Drum Bus: Drum Bus Compressor Plugin by Black Salt Audio

Drum Bus offers two compression modes. Standard mode is described as clean and transparent, and it works to tighten the mix and create cohesion across the drum bus.

Slammed mode is the more aggressive option, aimed at the punchy, forward drum sound common on many records. The developer recommends it for parallel drum bus processing, where you blend the compressed signal under the dry drums.

Auto Gain is built into each control, so you can switch processing on and off and compare levels without adjusting output by hand.

The TONE knob moves the sound toward brighter and more present, or toward smoother and warmer. The SALT control is described as subtly enhancing key frequencies to add power, clarity and punch.

The HEAT control adds saturation, and its character depends on the mode. In Standard mode, Heat adds warmth and fullness. In Slammed mode, it adds grit and edge.

Because these controls sit alongside the compression, you can shape tone and density in the same plugin rather than across separate effects.