UNIVERSAL AUDIO UAD Empirical Labs EL8 Distressor Comp

Plug-in emulation - EL8 Distressor compressor

• Official emulation of Empirical Labs EL8 Distressor compressor.
• Extreme control over guitars, vocals, drums and synths
• Exclusive plug-in features: Dry/Wet, Headroom, custom filters
• Dist 2 and Dist 3 modes for distinctive harmonic colorations
• Compatible with Apollo systems, UAD Accelerators and in native mode
• Featured in thousands of professional productions

Universal Audio Distressor: the modern sound of compression

The Empirical Labs EL8 Distressor is considered the most versatile and colorful modern compressor ever created. Through direct collaboration with Dave Derr, Universal Audio has developed the only official emulation of Distressor in plug-in format, bringing to your DAW the sound that has redefined the dynamics of thousands of tracks over the past decades.

Total flexibility for every audio source

From surgical control over vocals to aggressive drum compression to musical character on synths and bass, Distressor covers any need. Its unique compression curves, variable attack/decay times, and Dist 2/3 modes offer a wide and always musical tone palette.

Exclusive features only in the plug-in version

In addition to absolute sonic fidelity, the UAD version adds Dry/Wet controls for parallel compression, headroom adjustment to accommodate gain staging, and advanced filters to manage detector response. All with no latency when used on Apollo hardware.

Who the UAD Distressor plug-in is intended for.

Professional sound engineers and producers

An essential resource for dynamics management, capable of adapting to any genre.

UAD users and hybrid studios

Perfect for real-time tracking, advanced mixes, and optimized DSP workflows.

Legendary gear enthusiasts

The most desired modern compressor, now in official software version.

Technical Specifications.

• Official emulation of Empirical Labs EL8 Distressor compressor
• Dist 2 (harmonic 2nd) and Dist 3 (harmonic 3rd) modes selectable
• Dry/Wet mix for parallel compression
• Filter detector and adjustable headroom
• Compatibility: Apollo, UAD Accelerators, Native
• Universal Audio digital license