Empirical Labs® EL8 Distressor
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The world’s most popular compressor, exactingly recreated for UAD and Apollo.
Introduced in 1993, the Empirical Labs EL8 Distressor is revered in studios all over the world as the modern, “must-have” compressor. Versatile, super fast, and offering tons of color, the Distressor picks up where the legendary UA 1176 and Teletronix LA-2A compressors leave off — a modern tool that’s equal parts utilitarian and creative, as heard on thousands of hit records.
The only authentic Distressor plug-in endorsed by Empirical Labs’ founder Dave Derr, the UAD Empirical Labs EL8 Distressor is available exclusively for UAD hardware and Apollo interfaces. An exhaustive end-to-end emulation of Derr’s iconic hardware, the UAD EL8 Distressor is the only faithful emulation of this true “desert island” compressor.Track and mix with the only authentic emulation of the EL8 Distressor — the world's most popular modern compressor
Radically shape guitars, drums, and vocals with nearly infinite gain reduction variations
Harness plug-in-only features like Dry/Wet parallel processing and Headroom for user‑customizable operating level
Creatively color instruments and vocals with famous “Dist 2” and “Dist 3” modes
Embellish, pump up, or destroy bass, synth, and room mics with custom detector filtering
Mix with presets from Joe Chiccarelli (The Strokes), Vance Powell (Jack White), Jacquire King (Kings of Leon), Jimmy Douglass (The Rolling Stones), and more
Take a Listen
Learn how to Add Energy to Drums
Grammy-winning engineer Vance Powell (Jack White, The Dead Weather) and the Empirical Labs EL8 Distressor plug‑in.
The Only End‑to‑End Distressor Emulation
The Empirical Labs EL8 Distressor Compressor plug-in provides all the features and coveted sound of the original Distressor design. UA’s team of DSP experts started with a complete circuit trace and component study of Dave Derr's selected golden unit. Simultaneously, the team analyzed three more Distressors representing the lifetime of the product — ensuring one of UA’s tightest circuit models to date.
When comparing Distressor software emulations, contrast the original hardware’s ultra-fast attack time to quickly hear where most plug-ins fail, and the authentic UAD Distressor succeeds.
The Right Ratio
The crux of the Distressor are its staggering variations in compression — 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 6:1, 10:1, 20:1 and Nuke — each delivering unique tones and curves. Use the 1:1 ratio to gently warm up synths or strings without compression, while adding musical low-order harmonics. At the other extreme, the Nuke limiter setting is famous for adding explosive excitement to room mics, or energizing a entire mix.
Distortion Modes
The Distressor's iconic Dist 2 and Dist 3 modes feature a wide palette of compression coloration, letting you shape sources with even or combined even/odd-order harmonic distortion. From delicate thickening to burnished tape to fully saturated, the Distortion Modes, combined with low-frequency filtering, let you focus the Distressor’s textures.
Powerful Sidechain Controls
The Distressor’s sidechain control lets you easily focus your dynamics. High Pass filter unwanted low frequency pumping and breathing — perfect for drum bus processing. Band Emphasis works to tame strident vocals or can laser in on harsh “power region” instrument midrange peaks, or use both together.
You can also run the Distressor on buses, linked or unlinked, for flexible imaging. Exclusive plug-in features like Dry/Wet Mix offer easy parallel compression on a mix bus or instrument group. Finally, the Headroom control lets you optimize the Distressor’s overall operating level to your playback system.
“The UAD EL8 Distressor feels just like the hardware, giving me results that I’ve been missing in the box.”
– Jacquire King (James Bay, Kings of Leon, Tom Waits)
“The Distressor is capable of such radical compression tones, that it becomes its own instrument. I’m confident the UAD version will become just as useful as the hardware.”
– Joe Chiccarelli (Jason Mraz, Beck, The Strokes, Morrissey)
“The Distressor is the perfect all around compressor, and no studio should be without a few of them. Now with the UAD Distressor, you can have as many as you need!”
– Vance Powell (Jack White, The Dead Weather, The Raconteurs)
“From subtle compression to destruction, the Distressor handles everything with style.”
– Hector Delgado (A$AP Rocky, Selena Gomez, Lana Del Rey)
“The Distressor truly is the desert island dynamics tool, for controlling levels or creatively reshaping instruments into sounds that couldn’t be heard otherwise.”
– Chris Coady (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Beach House, Future Islands)Watch The Reviews
5-Min UAD Tip
In this video, learn how the EL8 Distressor compressor can transform your mixes into something truly special.
