Few compressors are as enshrined in myth and mystique as the venerable Fairchild compressor.
There aren't many freeware compressor plugins that emulate specific hardware designs for
a Fairchild or Vari-mu design.
However, the ones that do exist are quite good.
We've already covered the best free 1176 and vari-Mu plugins, so let's look at the best
free Fairchild plugins.
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Analog Obsession is well-known for developing some of the best freeware compressors designed
to emulate the most legendary compressors in history.
And you could argue that they developed the best of the free Fairchild plugins.
Although the "circuit" is based on the 660, the interface is entirely new.
In terms of time constants, it has a fixed attack time of 10ms, a variable release time,
and two auto modes.
The variable input is perhaps the most useful feature.
The Input Attenuation control allows you to adjust the input drive from -18 to +18dB in
order to drive it into saturation.
It also has a 4x oversampling option.
A high-pass filter with a frequency range of 20Hz to 500Hz is available.
Threshold uses a ratio control over the DC threshold as well as an AC threshold with
a 50dB range.
This means that clean compression can be achieved without driving the input.
Molot, like the original, isn't meant to be transparent at all, and that's the point.
It is primarily intended to provide a variety of color flavors, whether through saturation,
dynamics, or EQ.
The interface is a little complicated, but that's mostly due to how much it can do.
There are eight ratio options, a knee, a wet/dry mix, up to 8x oversampling, a midrange scoop,
seven stereo mode options, and a limiter.
An input filter allows you to high-pass an incoming signal with a frequency range of
40-260Hz.
After the attack timer is reached, two attack modes (Alpha and Sigma) change the reaction.
Alpha is aggressive and better at taming transients, whereas Sigma is much more relaxed.
Molot is also platform-agnostic.
The MJUC Jr. lacks the intricate GUI found in many vari-mu compressors.
Based on the familiar transformer and tube-based compression, just three simple controls provide
you with everything you need.
These include Compress, Time Constants (with fast, slow, and auto options), and Make-up
Gain.
The Slew Control, which alters how the transformers behave and thus allows you to introduce saturation,
is possibly the coolest feature.
It is cross-platform for Windows and Mac, just like the rest of the Klanghelm software.
Variety of Sound will invariably have at least one entry on any "free plugins" list.
The classic Vari-Mu topology is not directly translated into density.
However, the concept and layout are similar.
It is intended for stereo sources and includes compression options for the stereo channels,
L/R, and M/S. It gives the source material a smooth sound.
You can set the side-chain control to act on the incoming source signal or an external
source.
Range determines the maximum amount of compression, and six timing modes provide a variety of
options based on the nature of the source being compressed.