Native Instruments’ Vintage Compressors is a set of three vintage-style compressors, the VC 76, VC 2A and VC 160, developed together with Softube. All three have an added sidechain input (a function that moves the effect in time with another track) and parallel compression.
A compressor holds down sounds that are too loud and evens out differences in volume. For vocals it keeps the level stable and easy to hear, and it can also add punch to a sound.
In this article we compare Vintage Compressors with 16 compressor plug-ins and rate how well it serves its purpose on three criteria. The basis is official manufacturer information.
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Score 3.5 / 5 (average of the 16 products compared: 3.2)
- Specs last checked
- 2026/09/25
- Compression character
- 3 vintage models
- Speed
- Standard
- Mix applications
- Sidechain + parallel
- Price (store, date)
- $99 [Official, checked Oct 26]
Image: from the Native Instruments official website (product image)
Summary
Among the 16 compressor plug-ins, Vintage Compressors is rank A. The ranks run S, A, B and C, and A is second from the top. Averaging the scores for each criterion (out of 5, with the one criterion that matters most for the purpose counted double) gives 3.5.
Strengths
- Compression character (4 points): you can choose among several characters of compression to suit the material and your taste.
- Mix applications (4 points): it has wide mix uses, such as reacting to other sounds and mixing with the original sound.
Things to keep in mind
- Speed (2 points): you have to set the values yourself.
Who it suits: people who want the coloration of classic vintage compressors in one affordable set.
Main features of Vintage Compressors
Three vintage compressors with different characters
Vintage Compressors is a set based on three studio-standard compressors, made by Native Instruments together with Softube. The VC 76 is a fast, punchy FET compressor, the VC 2A is a smooth, warm optical compressor, and the VC 160 is a VCA compressor that emphasizes the start of a sound and distorts a little. The official page says the VC 76 suits drums and vocals, the VC 2A vocals, bass and pads, and the VC 160 kick, snare, bass and guitar.
A sidechain input the originals did not have
All three have an added sidechain input triggered by another track. You can lower a synth or bass in time with the kick, or lower background music in time with a speaking voice, as on the radio.
Parallel compression by mixing in the original
All three have a Dry knob that adds back the uncompressed original sound, so parallel compression (mixing a heavily compressed sound with the original) can be done in one unit. It helps when you want to add punch and density while keeping the sound natural.
Video: “VINTAGE COMPRESSORS | Native Instruments” (official Native Instruments YouTube channel; narration in English) Watch on YouTube
Where it is useful
- Adding the forward feel and warmth of a vintage compressor to a vocal
- Adding attack and a little distortion to a kick or snare with the VC 160
- Lowering the bass in time with the kick to reduce low-frequency clashes (sidechain)
Rating by criterion
Compression character: 4 / 5
We check whether you can choose the character of the compression, from transparent and natural to colored and vintage-style.
It is a set recreating three vintage-style compressors: the VC 76, VC 2A and VC 160.
Speed: 2 / 5
We check whether it has features that get you to a good setting quickly, such as automatic settings and easy presets.
It has standard controls close to those of vintage hardware.
If “speed” matters most to you, smart:comp 3 (5 points) is a better fit.
Mix applications: 4 / 5
We check whether it supports mix applications such as reacting to another sound (sidechain) and mixing with the original sound (parallel).
All three units have an added sidechain input and parallel compression.
How we score (Compressor plug-ins)
| Criterion | Basis | 5 pt | 4 pt | 3 pt | 2 pt | 1 pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compression character | Whether you can choose the character of the compression to suit the material and your taste | Many compression styles and coloration to choose from, plus fine controls such as look-ahead | Several styles plus either coloration or spectral processing | Either several styles or a recreation of vintage hardware | One type, but with coloration or compression-curve adjustment | One type |
| Speed | How quickly you can reach a good setting | AI analyzes the sound and suggests settings | Several automatic aids, such as auto gain and auto release | Few knobs; almost everything is set with one | Standard controls | — |
| Mix applications | Uses such as sidechain, parallel and M/S | External sidechain, sidechain EQ, and M/S or parallel are all included | External sidechain plus either parallel or M/S | One of external sidechain, M/S or parallel | — | Not mentioned on the official page |
Each criterion is scored from 1 to 5 on how well the product serves one goal: evening out the volume of a vocal and blending it into the backing track. Scores follow the conditions in the table above, and the rank is based on an average in which "Compression character" counts double. The basis is official manufacturer information. Sound quality and CPU load are not measured, so they are not scored; reviews from trade magazines are introduced in the articles for reference. Price is not part of the score. Features that cannot be confirmed from the manufacturer's or a retailer's description are scored as if absent. The "OBS (streaming)" column in the table shows whether the official page lists the VST2 format that the streaming software OBS Studio can use (○). OBS does not support the VST3 format. It is not part of the score.
