UAD Manley Vari-MU Alternative: MU Compressor Limiter by Pulsar Audio

[@kadiummusic]

The mid-side mode is electric. 😎

[@DeltaWhiskeyBravo13579]

I've gotten this Pulsar Mu with Massive as a bundle. As a Black Friday sale, this came with Relab LX480 Essentials reverb free. I have Mu going into the Massive within my mix effects, and it's now my favorite combo.

[@DanielPestanaTranslations]

Bought it yesterday. I’m really impressed. Incredible on the drum bus. I’ll have to try it on other tracks, but it sounds so good, it’s really promising. Thanks for the video, David.

[@TheSavage1969]

You've gotta check out Pulsar's 1178.....throw the MU on the mixbus and the 1178 on your channels = gold

[@treztracks]

It's on my mixbus and I can't take it off🥶

As retarded as this may sound, i put it after my Klanghelm DC8C. That "Hold Me Like I'm More Than Just A Friend" singer gave Barbara Streisand a firmware update!

[@ichoffiziell1359]

Hi, what would be a good alternative to Hardware Manley Variable MU Compressor Limiter..also as Hardware

[@minnoxdnb]

thanks for this review, it helped me deciding to buy. i would love to see a direct compare of the pulsar 1178 vs MU and at what scenario you would use them.

[@AutoclaveBeats]

thanks Dave...your reviews are always helpful....I Have a Question. In your Opinion,How does this Compressor Compare to MJUC for Pop Vocals

[@mixbustv]

They're both great plugins, this one is in general a bit less colored than MJUC and I feel more suited for subtle compression, very classy tho', while MJUC tends to be more colored (or at least is what I reach for it for) and can sound really good when squeezing something and doing a lot of GR.

[@redmase1]

Another good one is the bus compressor from Ik multimedia. This is nice too

[@detective4719]

Awesome video as always! I was wondering if you think this plug might fit well on a vocal chain after compressor like the soft tube Tubetech mk2? I was thinking this may be good for the final plug in on a lead vocal to enhance the vocal after the tubetech.

[@detective4719]

Awesome! I will try that out. Thank you

[@weststarr2046]

beautiful sounding!!!!

[@sezjames2472]

Uad or this? What's best (not bothered about dsp)

[@gonrazortapes]

Pulsar is better

[@LuisM_Piozza]

It sounds really really nice... ... and not very expensive!. Thanks a lot.

[@peterbrandt7911]

Nice one. How would you rate it against the Klanghelm MJUC. The last one would be my choice as of today. So I'm kinda curious.

[@AH20XX]

I've been hearing about the Klanghelm,is it really has good as they say?

[@AH20XX]

@@mixbustv I've been hearing about the Klanghelm,is it really has good as they say?

[@Barncore]

@@AH20XX There's a video about it on MixbusTV. You can see David's glee there

[@peterbrandt7911]

@@mixbustv Thanks David, well I'll keep that then in the back of my skull.

[@mrnelsonius5631]

A H MJUC is IMO the most flexible “color” compressor you can get for the money. It’s not the be all and end all but it’s great sounding and extremely versatile. I tend to use it when my go-to comps aren’t doing it for me. It’s been a savior that way countless times. Tend to use it on tracks more than mixbus tho

[@alexandersorbas1881]

congrats to 100000 subs !!!!!!

[@mixbustv]

🎉

[@ulfb5467]

Great tutorial 👍 I’m looking for a glue compressor for master bus. What do you think, Mu is a good choice? 🙏

[@mixbustv]

It is for some genres, you need to know each topology, what their characteristics are and once you know that, your taste will tell you which one to use in a given track because there's not one that fits all, but we can say VCA's are universally recognized as being the go-to type 2bus compressors, BUT, also some people use MU in combination with those or by themselves, all a matter of what material you're working with. Check my series on all compressors explained.

[@ulfb5467]

@@mixbustv Thank you for your advise . Yes, I will check them all, I’ve already checked some if them. Where is your HQ? I saw you where in LA. Thanks from Stockholm and Merry Christmas 🎄

[@mixbustv]

@@ulfb5467 no prob, yeah I'm in LA

[@ulfb5467]

@@mixbustv 👍

[@sebastiandiaz29]

How does this compare to the MJUC?

[@devarni]

How do you compare it to the SPL Iron?

[@Am6-9]

I tested this when it came out, and I found it a nice variant in situations where MJUC would be too strong. But it seemed to be calibrated for really high levels, in a 0VU=-18dB gain staging setup, which I roughly do, I had to turn down the threshold completely and crank the input massively (then having to adjust the output respectively) to get more than 2-3 dB of gain reduction or even that. Kind of a workflow killer, and I found no way to set the internal calibration of the plugin like you can do e.g. in MJUC.

[@realraven2000]

It's interesting - I am also trying to calibrate my channels to -18db but inadvertently end up with higher levels on my group / submix buses. So I find that I have to inesrt a lot of VUMT or bx-Control instances and do frequent tweaking. Is there anything that can be done to avoid this? Mixes just always seem to gravitate toward louder...

