Fairchild Plug-in Shootout 2024!

[@DMKahn]

I think the magic of the UnFairchild is that “overshoot” on the release. Just makes things sound bigger. I remember a long time ago you would describe a lot of in the box compressors of “making it sound smaller” and I totally agree. I almost always use compressors in the box with the fastest release time to keep them from sounding smaller. I’ve never enjoyed one with a long release time in the digital domain.

[@TheDwarfInvasion]

Why should we limit ourselves to a model once we know what the magic is? What about a new compressor with even MORE overshoot to create something new and better?

[@philgrabmiller3764]

Amazing process of development. Always wondered how this process was done. Thanks for taking the time to make this, very educational.

[@buhlir]

Dude.. It's like finally someone is looking at all the stuff that actually make up analog gear.. and really doing the fine tuning needed to replicate that in the plugin world... just so well done! All these years I have tried to get that compression sound you get, and couldn't really ever quiet get it.. until now.. haha!

[@sub-jec-tiv]

I think the only other person really getting that stuff super right is Kush. Sometimes Softube, too.

[@tortugulaproductions]

Man that was crazy! I’ve been using the UA 670 and the Puigchild for years now and I’ve never been fully satisfied, but I didn’t really know what it was that I felt was lacking. You’re exactly right, either the eq curve of the signal changes, or the compression makes the mix feel further away. The UnFairchild just answered all the questions. The overshoot seems like a big part, in addition to the flatter eq profile. I’ve generally liked the harmonics of the UA 670, but it’s certainly been lacking in other areas. I understand why now! Thanks Eric!

[@sub-jec-tiv]

Yeah i always ended up using the UAD in parallel all the time (and not on mix bus)

[@yoyolebatteur]

Famous producer, extravagant studio, top of the line plugin, creaky chair :p

[@mrwev]

I KNOW IT IS DRIVING ME CRAZY!!!!! It is actually the desk top I built for my keyboard/trackball. I gotta take it apart and figure out why it started doing that argh!!!

[@subterraneanpimpernel9455]

@@mrwev some sticky foam strips between each piece of wood.

[@jbrassic5434]

Great call 🤣👏👏

[@aasmundr]

Oh man, what a sales pitch! Sounds wonderful

[@kevinafflack]

Wow Eric, not only an amazing plugin design but this is also a master class in how to listen and set this style of compressor. Thx again for all you’ve given back to the music world. And what about Grace! Her vocals always cut right into my soul, but in a soothing non resonant high mids sort of way, ha.

[@JesseDanielSmith]

Eric, you are a mensch - the new plug-in is a winner and I’m thankful for your presence on KZbin, you’ve been incredible for opening my ears up 💪🙏

[@TrueFallacy]

Eric - you’re the man 👏

[@kelvinfunkner]

I think it's pretty obvious that the extended frequency range just sounds better on everything, but I think my favorite application is on the vocals...just sounds magical to me!

[@markguitarsounds]

Dang, Eric! Would you ever be interested in doing other emulation shootouts? (1176, Distressor and 1073) I could listen to you compare plugins all day long!!!

[@bapboombam]

Your plugin lives full-time on my choir-bus. Perfect in that application. 👍🏽

[@chrisbaseford]

Loving the UTA plugin!!! Glad it finally exists 🤘🏼🤘🏼

[@rossjohnmartin]

Ah god damn it I didn’t want any more plugins but this is magic!

[@TaureanMixing]

Just so it is known, FG-MU was a hybrid approach. It was a mix of a Fairchild 670 and Manley Vari-Mu, with Slate's own take at the time. This explains its unique sonic signature which leans more on bite and bright.

[@vektacular]

You made the proper move allowing more low end in your design….i will mostly be using this on the mixbus….if i was missing that much high end and low end….i wouldn’t be…..and as i was writing this….you said the same thing…sorry but….i definitely agree….can i just tell you that this plug in has made me enjoy my music more!

[@edupereyra3189]

That magic pumpy lush gluey release that is so difficult to find on sottware compressors! It is certainly not "yet anothe fancy looking compressor plugin". Well done and thanks!!!

[@jonathanbobo722]

Excellent sales pitch. Just picked up the plugin.

[@Aquiiin]

Undoubtedly, the Unfairchild sounds the best! Love you for your effort and creations, your a super nice cool and amazing human Eric! Cheers to you!