Vintage Compressors screens and images
Image: from the Native Instruments official website (product image)
Image: from the Native Instruments official website (product image)
Vintage Compressors system requirements and getting started
| Operating system | Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit) / Mac (macOS 13 to 15, Apple silicon supported) |
|---|---|
| Plug-in formats | VST, VST3, AAX (Windows); VST, VST3, AU, AAX (Mac) |
| Other | Each of the three can also be bought separately. An internet connection is needed for activation and download (after that it works offline) |
| Trial | Free trial available |
| OBS (streaming) | Works as it is (VST2 is listed) |
Checked on the manufacturer’s official pages on September 27, 2026.
Compared with other compressor plug-ins
Click a heading to sort. On a phone, the table scrolls sideways.
| Product | RankAvg. score | Compression character | Speed | Mix applications | Free | OBS (streaming) | Price (store, date) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FabFilterPro-C 3 | S 4.8 | 14 styles + coloration | Automatic aids | Sidechain, SC EQ, M/S | — | ○ | $199 [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| soniblesmart:comp 3 | S 4.5 | 3 styles + Custom + spectral | AI suggestions | Sidechain, SC EQ, M/S | — | ○ | $129 [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| Native InstrumentsVintage Compressors | A 3.5 | 3 vintage models | Standard | Sidechain + parallel | — | ○ | $99 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| Native InstrumentsSupercharger | C 2.5 | 1 coloration | Almost one knob | External sidechain | Free | ○ | Not listed |
| MeldaProductionMCompressor | C 2.3 | Draw your own curve | Standard | M/S | Free | ○ | Not listed |
| KlanghelmDC8C | S 4.8 | Many styles + coloration | Automatic aids | Sidechain, SC EQ, parallel | — | ○ | ≈$25.78 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| KlanghelmMJUC | B 3.3 | 3 models + coloration | Standard | Parallel | — | ○ | ≈$26.90 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| KlanghelmDC1A | C 2.5 | 1 type + switches | Two knobs | Parallel | Free | ○ | Not listed |
| Universal Audio1176 Classic Limiter Collection | B 3.3 | 3 vintage models + coloration | Standard | Parallel | — | × (VST3 only) | $29 (sale; regular $199) [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| Universal AudioLA-2A Leveler Collection | B 2.8 | 3 vintage models | Standard | Not listed | — | × (VST3 only) | $39 (sale; regular $149) [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| WavesCLA-76 | B 3.3 | 2 models + coloration | Standard | Parallel | — | △ (via Waves StudioRack) | $34.99 (sale; regular $149) [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| Tokyo Dawn RecordsTDR Kotelnikov | C 2.3 | 1 type + separate peak/RMS release | Standard | Parallel | Free | ○ | Not listed |
| CytomicThe Glue | B 3.0 | SSL bus compressor recreation | Standard | External SC + parallel | — | ○ | $99 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| SoftubeCL 1B mk II | B 3.3 | Mk I/Mk II switch + optical | Standard | Parallel | — | ○ | ≈$223.06 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| WavesCLA-2A | B 2.8 | LA-2A recreation | Standard | Parallel | — | △ (via Waves StudioRack) | Not listed |
| Solid State LogicSSL Native Bus Compressor 2 | B 3.0 | SSL bus compressor recreation | Standard | External SC + parallel | — | ○ | $99 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
Features checked on each manufacturer's official website on September 25, 2026. Check the store page behind the buy button for the price.
Read next
- Pro-C 3: features and rating (rank S)
- smart:comp 3: features and rating (rank S)
- Supercharger: features and rating (rank C)
- MCompressor: features and rating (rank C)
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