[@Am6-9]

Realraven2000 I don’t think you can avoid it, because that’s the nature of summing, the levels get summed up. But I’ve learned to be a bit more relaxed with the gainstaging. Yes, sure, a lot of analog emulations are calibrated to -18dB, but if you don’t use those on your busses, it doesn’t matter. And if you do, most of them have an input control, so you can just turn it down if it e.g. distorts too much for your taste. I even stopped using VUMT except for checking once in a while, and I just set the pre gain so the channel meter hits between -12 and -6dB or so, depending on the instrument. If my mixes don’t sound good then it’s usually not the problem of gain staging but of my lack of skills ;)

Vari-Mu compressor has a mastering compressor for it's best usage IMHO and nowhere else. The MJUC is strong, but the DC8C has more variations and a clean-a** sound.

[@Darksagan]

Its on sale right now for 49.00 plus you get another free plugin.

[@88sollo]

waited so long for an alternative

[@hobodivine5776]

Thank you! :0)

[@pascalhaux]

Really a very good compressor love it

[@msp420]

Ok I’m going to get it

[@maneshkumarofficial7536]

thank you so much

[@AironExTv]

Sweet.

[@jasonjames7109]

Great video! What do you suggest for a first 2 bus outboard compressor? That's somewhat flexible. Doesn't have to be an entry level price point.

[@jasonjames7109]

@@mixbustv great! Thank you so much!

[@ronithhalder5277]

Please also review the ik multimedia dyna-mu compressor. As it's also a good alternative. Your feedback will be helpful

[@Barncore]

Which would you rank higher out of this and T-Racks Dyna-Mu?

[@Barncore]

@@mixbustv What didn't you like about it? Do you like/dislike any other T-Racks plugins?

[@tommymai3062]

Does it sound better then UAD ?

[@西夜]

This better because have oversampling

[@TheGastodont]

does anyone know how to get in touch with this guys? I have the 1178 and the smasher that are crashing my system every time I try to load them both in ableton and logic pro and their contact on the website seems to not be working

[@RealHomeRecording]

Did you ever get this resolved? Usually what I do if email isn't working is I will send messages over social media.

[@gaudinni]

Thank David!

[@Kambiz.Mahdavi]

Great video can I use this plugin on mastering as mastering comp? My genre is deep house

[@Kambiz.Mahdavi]

@@mixbustv l am one of your big fan from Iran you always tell us everythings you know about mix and mastering tnx alot Yes I always use side chain filter to save sub bass tnx

[@tryxxx2235]

Fire

[@markbeling3330]

Awesome!

[@cesargonzalezbueno3359]

Would you use this compressor in your mixes?

[@mixbustv]

Yeah I used it

[@cesargonzalezbueno3359]

@@mixbustv good enough for. I trust you Dave, if I want to sound good I need to use the tools the pro use, not all the tools but some tools that I really like.

[@cesargonzalezbueno3359]

@@mixbustv I already have my copy of the Pulsar Mu and I love it. Now I want to know your thoughts on Pulsar Massive and Pulsar 1178!

[@Rhuggins]

thing has a massive smailey face eq on it...compared it to magenta by AA - who sampled the actual unit for the plugin, and its there but wayyy less. no wonder it sounds good...kind of shady i think

[@mrnelsonius5631]

This is on sale currently on plugin boutique. I’ve overspent on plugins already this month so will probably pass (still in love with Magic Death Eye on my mixbus.. most of the time). But this sounds really great. Wish Pulsar would add machine activation for iLok too ;)

[@tobiasjone]

I’ve got mine on machine activation.. it seems they added it this week.

[@mrnelsonius5631]

@@tobiasjone they did!! And I bought it. Insta-buy when I saw that in a forum post yesterday :)

[@VincentKearney1967]

Nice !!!!!

[@nichttuntun3364]

Hi. Nice review, interesting software but iLok, so I´m out here :)

[@mentorlatifi6221]

Is it possible to stop that analog noise from the plugin ?

[@mentorlatifi6221]

I Thought you will give me any answer ..thnx any way and thnx for great tutorials !

[@Bcwilderness]

i hope this is clearer than cytos glue, im a little fed up of the smearing and trying to stay itb, but a good hardware end chain may be my only hope, serpent audio to cd

[@LuisM_Piozza]

@@mixbustv Exactly! :-) It would be like comparing a VCA compressor with an optical or FET compressor!

[@realmusic4you]

I can't believe that you are that desperateto block your replies in the comments section unless we pay you a protection tax! it is bad enough that I only own my home that I paid for as long as I pay a you need protection tax on it. what's the world coming too?

[@mixbustv]

Uh? Are you ok?

[@SheldonTam]

@@mixbustv Ha ha, too many crazy people in the world. Anyway, this is on sale for $45 now, and I am getting it, thanks.