Vulf Compressor, the SP404 Vinyl Simulator

UPDATE: Goodhertz just released a BIG update as version 3 of their plugins — with updated design & all the plugins now work on Windows in addition to Mac, and adds VST support for Mac!

I’ve been a big fan of Goodhertz for a couple years now. I found out about them in my search to emulate the legendary vinyl simulator compression on the Roland SP303 and SP404 samplers. A lot of people tried to recreate the decidedly lofi and wonky sound that these maschines produce. Nothing comes close to the Vulf Compressor. It is my go-to plugin for shaping sound. I run it on all sorts of things.

The Goodhertz Plugin Suite

For the last few weeks I was working with the rest of the Goodhertz plugins. The interface for each plugin has a clean layout, which makes working with them a breeze. They easily let you get creative with the settings and you achieve interesting results quickly. The plugins find their way into my workflow more and more these days, slowly edging out their competition from companies like Waves, etc.

After you sign up at their website you get a 15 day trial period for each plugin, so you can put them to work on your own tracks before buying.

All plugins and what they do…

• Vulf Compressor (see next section)
• Wow Control is an audio plugin entirely focused on the weird & wild modulations of analog tape and other less-than-perfect analog playback devices. My second favourite plugin from Goodhertz 🙂
• Midside is a straightforward mid/side plugin that excels at striking a great balance between simplicity and power.
• Tiltshift is a tilt EQ which can dramatically alter the tone and timbre of your audio — going from mellow warmth to crystal clear with a single, loudness-matched slider.
• Panpot brings together four different modes of panning in a single plugin.
• Faraday Limiter delivers big, analog-modeled transformer sound with “Color” and “Warmth” controls for extended timbral shaping.
• Lohi is a simple filter that’s optimized automation and realtime changes. I use it all the time to quickly create sweeps.
• Trem Control adds a human touch to your sounds, like the soulful wobble of a Rhodes electric piano. Dial it up to a more dramatic setting and it completely transforms a sound.
• Tone Control is a buttery-smooth equalizer with enough versatility for every track in your mix. I use it mostly for the big-picture tone shaping. For removing specific frequencies I default back to Ableton’s EQ8.
• CanOpener aims to turn your headphones into high-end speakers in a finely tuned room. I like to have the plugin on the master output to help correct my monitoring environment.
• Lossy is a funny piece of software. It does something that we usually want to avoid. It recreates lossy digital audio. Do you want the track to sound like streaming music on a 56k modem? How about listening to music on a cellphone speaker?
• Good Dither will optimize the dither and noise shaping.

Back to the Vulf Compressor

The Vulf Compressor is really special and does some things not many other compressor do. It’s such a great niche product with a very distinct sound, that’s highly suitable for hip hop and lofi productions! Vulf Compressor is one of a few tools I use on every single beat. For subtle jobs you should choose a different compressor. If you want that pumping, overcompressed sound that all Lofi/SP producers have, then you found your match made in heaven!

SP404 Vinyl Simulator Compression

The plugin is partially based on the Vinyl Simulator Compressor preset from the Roland SP303. Apparently this compressor has a very distinct sound, that’s not easily emulated with other compressors. The legendary sampler was used by everyone from Dilla and Madlib to Radiohead and others.

Many people get these machines purely for their dirty sound. They arrange the full track in their DAW, then dump the entire beat into the SP404 sampler to compress and get that ducking & pumping sound! Instead of routing audio out of and back into your computer, simply add the Vulf Compressor on your master buss to simulate it going through a 303!

Don’t forget the greatly expanded wow/flutter with selectable vinyl speeds, depth, mix, & stereo phase controls. There are more than enough options to create a vintage gear sound for anything you throw at it. I will record some examples for you soon. For now check out what the Vulf Compressor can do to a dry drum recording…

Summary

Vulf Compressor runs in the trendy space of virtual vintage compressor. You usually need a few different to get similar results to this plugin. That means spend more money and most importantly more time in setting things up for each mix. The Vulf Compressor is different. For $149 you get interesting, and authentic sounding results in no time. The additional modulation options and lofi effects are a lot of fun as well!

Are you hooked and ready to get in bed with Goodhertz? There is a special deal on purchases of 3 or more plugins. You’ll save up to 25%.

More info on https://goodhertz.co