Custom Opto: Opto-Style Compressor Plugin by Slate Digital

Custom Opto pairs its Speed and Ratio controls with a Tone knob that switches between four modes. Airy opens up the top end. Smooth reduces harsh frequencies. Aggro adds snap and punch, and Warm adds vintage fatness.

Because each mode changes the tonal balance as well as the compression, you can use the Tone control to decide whether a track needs brightness, softness, attack or warmth. This makes the plugin useful when you want the compressor to do some of the tonal shaping in the same step.

The Speed and Ratio controls let you tailor the compressor to the source. Slower or faster timing and a higher or lower ratio can be dialed in to suit a vocal, a drum bus or a full mix.

Slate Digital also describes Custom Opto as working inside its Virtual Mix Rack environment. There you can place it alongside EQs, saturators and other VMR modules to build a mix chain. The plugin is listed as suitable for vocals, drums, instruments and mix bus duties.