Safari Audio’s Solar Bear Bus Compressor is on sale at Plugin Boutique for $4.99, down from $129.
The 96% low cost runs till July 31, and Plugin Boutique can be together with a alternative of free items with the acquisition. On the time of writing, the out there items are Cloudmax Breeze Black Version by Karanyi Sounds, AXXESS by GForce Software program, and Toneknob Stargazer by Audified.
Solar Bear is a mastering-grade bus compressor for including glue, heat, and dynamic management to a full combine or particular person buses. It’s principally a high-precision compressor that may keep clear or add extra shade whenever you push the saturation part.
I like that this one is not only offered as one other “make it louder” bus processor. Safari’s Sam Free says Solar Bear was developed for nearly a yr and is predicated on the essence of his analog mastering chain, which incorporates transformer inputs, tube saturation, an M/S matrix, and a grasp bus compressor.
The principle compression controls are Threshold, Assault, Ratio, and Launch, with a sidechain filter for shaping how the compressor reacts to low-end content material. The ratio goes as little as 1.2:1, and the assault vary begins comparatively sluggish, which is sensible for combine bus work the place you usually need motion with out killing the transients.
Solar Bear additionally consists of Tape and Tube saturation modes. Tape mode is designed for clean harmonic heat and gentle compression, whereas Tube mode provides richer harmonic pleasure with a extra responsive really feel. You may mix between the 2 quite than treating them as a strict both/or alternative.
The M/S Matrix permits you to determine how a lot processing occurs within the mid or facet channel, so you possibly can lean into middle glue or push extra motion towards the stereo sides. There’s additionally a Clipper, Auto Achieve, Gravity Mode, and Wild Mode, which provides a extra untamed Safari-style compression increase.
Solar Bear is obtainable for macOS 10.15 or larger in VST3, AU, and AAX codecs.
The Home windows model runs on Home windows 8 and above in 64-bit VST3 and AAX codecs, with a 1 GHz Intel Twin Core or AMD equal CPU and 4GB RAM minimal.
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Obtain: Safari Audio Solar Bear Bus Compressor ($4.99)
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Final Up to date on July 3, 2026 by Tomislav Zlatic.
