APU Loudness Compressor Plugin... this looks kinda cool!

[James Steele]

Help me... I have GAS (or maybe PAS... plugin acquisition syndrome)! This looks kinda instabuy to me! $30 or $55 with the bundle that includes their Optimizer plugin:



https://apu.software/compressor/

[mikehalloran]

I dislike his delivery — really, he should use his own "look-ahead" function and preview the app so that he gets more info out in less time.

That said, there are a number of plugs that have this functionality. What this APU version does is bring a unique interface to the table. I like it a lot.

As he notes correctly, the look-ahead feature makes it useless for tracking and live performance but that's ok. I also like his caution against overuse on individual tracks. When nothing has dynamic range, the only result is a lifeless mess.

Do I need this? No ... but I really like the interface so... yea, probably. I'll even go through his YouTube link so that he gets a piece.

[James Steele]

Yeah... this guy has a tendency to just dive in and review plugins that he really hasn't spent much time with. As a result, he sometimes misses features or how to use a particular feature. Something about this plug caught my eye.

I haven't uploaded any new music to any of the services in a while, but I know that things have changed and just uploading the loudest possible mix that doesn't clip isn't what you do anymore these days. I'm going to need to figure that out pretty soon.

[mikehalloran]

Yeah... this guy has a tendency to just dive in and review plugins that he really hasn't spent much time with. As a result, he sometimes misses features or how to use a particular feature. Something about this plug caught my eye.

I haven't uploaded any new music to any of the services in a while, but I know that things have changed and just uploading the loudest possible mix that doesn't clip isn't what you do anymore these days. I'm going to need to figure that out pretty soon.

I paid the $55 because I really like the interface. The Loudness Meter is a freebie. It and the Compressor are AU/VST3 plug-ins. The Optimizer is a stand-alone app only and the other two are available that way, too. In the 14 minutes of that video, he had more than enough time to drop those bits of information.

Screenshot 2024-05-25 at 6.25.25 PM.png (258.6 KiB) Viewed 311 times

[James Steele]

Yeah... this guy has a tendency to just dive in and review plugins that he really hasn't spent much time with. As a result, he sometimes misses features or how to use a particular feature. Something about this plug caught my eye.

I haven't uploaded any new music to any of the services in a while, but I know that things have changed and just uploading the loudest possible mix that doesn't clip isn't what you do anymore these days. I'm going to need to figure that out pretty soon.

I paid the $55 because I really like the interface. The Loudness Meter is a freebie. It and the Compressor are AU/VST3 plug-ins. The Optimizer is a stand-alone app only and the other two are available that way, too. In the 14 minutes of that video, he had more than enough time to drop those bits of information.

Hmmmm... yeah... I can't tell if you're upset about that? Is the Optimizer useful as a standalone app? Yeah... well this guy is not always thorough obviously. I wonder if it's mentioned on the developer's site that Optimizer is not available as a plugin? Interesting about only AU and VST3. I see a few plugins now and then that do not have AAX versions. I have Pro Tools on my Mac and am current with 2024.3.1 but I really don't use it. But good to know when they don't cover ALL plugin formats.

[mikehalloran]

…
Hmmmm... yeah... I can't tell if you're upset about that? Is the Optimizer useful as a standalone app? Yeah... well this guy is not always thorough obviously. I wonder if it's mentioned on the developer's site that Optimizer is not available as a plugin? Interesting about only AU and VST3. I see a few plugins now and then that do not have AAX versions. I have Pro Tools on my Mac and am current with 2024.3.1 but I really don't use it. But good to know when they don't cover ALL plugin formats.

Oh gosh no! Not upset at all—especially for $25 add-on.

I've not really looked at it yet but I liken it to the fact that RX-A has greater accuracy and more features as a stand-alone app than as a plug-in. If it's going to "Optimize" the entire file... Perhaps it may have to add ARA functionality before becoming a plug-in — that would be cool. It's also quite possible that, having RX 11 Advanced, Optimizer is redundant. For $25, I get to find out.

If the Compressor was a stand-alone only. I'd be a little miffed, perhaps. The ability to tweak the track in real time in that interface is an exciting prospect. I doubt that I will ever look at the stand-alone app just as I never looked at Ozone other than as a plug-in. When the app went away with Oz-10, I never missed it.

A free LUFS Meter will be useful to someone, no doubt.

[Michael Canavan]

I'm picking this up for sure, struggling a bit with an old recording of vocals that are all over the place loudness wise even when heavily compressed..

[James Steele]

I'm picking this up for sure, struggling a bit with an old recording of vocals that are all over the place loudness wise even when heavily compressed..

I just went ahead and bought the bundle, too. I noticed as I'm downloading things that at first glance it seems to include a decent manual as well, which is definitely appreciated. Good documentation really is helpful!

[James Steele]

Interesting about only AU and VST3. I see a few plugins now and then that do not have AAX versions. I have Pro Tools on my Mac and am current with 2024.3.1 but I really don't use it. But good to know when they don't cover ALL plugin formats.

Well, I just installed it and I guess I assumed the worst. There actually are AAX versions installed as well, so that's a good thing in case I ever decide use it in Pro Tools. Can't imagine I would, but just nice to have all the DAW bases covered.

apusoftwareinstall.jpg (104.18 KiB) Viewed 252 times

[James Steele]

For anyone who wants to know... you do get a 10 day free trial when you first install these so you can evaluate them. Which is what I probably should have done. I just bought this one blind.

[sayatnova]

This is how a review should be done: Dan Worrall's review of the plugin: excellent info, masterfully presented...

[James Steele]

This is how a review should be done: Dan Worrall's review of the plugin: excellent info, masterfully presented...

Nice! Thanks for that!! Dan definitely is someone whose opinion I would trust!!

[James Steele]

Odd... I inserted it into a mastering chain on my Master Fader track and the visualizer and all the graphics on screen got very slow and stuttered. But it was a very weird situation because I created a new Master Fader and inserted the same plugs and it was fine. Weird. Cool plug.