[@MrDonSilver]

Hi Eric, love your work! I noticed that while you're comparing the mix of *Gives You Hell*, where the release time is set to preset 2, the mix balance on your Unfairchild is at 90%. Time: 33:41 - 42:19. Just saying ;)

Man, this is a great sounding plugin. Love it. I think you should make a proper tape emulation plugin and (and not or) a summing mixer of sorts. Thanks for everything Eric!

[@johnbach2380]

Amazing sound replication of the Unfairchild. Acustica impressed as well.

[@jorykevinberger7047]

Ik 670? It can have a warm character. Would have loved to see that one and the Overloud one. Cheers on the new plugin!! :)

[@OddsandEnds312]

The UTA plugin sounds really good. Very punchy and full.

[@BullyMaguire4ever]

Helpful point about not trusting digital vu meters on compressor plugins.

[@bco0t6]

Hey Eric, got the compressor gotta say I’m thoroughly impressed I got to hear a Fairchild at electric lady in nyc and been chasing the sound ever since, the UAD was my favorite but I’ve gotta say the unfairchild is very impressive, the oversampling x16 specifically eats the cpu but it’s a minor detail … great work and the var constants are phenomenal

[@BlackenedNL]

I am loving the plugin! It indeed really pulls things forward instead of pushing things away like the UAD does. I too never got any luck with that one, this UnFairchild really does a nice job.

[@johnisrael5183]

Midnight just sounds like a Record on Masterbus...wow...I got this and going to be mastering with it more

[@cal-10229]

The unfairchild truly sounds much more present and alive compared to the UAD one I’ve been using. Wild. Love the plug-in Eric

[@BoulevardRecording]

It’s the most used hardware compressor in our studio. We really love it so much

[@MASS_Studios]

We love you Eric. Say hello to Dragan! Greetings for you from Mostar.

[@Rgdonaire_07]

Sounds amazing, and I trust Eric’s ears, he’s worked on some of the best sounding records ever, but price is ridiculous. Might grab it if it’s 100$ ish.

[@dwighthamlin6322]

Well damn. I shouldn’t have tried the free trial yet haha good job. It sounds so damn good. Holy shit

[@davidperez909]

Great stuff, sir!

[@guitboxgeek]

Man, the comment Eric makes about the UAD "pulling away from me" is exactly my thought. I'm not even sure why I bought it other than it was on sale and it was UAD so figured it would be great. I have used it on vox or melodic solo stuff and it's ok, but with drums it def sounds like it's pushing it back into the room. I have to use sidechain and the mix knob to get anything usable from it.

[@zboy2855]

The UnFairchild is a revelation and clear winner. The only one that came even close IMO was the Acustica. Looks like I'll be slapping down the credit card for the UnFairchild.

[@TerenceDechef]

overloud comp 670 is one faurchild compressor i quite like for some things. not sure if you know it, but it might be interesting to see how it compares also. Great video as always!

[@losthighway84]

That vocal sounds so killer!

[@joeschlicht]

Well done!

[@compucorder64]

Hmm, ok, I think I'm sold on the Unfairchild plugin. After this shootout and also Mill Sounds comparison of the UAD & UnFairchild. Apart from that the low end extension, there's a lot of fresh open airiness and an attractive colouration to the Unfairchild that you can hear in both presentations. Something I only hear otherwise here in the Acustica. Which to me further suggests that both are UTA & Acustica are reflecting the nature of the hardware units in quite a similar way. I'm sold, I really like how the UTA Unfairchild sounds. The UI is well done too, better than all of the others, UAD VU aside, which I don't care so much about. But, I'm afraid I'll have to wait until it goes on sale. $199 for a compressor plugin is a lot for me. And I'm sure there will be sales, whether this Black Friday or next year. The Acustica sounded really good too, but I hate the UI. And their plugins tend to be resource intensive. And I'm not such a big fan of Acustica as a company.

[@vektacular]

I feel like it’s an instant classic….i just got this two days ago, put it on the mixbus on a project where i just couldn’t get it right….and not only did it make the sound I wanted….it made it better than my imagination thought it would be.

[@BoarderEthan]

The PuigChild, Unfairchild, and the Midnight-in no particular order-were standouts in their own ways. All plugs clearly created by talented folks.

[@sgfdancecompany]

Great News Eric!!!!

[@OldTimeRadioRemastered]

If you pull back the DC bias on the UAD does that improve the result? Or push the bias knob to "overshoot" like the UnFairchild?

[@BullyMaguire4ever]

Seems like a lot of companies could take some cues from you and improve their plugins. Seems very intelligently designed.

