Nickel

Name: Nickel
Price: 191.9 USD
Author: Acustica Audio

by Acustica Audio · Channel Strip · Compressor, EQ and preamp suite

Not rated yet

Nickel is a suite inspired by units from Bill Putnam's legacy, from the late 1960s on: a compressor, stereo and mono EQs and an 8-channel preamp.

KVR lists it at €169 (about $191.90).

Best for: Vocals, Drums, Bass, Guitars, Mix Bus. Genres: all genres.

Keywords: thick, FET, inspired by, drums, vocals, hardware emulation, 60s, bass, clean, 70s, bus processing, classic, dual-mono, full mix, heavy, mix bus, built-in mix knob, mixing, oversampling, parallel processing.

What it does

Nickel is an Acustica Audio suite that honours audio engineer Bill Putnam's designs, centred on a famous FET-style compressor. The developer says it has "faithfully recreated the experience of the original compressor".

Nickel Comp: emulates two revisions, H and LN, of a classic 1960s/70s US-made compressor. A review describes LN as thick and heavy-handed and Rev H as cleaner and more versatile.
Comp extras: the same review lists a harmonics knob, a mix knob for parallel compression, an SH Mod for more release options and a Safe Operating Area knob for managing input level.
Nickel EQ Stereo: 4 fully parametric bands (low, low-mid, high-mid, high) plus high- and low-pass filters for each channel.
Nickel EQ Mono: a dual-mono version derived from the stereo EQ.
Nickel Pre: models all 8 discrete mic and line channels of a premium preamp, with 20 preamp emulations, EQ and compressor preamp stages, a 100 Hz high-pass filter and phase reverse.
Quality options: KVR lists 8x and 16x oversampling on the preamp.

KVR lists version 2.3.5. The pages read did not give trial details.

Source: Acustica Audio product page

When to use it

Nickel takes on the same Putnam FET compressor as Universal Audio's 1176 Classic Limiter Collection and Waves CLA-76, the best-known plugin versions. A Mix and Master My Song review found UA's version cleaner and more transparent, Waves closer to Nickel, and Nickel noticeably thicker than both. Nickel also adds a 4-band EQ and a large set of preamps, so it works more like a small tone-shaping strip than a single compressor, closer in scope to rated strips like PSP InfiniStrip. The cost is CPU: the same review called its load significant. Pick it when you want that compressor with extra weight and color, and have the processing power to spare.

Best for: thick FET-style compression on drums, bass and vocals, with preamp color and EQ in the same set.
Genres: rock, hip-hop, R&B, pop and any style that wants aggressive, colored compression.
Look elsewhere if: you want a cleaner, more transparent 1176 or have a less powerful computer; UA's 1176 collection or Waves CLA-76 fit better.
Tip: use the LN model on drums and the Rev H model on vocals for a cleaner sound with a mid-range push.

What producers say

The one detailed review read rates it among the more characterful FET emulations, with CPU use as the main drawback.

Mix and Master My Song called it "a remarkable addition to the world of 1176 emulations", praising the two models, the feature set and its thickness.
Criticisms: the same review called its CPU use "significant", a problem on less powerful systems.

Mix and Master My Song review

Where to buy

Acustica Audio: $191.90 (€169 converted to USD (ECB rate, 29 Sep 2026); price as listed on KVR)

Tutorials and reviews

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