BlackAsh SC-5

Name: BlackAsh SC-5
Price: 39 USD
Author: Black Rooster Audio

by Black Rooster Audio · Compressor · VCA compressor (Ashly SC-50 style)

Not rated yet

A VCA compressor modelled on the black-faced 1980s revision of the Ashly SC-50, with the darker voicing that revision's audio-path low-pass filter gives it.

It adds an external sidechain on a dedicated stereo bus and auto gain compensation, for $39 at Plugin Boutique.

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

Keywords: VCA, sidechain input, dark, 80s, external sidechain, bus processing, auto-gain, bass, circuit-modelled, drums, hardware emulation, vocals, aggressive, mix bus, component-modelled, corrective, dual-mono, feedback, heavy, metering, mixing, oversampling, single-band, stereo-linked.

What it does

BlackAsh SC-5 is Black Rooster Audio's "80s All-American" VCA compressor, modelled on the black-frontplate 1980s revision of the Ashly SC-50. It uses component-level circuit simulation of the custom VCA, the dual time-constant detector and the feedback design, and is voiced darker and more aggressive than its 70s sibling, BlueAsh SC-5.

Stepped ratios: 1:2, 1:2.5, 1:3, 1:5.5, 1:7, 1:10, 1:20, 1:30, 1:100 and 1:∞ for hard limiting.
Fast envelope: attack from 200 µs to 20 ms and release from 100 ms to 2 s.
Fixed threshold: a Gain control drives the signal into the compressor, with automatic gain compensation, plus an Output control for makeup gain.
Darker voicing: a 31.2 kHz first-order low-pass filter in the audio path, which BlueAsh SC-5 does not have.
External sidechain: an Ext SC button for ducking or frequency-conscious de-essing from another signal; this is also missing on BlueAsh.
Routing: a Stereo Link switch for linked or dual-mono operation, and a Limit switch that bypasses the compressor while the output stage stays live.
Metering and quality: gain reduction and threshold LEDs, and automatically adjusting polyphase oversampling.

A free 14-day trial license is available.

Source: Black Rooster Audio product page

When to use it

BlackAsh SC-5 is the pick for a fast, dark and slightly aggressive VCA tone with a simple, stepped set of controls. Compared with BlueAsh SC-5, the same unit in its earlier form, it is darker and adds an external sidechain, while BlueAsh stays more open and colourful. Unlike Pro-C 3, it has no knee, lookahead or display; you set it by ear with a few hardware-style switches. Against The Glue and the SSL G-Master Buss Compressor it is more of a single-source punch compressor, though the developer also suggests it for weight and glue on the mix bus.

Best for: slamming drums with fast attack, taming bright or sibilant vocals, bass, and sidechain ducking or de-essing.
Genres: general purpose; fits rock, pop and electronic mixes alike.
Look elsewhere if: you want an open, bright top end (BlueAsh SC-5) or a flexible modern compressor with visual feedback (Pro-C 3).

Where to buy

Plugin Boutique: $39
PluginFox: $99

Tutorials and reviews

Similar plugins

BlueAsh SC-5 by Black Rooster Audio · VCA compressor (Ashly SC-50 style) · $29
dbx 160 Compressor / Limiter by Universal Audio · VCA compressor · $99
dbx 160 Compressor / Limiter by Waves · VCA compressor · $29.99
Comp VCA-65 by Arturia · VCA compressor · $79
VCA Compressor by Softube · VCA compressor · $149
EA-60 by Echelon Audio · VCA compressor · $39
Schlap by Caelum Audio · RMS VCA-style compressor · $18.99
Vintage Compressors by Native Instruments · Classic compressor emulations · $49
Model 5000 by Tone Empire · Hybrid VCA compressor · $99
MBC by Lindell Audio · Multiband VCA compressor · $150

All compressors