and will likely lead users to a better understanding of what’s actually happening to their signal(s) than their ears alone can explain. Add in the options of eq’s, wet/dry blending, “beef” contouring, and Loundness relief compensation aaaand, oh yeah did I mention it uses a fraction of the CPU resources some of my other comps use?……DON’T BE A SCHMUCK, GET THIS PLUG-IN!! ~~~Many thanks BOZ!~~~
kirkejan –
~My new (not so) secret Sound Design weapon~
Matthew Parker –
I promised myself I would not be buying any more compressors………..then this baby came along
dominique.bassal –
Nice compressor. There are others with more specialized features, but the main claim to fame of the Manic is the parallel thing. Really a huge time saver.
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boz hits it out of the park again! Very user friendly and most important, it sounds fantastic.
ajv205 –
love this thing. makes my life so much better by implementing several processors into on, with no latency for tracking. Not only that but it the tonal palettes sound great too!
simonnakra –
Well I have had this plugin for over 24 hours now and have pretty much tried everything through it. I must say this is definitely my go to plugin on my bus instruments. The loud relief and tone control is what really sets this plugin apart from the others. Congrats to the BDL team! Definitely a winner!
Jackmusic2 –
This compressor is amazing!!! it has the true functionality of a parallel compressor. Other plugins available in the market only have the control for adding the dry signal to the compressed signal, but they lack what really does the NY compression trick… the EQ section of the compressed signal.
I think all the compression options are pretty amazing, but the EQ section is in my opinion the most important part for me to make the decision to buy this really cool plugin, it’s like having a bunch of great compressors and a real/powerful analog equalizer.
Excellent Job Boz Digital Labs !!!
el_forte –
Amazing!
Jay Branam –
demo would be better if you actual have a few days to play with it instead of injected silence all the time. sounds decent in between the silent parts. cheers
orengliki –
Like almost every other boz product, the manic compressor is useful for every track that needs power and character. I use it so frequently that I forget that I have more plugins. Great work!
joerg mayr –
very well sounding compressor collection with a lot of useful features – the only thing, I´m missing is a soft clipper at the output stage!
john_forever_07 –
That’s incredible!
shmuti_m –
Only had it for a couple of days, but so far very nice. The BEEF button is very useful. The IN/OUT on DRY/WET are super easy and comfortable. It was a bit hard for me to hear the difference between the different styles until I pushed the input drive knob. Then it was more obvious. Looking forward to test and abuse it.
kidwell57 –
The Manic compressor is just another fantastic product by Boz. I wish I had the money I would invest in all your products!
Timothy Allen –
I thought there would be a bit more sound difference between the types of compresors, but I really liked the mid/side processing and detailed control over parallel processing. When I started playing with the tone control, the comressor really came to life. I own the Imperial Delay, and I am impressed with the depth these plugins have over control of the audio in a single plugin. I like the extra buttons to tinker under the hood for just the perfect sound.
Haymo Doerk –
Really easy to use and incredibly logic – great job! Now everybody can understand how compressors work…
hrih67 –
Lovely design. Very good value for money
s-silvers –
Simplifies my mixing setup!
baxterbrown –
Tried the demo. Loved the demo. Didn’t mind the demo restrictions at all. Love the different looks for each compression style. Major win for Boz and the team.
NeverTheLess –
Love it!
Parallel wonder…
greeks –
I really like informative screen which help to understand what happen with processing. With it many colors, side chain option and dry/wet signal processing it must be power horse!
nbiloxi –
I like the fact that it was made specifically for parallel compressing!
seahorse1 –
I have hadf this compressor for a day now and it has rather blown my noodle !! I admit that I had pretty much decided to buy it even before I demoed it. However I went ahead with the demo secretly hoping that it would not live up to expectation and save me from starting spending before Black Friday has fully kicked off. This was not the case…20 mins after demo play and I was hitting the purchase button. It is hard to know where to start in terms of accolades. This beast is incomparable to other compressors in so far as it has completely obliterated my staid workflow….all to the good. The flexibility in terms of classic compression tasks is un matched and gets me from A to B faster and more satisfactorily than I could hope for….then comes the creative possibilities. I was sceptical at first about the wide range of ‘compression types’ incorporated in this unit… thinking it could all be a bit gimmicky… but… this is not the case..each compressor type actually genuinely brings a different flavour and host of creative possibilities with it this matched with the built in ‘routing’ for parallel and the tweaking of EQ as we go has all but made my existing arsenal of compressors redundant…… and yes I did match each of my go to units to their specific jobs in my workflow and the Manic Compressor matched or out did each one 9 times out of 10. To say it is worth its price is a true understatement. This is more than a goto this is a must have…a real game changer !!!
juliorrasec –
I love it! I liked it so much! great!!
