can you use fairchild uad as a mastering compressor

I have to say, I was skeptical about Slate, and had avoided them because some of their claims seemed a bit to good to be true, but now they have my undivided attention! I'm now looking forward to their Virtual Mix Rack, and squirreling away my lunch money. The one I have used the least so far is the Red, simply because I was having so much fun with the other two. Perhaps they modeled Manley Vari Mu, and incorporated it (they don't come out and say which 'MU's' they modeled of course). This is all so subjective, but I instantly clicked with it. FG-MU sounds more modern, and seems to suit rock mixes better to my ears. Also, FG-MU is amazing! I personally find it much more useful than the Fairchild MKII, especially in the mix bus. Since Slate's version is a modified SSL, it could be argued that it isn't authentic, but for me, FG-Grey beats UAD SSL for how it sounds to me (subjective). Slate added a transformer to the signal path of the FG-Grey, and I like it better than the transformer matrix on the SHMC. I also like it better than the VCA comp on SHMC. To me the transients stay firmer at larger reduction values than UAD SSL Buss, and I really like the hi pass side chain. I A/B'd FG-Grey with UAD SSL Buss comp, and I like FG-Grey better. I was demoing this yesterday, and I really like the sound of these comps even when you put them in the circuit without compressing. OTOH, he was smashing that drum kit to hell! If I did that in a mastering session, I'd fire me.īumping this old thread because I am way impressed with Slate VBC. I did like that extra bit of woody upper-mid presence the hardware exhibited in the demo vid though.

I agree the SHMC doesn't quite match the hardware in the video comparison, but I have successfully used it in mastering, and would use it in a mix as well. Matt - I respect you greatly, but IMHO, a comp 'across the mix bus' is already mastering (at least a first step), unless you take it off before running the mix unless you mean a group (aux). I found the promising mix knobs in the Slate to sound odd - phasey, like they didn't nail the sample accuracy or need to run the 'dry' signal through the modeling to make it match. I wanted to, but it just wasn't quite there.

I personally didn't like the Slate VBC package to buy it. I do enough mastering to know that a LA2a into a SSL, 33609 or 1176 just doesn't match the SHMC. Each of the compressor mentioned are distinctly different.

Can you use fairchild uad as a mastering compressor