[@TheGARCK]

Is a marvel on vox. I'll be trying it on bass, I reckon that might be a surprise as well. And thanks for reviewing my mix at the 1979 summit those years ago. I hope it sells like hot cakes!

[@madlabproductions7185]

I LIKE THE MIDNIGHT SOUND

[@sub-jec-tiv]

People hate on Acustica but i get great results with their stuff.

[@pico5631]

@@sub-jec-tiv I think the hate is usually not on the sonic quality, it's more that the plugins are buggy and heavy on resources

[@sub-jec-tiv]

@@pico5631 Yeah, those things have improved a lot, but still a bit heavy as they’re convolution-based. There’s plenty of people hating on more than that tho… lot of weird hate for the company itself, and saying the plugins ‘aren’t doing anything’ even though the results are clearly audible even on laptop speakers. They do mostly seem to be bedroom ‘producers’, not people who have been mixing professionally, so grain of salt.

[@justanotherpeasant3442]

In every instance I liked the Unfairchild better than anything else I heard. My second favorite would be the the Puigchild. The only drawback to the Puigchild is that it lacks the Mid-side feature that the Unfairchild has.

[@gregedenfield1080]

yum,thanx Dude.

[@Elixirmusiques]

Insightful. I wasn't happy with the UA Fairchild but couldn"t explain why. So your explanation of "pulling the sound away" and the release time made sense to me. Amazing job on the plugin Eric and team.

[@SamuliVaihkonen]

Only thing i like to use ua fairchild is background vocals. I think that "pulling the sound away" is reason for that

[@Glasside]

It's really a stunning plug-in. Amazing sounding. A couple of thoughts - it would be almost perfect if you could add a hi-pass for the sidechain, I'd imagine that has to be your number one request. Also (far less importantly) - when changing the Gain or Threshold pots with a scroll wheel or track pad would it be possible to make the tracking less sensitive? I really liked what you said about the UA making the sound seem further away - I've not been able to articulate it, but have had exactly the same sensation.

[@mrwev]

We will be adding the SC HP in the next update. Probably available Friday!

[@Glasside]

@@mrwev That's amazing - thanks for the update. Really blown away by the compressor.

[@bbensoy]

Maybe not a fairchild emulation but you have mentioned Kush AR-1 once as you found closest to Unfairchild hw. Have you compared with it?

[@mrwev]

I did some comparisons with it early on in the development but haven't done that recently. I'll check it out again! Thanks for mentioning it :)

[@bbensoy]

​@@mrwev I am already excited for this. You have always been after some excitement of an equipment over the music. I think your contribution with this will be greatly reflected on music or your peers' setup very soon. Thank you!

[@josuastangl7140]

Super interesting!

[@angeloboltini]

When you're using bus compression as heavily as on the All American Rejects record, when in the process do you bring it up? From the start, after a basic balance? Actually, I wonder the same about drum buss :)

[@Drefue2]

A Fairchild shootout without the Acustica Ultramarine isn’t complete

[@hoojamaflicks]

hi eric, loving the demo of the unfairchild so far. comparing mostly with my favourite fairchild emu AA ultramarine. would love to have heard your take on that one. I notice on midnight you are not engaging the pre?

[@sub-jec-tiv]

I’ll have to A/B Ultramarine and Unfairchild. Off the top of my head, i’d say Unfairchild has a more satisfying ‘grab’ and overall character curve. The Ultramarine has the 670 ‘box tone’ but i think the Unfairchild has a better sense of movement.

[@JulianFernandez]

Midnight sounding good!

[@johnisrael5183]

Yeah, I agree...over all, I think its still the best

[@sub-jec-tiv]

It’s also the only one that’s based on IRs sampled from hardware, so it makes sense that it gets the harmonics right.

[@kadiummusic]

IK Multimedia's T-Racks version? 😎

[@demodeiowa]

Acustica’s Ultramarine would have been cool in that list also

[@mistermusicenterprise3148]

It would win that compaction.

[@johnisrael5183]

yeah...mind boggling why he didnt include it

[@mewfan84]

Thank you for confirming my feeling about the UAD one, bought it recently and it just didn't feel right, I actually prefer the ancient Puigchild. Also I was wondering if it isn't Eddie Lucciola behind the coding part of this UTA version, as to me him along Kush Audio are the two plugin developers that seem to be ahead of the game. For example the Kiive audio Distressor has simply ended my GAS for a hardware one.

[@andyaltadonna]

how long will the launch price be available?

