KH-COMP1: Compressor Plugin by Black Rooster Audio

KH-COMP1 offers four detector modes: Hilbert, Peak, Vintage and RMS. Each one shapes the envelope that drives the compressor, letting you capture the sidechain level broadly or with precision. The developer describes the Hilbert detector as a 90-degree phase shifter that shows the signal's envelope without the distortion or overshoots it attributes to true peak detection.

The sidechain signal can be shaped with a two-band invertible filter. Both the low and high ends can be processed, which gives more control over ducking, pumping effects and de-essing. Inverting the filter lets you cut the mids surgically, and a listen option lets you audition the sidechain filter settings before they reach the envelope detector.

The blended stereo-link control moves between dual mono and linked stereo operation, which helps when you need detailed control over the relationship between the two channels and how each is processed.

The knee parameter softens the transition into compression for a smooth result, and the developer notes that letting the signal brush over the hard edge produces a harsher effect. KH-COMP1 is zero latency and does not require sample delay compensation, which makes it suitable for real-time monitoring and live use. Its DSP uses the SSE2 instruction set for high-performance processing.

KH-COMP1 suits producers and mix engineers who want fine-grained control over compression timing and sidechain behavior, particularly for ducking, pumping and de-essing work. Its user interface supports high pixel density displays on both Windows and macOS, though Windows users should check whether their DAW supports HighDPI.