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The vcl 373 Black Friday deal from Fuse Audio Labs puts this vintage compressor/limiter plugin at $19, 67% off, until Dec 6, 2026.
The VCL-373 is a compressor/limiter plugin from Fuse Audio Labs. It is based on a unit from the early 1960s that was built to meet the demands of German broadcasters.
The hardware it comes from had an all-discrete class-A audio path, top-grade components and transformers. Fuse Audio Labs says that made it the last stop in the chain for controlling dynamics before a signal went on air.
The maker also notes that the original carried a very high price tag at the time.
The effect runs from a gentle densening of the sound up to big, tight compression with plenty of saturation. The output level stays fairly steady along the way.
The maker says it works best on sources that already have a healthy volume and just need an extra creamy push. Vocals, drums and instruments gain loudness and a more solid feel.
It is also pitched at spoken word and podcasts. In mastering, the maker says it reaches significant loudness while the felt dynamics stay intact.
The original design has just two controls: input drive and release time. That keeps dialing in a sound quick.
Fuse Audio Labs adds a few conveniences to the plugin version:
The mix control gives you a way to blend the compressed signal with the dry one on a single instance.
The VCL-373 VST plugin runs on Mac and Windows. On Mac it is 64-bit only and works on Intel or Apple Silicon CPUs, with macOS 10.12 or newer. The host needs to support VST2, VST3, AAX or AudioUnits.
On Windows it comes in 32-bit and 64-bit versions. It needs Windows 7 or newer and an Intel-compatible CPU, with at least 2 GHz recommended. The host needs to support VST2, VST3 or AAX.
Both platforms call for 2GB of RAM and a display of 1280x1024 pixels or more.
Yes. The VCL-373 Vintage Compressor/Limiter from Fuse Audio Labs is 67% off at $19 until Dec 6, 2026. It is a compressor plugin for vocals, drums, instruments, spoken word and mastering.
The original design has two controls, input drive and release time. VCL-373 Vintage Compressor/Limiter gives you a variable drive knob, automatic makeup gain, a gain reduction meter and a wet/dry blend, which makes it easy to dial in the squeeze fast and mix in some untouched signal.
On Mac it supports VST2, VST3, AAX and AudioUnits hosts, 64-bit only, on Intel or Apple Silicon. On Windows it supports VST2, VST3 and AAX hosts in 32-bit and 64-bit versions.
It is based on a compressor/limiter from the early 1960s, built for German broadcasters. The hardware used an all-discrete class-A audio path with high-grade components and transformers, and sat last in the chain to control dynamics before air.
Prices and end dates are checked at publishing time and can change, so confirm them at the store before you buy.