[@RicardoTolbert]

Now that you have produced plugins/hardware, could you explain why when a company makes a new plugin based on a specific piece of gear why it seems like 4+ other companies make their own version of the same plugin based on that specific piece of gear at roughly the same time. There’s no way it’s a coincidence right? lol great video!

[@isaacjohnklein]

I own a handful of Fairchild plugins. I hate how much better Unfairchild sounds than the ones that I already own, because now I have to cough up $200 to buy it.

[@sub-jec-tiv]

Yeah that’s how i feel RN too, haha

[@kwamalascience]

would have been nice to include the mu66 from lindell which came out a couple months ago

[@SenseiKreese]

You called it yanky, I call it pumpy, that KIT Plugins one was awful, super pumpy. All of them usable except that one.

[@Trackformers]

I have to say. If this plugin is good at drawing the drumms forward.. in that same aspect it ia actually pushing the lyrics backwards.

[@curtisburns]

Are the variable settings the same as Time Constants 1-4 before you adjust the Attack & Release times?

[@bco0t6]

Vari settings are whatever the attack and release are set at

[@mrwev]

If you look at page 15 of the manual for the UnFairchild (Hardware) it shows the settings that duplicate the first 4 Time Canstant presets. In each case the attack is always set to 0 and then there is a release setting to match it up. You can check it out here... drive.google.com/file/d/1C1ByP5Qe8k9jCFqzaHP7dfK9oumKZ7SB/view

[@zanderhayes]

Gotta say, the version of Mother Road without compression on the vocals at 50:02 has a nostalgia about it that the compressed versions do not. I couldn't imagine releasing it like that in 2024 but without the compression it certainly harks back to simpler times.

[@buhlir]

The only thing I was gonna ask was about the Midnight plug, is it looked like you had the Pre Switch turned off, and also turn the Ultra button on too. It makes a big diff in the Saturation. Its the new thing they are adding to all the Acustica plugs, because from what I understand they aren't really algorithmic, they are Convolution based, and because of that it captures the "picture" really well but not the saturation. But with the ultra you can really push into to real distortion now. Not sure how they do it but I freakin love it.

[@mrwev]

thank you for mentioning those! I couldn't figure out exactly what those were supposed to do. They were off in the default setting so I left them off. I couldn't find a manual for the Midnight pulg-in. I looked and looked on the acustica website and couldn't find one. Do you know if there is a manual for it?

[@daverobertsonandthekisslist]

@@mrwev Acustica don't make it very obvious, but if you go to the Shop page, then the Product page, at the top right next to "Add to Cart" there is a page symbol that lets you download the manual. Congrats on your great sounding plugin.

[@sub-jec-tiv]

@@mrwevYeah it’s crazy that your plugin sounds as good (soundstage + harmonics) as a plugin where they’re using actual IRs from the hardware. I like the grab on yours better. May need to get the Unfairchild! Great video thanks!

[@h-voltage]

@@mrwev Yes, i was gonna say the same thing. The Pre + ULTRA button just adds that low end bloom, and with that on i could match Unfairchild on drums so i could not really hear a difference. Maybe the Pre would add that extra warmness to the vocal's midrange too. Where Midnight obviously sounds different is when you slow down the attack time. Unfairchild just sounds smoother, no matter what you do, Midnight will be more grabby, and snappy. Also you can't go as fast with the release on Midnight.

[@PitchforkIncorporated]

Is there a sc hp on the detector option on the unfairchild plug?

[@mrwev]

That is being added in the next update. Should be in a matter of days :)

[@imslicc]

the unfairchild sounds more even volume wise, which is the goal of a compressor i guess.. on the drum loop, it seems like the side chain section on the unfairchild is low-passed, it doesn't pick up the snare as much as the other plugins, which keeps it less effected. which is also cool.

[@TheXIT]

The Un-Fairchild sounds great but $$$$. Is there a coupon code? 😊

[@markinnesholding7130]

Great shoot out, Eric! Amazing on the vocals! Who is the girl singer? She’s awesome! Reminds me a little of Elkie Brooks. Where can I follow or buy her stuff? Thanks mate.

[@mrwev]

That is Grace Potter! She is really amazing :)

[@markinnesholding7130]

@@mrwev thank you! 😊

[@cowboytonydee]

Damn that Blackbird one is pretty bad

[@GetUpTo88]

Thanks for the comparisons Eric! Did you try adjusting the DC threshold on the UAD versions (the tiny screws at the bottom of the UI)?

