Native Instruments’ Supercharger is a free compressor, based on a tube compressor, that you use with almost a single knob. It has Punch (emphasizes the attack) and Dirt (adds distortion) buttons.
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 Supercharger with 16 compressor plug-ins and rate how well it serves its purpose on three criteria. The basis is official manufacturer information.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, SoundBounty may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices and sale information are as of the date we checked them and can change.
Score 2.5 / 5 (average of the 16 products compared: 3.2)
- Price
- Free
- Specs last checked
- 2026/09/25
- Compression character
- 1 coloration
- Speed
- Almost one knob
- Mix applications
- External sidechain
- Price (store, date)
- Not listed
Image: from the Native Instruments official website (product image)
Summary
Among the 16 compressor plug-ins, Supercharger is rank C. The ranks run S, A, B and C, and C is the lowest. Averaging the scores for each criterion (out of 5, with the one criterion that matters most for the purpose counted double) gives 2.5.
Things to keep in mind
- Compression character (2 points): the character of the compression is mostly fixed, so the range of choices is narrow.
Who it suits: people who want to try compressor coloration for free, with a single easy-to-understand knob.
Main features of Supercharger
A free tube-style compressor you use with one knob
Supercharger is a free compressor from Native Instruments based on a one-off tube compressor. The main control is the single Compress knob: the further right you turn it, the harder it compresses, and the official page says it is designed so that the output level stays even as you change the amount. You only need to set the input level first (so the lamp turns green) and then adjust with one knob.
Punch and Dirt buttons change the character
The Punch button delays the start of the effect so the attack of the sound is kept and the sound gets punch. The Dirt button adds light distortion to give a clean sound more presence. It can go from modest warmth to drums squashed hard.
An external sidechain is also supported
According to the manual, there is a mode with an external sidechain that reacts to another track. You can make a pumping effect (the volume rising and falling periodically) by lowering a bass or synth in time with the kick. For a free compressor, the range of uses is wide.
Video: “SUPERCHARGER GT Walkthrough – KOMPLETE NOW | Native Instruments” (official Native Instruments YouTube channel; narration in English) Watch on YouTube
Where it is useful
- Adding warmth to a vocal or acoustic guitar without spending money
- Squashing drums to make them powerful
- Lowering a synth in time with the kick to make a pumping effect (sidechain)
Rating by criterion
Compression character: 2 / 5
We check whether you can choose the character of the compression, from transparent and natural to colored and vintage-style.
It has one kind of compression, based on a tube compressor, and you can add coloration with Punch and Dirt.
If “compression character” matters most to you, Pro-C 3 and DC8C (5 points) are a better fit.
Speed: 3 / 5
We check whether it has features that get you to a good setting quickly, such as automatic settings and easy presets.
You can adjust it with almost the single Compress knob, and it is designed so that the volume stays even as you change the amount.
Mix applications: 3 / 5
We check whether it supports mix applications such as reacting to another sound (sidechain) and mixing with the original sound (parallel).
It has an external sidechain mode, so you can lower a bass or synth in time with the kick (pumping) (confirmed in the manual).
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.
Supercharger screens and images
Image: from the Native Instruments official website (product image)
Image: from the Native Instruments official website (product image)
Supercharger 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 | An internet connection is needed for activation and download (after that it works offline) |
| Free version | Free |
| 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
- MCompressor: features and rating (rank C)
- DC1A: features and rating (rank C)
- Pro-C 3: features and rating (rank S)
- smart:comp 3: features and rating (rank S)
For free options
Pages about free products in this category:
Comments