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Manically fantastic plugin !
Daniel Raska –
Love the feature that I can EQ my parallel compression without need of other buss and great to try more modes of compression with the same setting 🙂
rsendra –
An easy, fast and affordable way to do NY comp with success. Great.
thiagokalil –
Excelent Plugin!!!
JLBowser –
And the award of the most flexible compressor VST ever goes to…
Boz Digital Manic Compressor !
Seriously… this compressor is simply amazing ! There are so many ways to tweak your sound that you simply can’t fail with it. Compress only mid, only side, only high frequencies, dry/wet it and add another instance to compress the whole result… Unlimited possible sounds !
And I promise my eternal and unlimited love to the “Vintage” model compressor : clean, warm and punchy, a compressor simply can’t sound better than this one for me.
PS : I vote for a new background picture on the “Digital” model for the next update !… 😀
Nicky Gallardo Bijl –
When it comes to compressor plugins there are plenty of em’ out there and I sure do have quite a few myself. What sets this apart for me is the creative ways this beast can be used. Not only when mixing down but also in the very process of sculpting sounds for my productions this is a tool that is definitely going to be seeing a lot of use! It simplifies the process of extra routing by taking it away entirely and allowing you to focus on what you actually want to be doing. 5 stars 🙂
bozdigitallabs7 –
Well, as far as I know, this is the first soft compressor that gets the point about the NY compression “trick”, ie. not just a wet/dry balance. With a built-in wet eq, you don’t have to fiddle around with buses and sends. It’s almost worth it just for that 🙂
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Just got it today and have been playing with it non stop, this thing is truly amazing! Well thought out, so many options, this might become my go to compresssor from here on. Nice job!!
james.bunton –
I’ve only been using the Manic Compressor for a couple of days now, but it’s already revealed itself to be an incredibly valuable part of the mix. It’s quick to dial in some great sounds, and then easy to refine them in many ways. The multiple compression modes and the wet/dry link options have allowed me to approach compression in new ways. I look forward to continuing to use and master this plugin as I feel like there is still room to go much, much deeper into it!
mixedbygee –
The sound, workflow and overall vibe of this product is amazing. its such a flexible tool, it can work on pretty much anything. Great work as always Boz Digital!
alenyue –
Musical and ease of use
hachaduryan –
With so many options and variations this compressor is quickly becoming one of my favorite dynamics plugins in my arsenal.
thomasd3 –
Looks like this one may become one of my primary ‘go to’ tools 🙂
ndingies –
This is a great versatile plugin. A great tool to add to your collection.
themartyrstephen –
Beautiful interface,sounds great on drum busses,going to try it on some other stuff.Great job.
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Great Compressor! Love the graphical design, it’s easy on the eyes. Made my drums thump! Highly recommend to producers ho want hot tracks!
densdale93 –
This Compressor is absolutely amazing, it sounds great and the graphical design is well thought out. I will definitely recommend this to anyone that needs a compressor
richboustred –
It’s a top drawer compressor…but the more I mix, the less I care about the differences between top drawer soft compressors. What blew me away with this one was how well it does M/S compressing e.g. allowing you to compress the middle of a stereo drum track and leave the sides alone to keep the transients. Made my ‘blah’ drums sound like they were recorded in an amazing room. The level of control over wet and dry is also nice – much quicker to get a good blend than some others I’ve used.
rsformatc –
I didn’t want to demo this because I knew if I did I would want to buy it and as I have spent so much on compressors I would struggle to justify another one. But I did. And now I will probably buy it as I can see this becoming my go-go compressor. It does it all and so well and quickly and simply.
vonofaga –
Dreaming of a steep track? Manic Compressor best.
cclarry122700 –
This is a really versatile Compressor!
From Clean to Mean and everything in between!
Well done Boz!!!
kailee1 –
This thing makes me speechless!
Absolutely must-have! A Plugin from God!
@Bozlabs: be careful not to get shot by the other manufacturers.
EXCELLENT work!