FG-116 Blue Series: FET Compressor Plugin by Slate Digital

Rated 4.7/5 on Plugin Boutique (19 ratings)

FG-116 Blue Series is a FET compressor plugin from Slate Digital that recreates two vintage "rev A" Blue FET limiting amplifiers and offers two modernized versions of the circuit. It is available in VST3, VST2, AU and AAX formats.

VST3VST2AUAAXWindowsmacOS64-bit

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01Overview

The FG-116 Blue Series covers four compressor circuits in one plugin. Two recreate the vintage Blue-striped FET limiting amplifiers, and two are modernized versions of the same FET design. A Mix knob enables parallel compression, and a Hi Pass detection filter keeps low-end impact while the compressor controls dynamics. Slate Digital positions the plugin for vocals, drums, bass, guitars and full mixes.

Best for

Vocal compression
Drum room mics
Punchy snare and kick
Bass guitar edge
Drum bus compression
Full mix compression
Guitar tone shaping

Developer: Slate Digital
Category: Compressors
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Recreation of two vintage "rev A" Blue FET compressor circuits
Two modernized FET circuits with added enhancements
Vintage Circuit 1: mid-forward warmth and upper-mid coloration
Vintage Circuit 2: bigger lows with smoother mids and highs
Modern Circuit 1: slow attack and adjustable release
Mix control for parallel compression
Hi Pass filter for detection that preserves low-end impact

03In depth

Vintage and modern FET circuits

The two vintage circuits differ mainly in their low and midrange balance. Circuit 1 is mid-forward, adds coloration in the upper mids and gives vocals, bass, drums and guitars a warm presence with articulate transients. Circuit 2 has bigger lows and smoother mids and highs, which suits drum room mics and vocals that need more size.

The modern circuits are built for more aggressive settings. Circuit 1 has a slow attack that can add punch to close-miked drums and an edgy character to bass, with an adjustable release for tighter kick control. Circuit 2 is described as breathable and punchy on the low end with a smooth top end, and it is aimed at drum busses and full mixes.

Parallel compression and the Hi Pass filter

The Mix control blends the compressed signal with the dry signal, so you can apply heavy compression and still keep the source's natural feel. Dialing in strong compression and pulling the mix back adds punch without making drums feel overly squashed.

The Hi Pass filter lets the compressor ignore low frequencies in its detection, which keeps low-end impact while the dynamics of the track are still controlled.

04Specs

Will it run?

Formats, systems and requirements as listed by Plugin Boutique. Missing details are left out, not guessed.

Developer	Slate Digital
Type	Plugin
Category	Compressor
Formats	VST3, VST2, AU, AAX
Operating systems	Windows, macOS
Architecture	64-bit

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What formats does FG-116 Blue Series support?

FG-116 Blue Series is listed in VST3, VST2, AU and AAX formats. It runs on both Windows and macOS.

What are the system requirements for FG-116 Blue Series?

On macOS, it requires macOS 13 or later and an Intel or Apple Silicon processor with 4GB RAM. On Windows, it requires Windows 10 or Windows 11 with an Intel or AMD processor and 4GB RAM.

Do I need an iLok account to use FG-116 Blue Series?

Yes. A free iLok license manager account is required to run Slate Digital software.

What is the Mix control used for?

The Mix control blends the compressed signal with the uncompressed signal. Slate Digital suggests heavy compression with the mix set around 25% to add punch to drums without overly compressing them.