Plugine Alliance – Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor Bundle 2025.08 for WiN

Best Master Bus Compressor

Meticulously modeled after the instantly iconic hardware original, this digital version of one of the most musical and versatile compressors ever was created by Brainworx, sparing no detail in its creation. A renowned tool in the music industry, the Shadow Hills compressor effortlessly tames even the wildest and most chaotic transients, with impeccable control and stunning sound. It’s no wonder it’s become the go-to master bus compressor on timeless recordings by Radiohead, Foo Fighters, Beck, Green Day, Coldplay and many more.

Two compression sections for unprecedented dynamic control

One of the key benefits of the Shadow Hills Master Compressor is the ability to process the signal with two stages of compression, controlled via either the optical or discrete sections, or both for maximum musicality. In the optical section, you’ll find traditional threshold and gain controls with a two-stage release similar to the LA-2A. Use this to easily shape the dynamic range and boost the overall level. The VCA Discrete section gives you more precise control over the ratio, attack, and release settings, allowing you to fine-tune the compression response to work with a wide range of material.

Switchable output transformers for sound variety

Three unique output transformers allow for a more precise tonal character. Here you can switch between them to easily change the tonal balance of the compressor. The choice of a steel, nickel or iron transformer will add the characteristic features found on some legendary consoles: nickel provides smooth lows with polished highs and sounds great on thinner and more sparse recordings. 

The iron transformer has a richer sound, but still maintains clean highs with a slight boost in the lows in the 100 Hz range. It works through a Class A output stage, which applies only even harmonic distortion, providing a very musical sound. Finally, the steel transformer has an extremely detailed and fast response with a slight boost in the 40 Hz range, which contributes to a powerful sound of the low frequencies.

Brainworx plugin only

To complement the extensive capabilities built into the hardware, Brainworx has gone one step further by adding a parallel mix control, a sidechain filter, and an external sidechain option to the proprietary toolbar. The sidechain filter easily prevents compression from kicking in at frequencies below a specified value, ensuring your mixes sound super tight. Try Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor now to experience a whole new level of dynamic control.

Peculiarities

• An accurate emulation of the original Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor, endorsed and recommended by Peter Reardon, founder of Shadow Hills Industry.
  
• Choose from three different output transformer types: nickel for a nice sparkle in the highs, iron for a distinctive midrange, and steel for extra harmonic distortion. .
• Separate optical and discrete compression sections for two-stage compression. .
• Stereo and dual-mono modes.
• BRAINWORX plug-in-only features including parallel mixing, built-in sidechain filter, and external sidechain.