[@KreativeDevices]

🔥

[@orsi]

🥳

[@TyCallahanMusic]

WHERE IZ THE GOOD ACUSTICA ERIC?!

[@TyCallahanMusic]

(the ultramarine)

[@sub-jec-tiv]

I like the Ultramarine, myself

[@soulflower8687]

UAD and Blackbird sound pumpy-sucky. Slate sounds like a knife for bandwidth. Unfairchild sounds genuinely analog.

[@musiclover-r9m]

I mean... I like this host - he's extremely knowledgable and eloquent, but am I the only one who noticed that the other compressors were constantly doing between 7-12 db of gain reduction vs the UTA doing 3-5? Of course the sound is going to feel like it's being "pulled away" from the listener when directly comparing compression differences of that amount. This just was not a very accurate comparison between some excellent plugins.

[@LesonDeson]

I've loved the FG-MU since its release so I've might have used it on my parallel drums for 10 years now. It's very agressive, loud and thin, which is cool in parallel. On the mixbus I use the dry/wet of the FG-MU between 25 and 40% it shifts the energy of the sub higher in the spectrum.

[@idrum.iproduce]

❤

[@gauthiermatt1]

I don’t think that preferring your plug over the others is taboo. If you didn’t, why even bother making it. If I’ve learnt anything from EV it’s that there is nothing wrong with being unsatisfied with the status quo of gear. I could hear the difference like night and day and the UTA 100% takes the cake for these scenarios.

[@LesonDeson]

I've done so many of those tests for my own use and measuring integrated LUFS and matching to +/- 0.05dB is the best option, it's very time consuming though. The hardest part of it is often to match GR between compressors that have a threshold and those with a fixed threshold. I understand why you decided in not turning the oversampling on the UTA but on the UTA it totally changes the EQ curve (the oversampling). There was one fairchild in a very famous recording studio in Paris and when I asked if we could insert it, they told me it has been out of service for years. I'm sure the remaining units are all sounding quite different decades after leaving the 'factory'.

[@j.charleshiggins5503]

Good work on marketing your products though.

[@inutero75]

They all sound the same on my iPad. In fact the dry versions sound better too. All the compressors make the sound flat, lifeless and kill any dimension.

[@damienlott]

Yes, the drum loop sounded way better without any compression

[@inutero75]

@@damienlott I'm listening now in my studio on my lovely old Linn Sara speakers and the dry drum track sounds WAY WAY better. Processed, it's like that great drum sound has had it's face pushed up against a piece of glass in turn squashing its' nose and distorting its' features into something quite grotesque.

[@damienlott]

​@@inutero75I do agree... But feels weird to dislike something EV prefers...

[@simonrussell77]

* On my ipad. lol. get with it.

[@sub-jec-tiv]

He may be pushing harder into the comp than in a normal mix, so that you can hear the essential character of each unit. It’s harder to hear the character when it’s dialed in subtly.

[@Trackformers]

Was SOOO existed to get it.. until first point 07:00 😐 Good job on not being true to the original from the first freeking step. 👍🏾 Anything that happens from this point on is not a fairchild. Like have u people been in the lab for so long, u just lose grip? How uninspiring. 😑

[@j.charleshiggins5503]

Man I think you all are tricking yourself. No one would be able to guess correctly in the context of a song what comp limiter was used. Does it even matter, music is dying currently, no one cares about bands. I mean real bands playing live music. It shows if you go out to live local music

[@jeramym9506]

Sadly, you are right. All the popular music is being made with plugins that don’t necessarily sound likes hardware anyway. These hardware emulations are great but don’t mean squat when the people making all the money are just pulling in splice loops and make millions.

[@MixtakeStudio]

These are tools for producers. Not for the average listener. Let us use them as they are intended. Thanks

[@GingerDrums]

To be honest the stock Logic or Pro Tools compressors sound great to me, and the tens of millions of streams on my mixes tells me nobody cares either.

[@MixtakeStudio]

@@GingerDrums They do sound good. i think its like a new guitar, it just inspires you when you first play on it. I already wrote and produced a song with it and the main reason i open the project was to check out this plugin. I do not have enough money to buy this plugin after its trial but i do think it sounds good, specially on the low end and on the drum bus. Far superior than any other Fairchild plugin i tested.

[@simonaustin1136]

This is a doomer take. at a pro level most mixing engineers are just trying to make their mixes “feel good” because the standard of mixing is already pretty high and competitive, so if there’s a tool that improves the feel of your track by even 2-5% it’s worth the investment. It’s a game of inches when you’re competing with other top level mixers.