VCE-118

Name: VCE-118
Price: 59 USD
Author: Fuse Audio Labs

by Fuse Audio Labs · Compressor · Vintage VCA compressor/expander

Not rated yet

VCE-118 is a compressor and expander based on early-1970s VCA designs, taking inspiration from the famous 160.

Ratios run from 1:1 to infinity:1 for compression and up to 1:2 for expansion, with a Linear mode and mix knob, for $59.

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

Keywords: downward expansion, drums, VCA, pumping, punchy, built-in mix knob, parallel processing, 70s, vintage, bus processing, creative, enhancement, bass, classic, drum bus, experimental, extreme, full mix, gentle, mix bus, mixing, single-band.

What it does

VCE-118 is "a unique dynamics tool based on the breakthroughs that occurred in the advent of VCA technology" in the 1970s. It works as a compressor or an expander, so it can squash, expand or reshape transients.

Compression: ratios from 1:1 up to infinity:1, from gentle control to hard limiting.
Expansion: ratios from 1:1 to 1:2, for adding dynamics and punch back to flat material.
Regular mode: classic threshold-based gain reduction above the threshold.
Linear mode: acts on the full level range above and below the threshold, for unusual effects such as pumping beats or ambient dynamics.
Threshold and Mix: set how much of the signal is processed, and blend it with the dry signal for built-in parallel processing.
Uses: punchy drum compression, transient enhancement, gate-like effects and parallel enhancement.

The current version is 2.7.

Source: Fuse Audio Labs product page

When to use it

VCE-118 is more of a dynamics shaper than a plain compressor. Compared with the dbx 160 Compressor / Limiter plugins from Universal Audio and Waves, it adds upward expansion, a Linear mode and a mix knob, so it can also bring life back to over-flat parts. Compared with FabFilter Pro-C 3, it has far fewer controls and no detailed display, but it is quicker to get a punchy or pumping vintage VCA sound. Unlike the 1176 Classic Limiter Collection, it is not an FET colour box; its strength is changing the shape of transients rather than adding grit.

Best for: punchy drums, transient shaping, pumping effects and parallel compression.
Genres: rock, hip-hop, electronic and any style where drums need punch.
Look elsewhere if: you want a transparent, feature-heavy digital compressor; Pro-C 3 or TDR Kotelnikov are better for that.
Tip: try Linear mode on drums for bold pumping and movement; forum users single it out as the standout feature.

What producers say

Forum users like it as a fun, creative dynamics tool, especially in Linear mode, while noting it does not capture every quirk of the hardware.

Real Gear Online forum users praised the "insane pump" on drums and called it "another triumph" for developer Reimund Dratwa.
Criticisms: one user said it lacks the hardware dbx 118's brief expansion before compression and its non-linearities, and suggested a transient shaper afterwards to get closer.

Real Gear Online forum thread

Where to buy

Fuse Audio Labs: $59

Tutorials and reviews

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