The same is true of the VC76, which follows closely in the footsteps of the 1176, right down to the 'all things must die!' all‑buttons‑in setting, which makes a great basis for parallel compression. The VC160 adds both weight and attack to drums and basses, and the parallel compression option allows it to go even further than the original in this respect. The general character of these plug‑ins certainly reflects the traits of the originals very closely, but more importantly, they sound extremely musical, regardless of how close or otherwise their performance might be to their hardware inspirations. Best known for its ability to add punch and attitude to drums and bass instruments, the 160 is still used across a wide range of musical styles. The VC160 is obviously based on the Dbx 160, a classic VCA design with a threshold that is continuously adjustable all the way from no compression to hard limiting. The non‑linear release of the opto circuit gave this compressor a distinct but very musical sound, sometimes described as silky. There are only two variable controls - Gain and Peak Reduction - plus a switch that puts the compressor into Compress or Limit mode. NI's VC2A models the LA2A electro‑optical tube compressor and, as on the original, the attack and release are non‑adjustable but are programme‑dependent to some extent. There's also a 'no button' 1:1 mode that allows you to capture the character of the 'analogue' signal path, but without compression. The VC76 recreates the 1176's punchy and clear sound with its fast attack, and the now famous 'all buttons in' nuke mode for extra-heavy compression. As with the original, this model has the four ratio‑select buttons, attack and release controls, a threshold control and make‑up gain. The old 1176 worked on just about anything and always managed to make things sound a bit larger than life, as well as being good as a stereo limiter. The plug‑in windows leave you in no doubt as to which hardware units are being modelled, although their layout differs slightly from the hardware versions. The extra controls drop down below the main plug‑in window, where there's also the option to place a low‑cut filter in the side‑chain. Having a wet/dry mix control built into the compressor means you never have to worry about delay mismatches and the phase problems they create. The low‑level compressed signal adds weight and thickness to the sound, but the original retains its dynamics, so peaks are not crushed. The usual technique is to set the compressor to produce massive amounts of compression, then mix it back in with the dry sound at around ‑15dB. A side‑chain input has been added to all three models for the creation of ducking and similar effects, as has a parallel compression feature that allows the dry sound to be mixed with the compressed sound, an approach that's currently very popular. Softube have an enviable reputation for high‑quality modelling, but for these compressors they've also included some features that aren't present in the hardware originals. If you don't own any other NI products, you can download and install the free Guitar Rig 4 Player for this purpose. Unlike most conventional plug‑ins, however, they have to be hosted by another NI plug‑in that has an effects rack, such as Guitar Rig 4. Designated VC76, VC2A and VC160 respectively, the plug‑ins are available separately or as a bundle at a discounted price. Vintage Compressors from Native Instruments was created in collaboration with Softube and comprises plug‑in emulations of three classic compressors: the Urei 1176, Teletronix LA2A and Dbx 160. Like most of NI's recent plug‑ins, the Vintage Compressors need to be run within a host such as the free Guitar Rig Player 4. NI's take on the Holy Trinity of compressors adds some neat extra features that make them more versatile.
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