Customer Reviews
E. Alexander
November 18, 2022
My Fav UAD Emulation - Never Fails
Hands down my favorite UAD plug-in - the Empirical Labs Distressor never fails on compression in my synth (musical element) bus. This compressor allows me to level my synths but also...
Read MoreE. Alexander
November 18, 2022
My Fav UAD Emulation - Never Fails
Hands down my favorite UAD plug-in - the Empirical Labs Distressor never fails on compression in my synth (musical element) bus. This compressor allows me to level my synths but also...
Read MoreR. Mangile
October 11, 2022
First Choice
Always the first choice on my drum and vocal bus comp.
Read MoreA. Holbert
October 8, 2022
Best Compressor hands down
This is the best emulation of the hardware unit I have ever used. I owned a Antelope Zen Go with their version of the plugin UAD just nails it every time....
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Key Features
Painstaking, end-to-end circuit emulation of the iconic hardware designed by Dave Derr, exclusively for Universal Audio
Provides the entire circuit path and control set of the original Empirical Labs hardware
Features seven fixed ratios, including Optical and Nuke, Distortion Modes, and Detector Modes
Plug-in-exclusive features include Dry/Wet parallel processing and Headroom for user-customizable operating level
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Customer Reviews
Empirical Labs EL8 Distressor Compressor
E. Alexander
My Fav UAD Emulation - Never Fails
Hands down my favorite UAD plug-in - the Empirical Labs Distressor never fails on compression in my synth (musical element) bus. This compressor allows me to level my synths but also naturally place them farther in the mix - one of the few compressors that successfully accomplishes this. The "HR" knob lets you drive in the audio signal for ease and you can really drive the compression without hearing distortion.
E. Alexander
My Fav UAD Emulation - Never Fails
Hands down my favorite UAD plug-in - the Empirical Labs Distressor never fails on compression in my synth (musical element) bus. This compressor allows me to level my synths but also naturally place them farther in the mix - one of the few compressors that successfully accomplishes this. The "HR" knob lets you drive in the audio signal for ease and you can really drive the compression without hearing distortion.
M. Burbano
Bueno
Todos los plug ins deberían tener un menor precio.
A. Holbert
Amazing!
This sounds just like the Hardware version!
R. Mangile
First Choice
Always the first choice on my drum and vocal bus comp.
A. Holbert
Best Compressor hands down
This is the best emulation of the hardware unit I have ever used. I owned a Antelope Zen Go with their version of the plugin UAD just nails it every time.
K. Howard
Incredible Compressor Plug-in
The Empirical Labs EL8 is one of my new favorite plug-ins. It enhancing not just individual tracks but, it glues the mix perfectly. This will be my go to compressor on ALL my tracks and productions..
G. Fricke
Cleaner Vocals
The EL8 has been a nice addition to the signal chain creating cleaner vocals that require fewer takes and really help in the overall mix.
I. Inkilä
This thing is becoming my favourite compressor
It's very versatile and simply kills on vocals, the detection and colour features are great tools and the GUI is pleasing to look at. It also has a very good sound when automated to destroy tracks for more experimental sounds. Great addition to your arsenal, easy to use and sounds great. Simply a must have.
P. Raebiger
simple a very good one
Put the distressor on your vocals or parallel to your drums or what ever you want. Some tweaks and it sounds amazing good with character and weight. How it was mentioned: simple a very good one. Enjoy it!
c. jinho
good
best classic comp
I. Papagiannidis
Best for drums bass!!
Favorite one for drums and bass! A classic! Best tool for mixing!
L. Bates
distressor
I've put off getting it for 2 years and now i have it i have a crush on my drums))
C. Klutts
Gnarly
This things adds the nasty with just a few twists but is also capable of subtle compression.
I. Kravchenko
Excellent
Super versatile and great sound!
M. Peak
I Keep Coming Back to the EL8
The main strength of the Distressor is how fast it is. Even on a 2:1 ratio, the attack and release times make it quick and smooth, especially for vocals. I've also used it as hard limiter. Add to this its detection and color features (such as distortion) and it is a great go-to compressor.
M. Verblakt
Amazing!
Just like the hardware units. Put it on drumbus and Bam!
e. rydberg
Just like the hardware
I own a pair of EL-8X's. Now I can slap several of these on my mix without having to do the hybrid setup thing a few at a time to find the blended sound I want. thumbs up.
J. Bullard
Toolbox Staple
A must have in your arsenal, especially for drum parallel compression...distression*
S. Ramsay
Such a vibe
Added this to a track to try give it a bit of extra vibe and life. Works very well on drums and vocals. Have used on rhythm guitar bus tracks to make the stereo width sound fuller too. Love it, hopefully a UADx variant soon :)
