Empirical Labs EL7 Fatso with UBK Mod

" I had three goals in mind when I set about to modify what was already one of my favorite pieces in rack number one, Dave Derr's brilliant Fatso Jr." - UBK

1. I wanted to create a collection of fixed-setting compressors that, with the turn of a single knob, could shape and tame any sound you throw at it, and be especially adept with those that are the easiest to screw up: vocals, drums, bass, acoustic and electric guitars, and pianos.

2. I wanted these preset comps to offer up several distinctly different ‘flavors’ of compression, each of which has a ‘grab’ and ‘motion’ that is totally unlike the others, in order to give the modern engineer maximum flexibility in terms of style, attitude, punch, and squeeze.

3. I wanted to make these compressors incredibly smooth and easygoing at moderate settings, but able to go to extremes (and beyond) to create sounds that are surprising, inspiring, and drenched in vibe. No matter how much you dig in, the results should be musical; it might be too much compression for you, but it will never be *bad* compression.

“How do I do this?” Once upon a time, compressors came with two knobs, and your compression options were ‘more’ and ‘less’. But make no mistake: this minimalism in design was actually an asset to the guy who had to turn the knobs and push the faders. The engineers who designed these simple boxes paid painstaking attention to every crucial aspect of envelope shaping --- the knee, the ratio, the attack and the release --- and they tweaked and tweezed the mysterious and often chaotic interplay of these parameters until they found their holy grail: a circuit whose action was incredibly musical and whose grab sounded amazing on every source and sound you feed it.

“Compression was easy, and it always sounded good.” So it is with the UBK Fatso. In addition to all the tone-sweetening characteristics and features of the classic Fatso --- harmonic thickening, tape-like saturation, independent ‘warmth’ control to soften and tame high frequency harshness --- the UBK Fatso features 3 brand new presets, lovingly crafted by yours truly, tweaked exclusively by ear, and exhaustively tested in the trenches on every sound you’re ever likely to find in your mixes, and a few you probably never will… just in case.

Splat - this is my take on the comps built into my favorite 3-lettered vintage console. At modest settings, it stiffens and reigns in drums, focuses a vocal, and enhances the vibe of the original sound while making it easier to manage. But when you dig in, wonderful things begin to happen. Drums develop thwack and hit you in the chest. Vocals get utterly creamy with a pleasing, old school hair. Loops come alive and breathe organically. Electric guitars get thicker, deeper, and stay pinned where you want them. But don’t be afraid of those meters: push it farther, past that red light. 20db of reduction? Don’t worry, keep going. Ever heard your drum buss do that? Didn't think so.