A compressor that goes from invisible to a squeeze on purpose
What it is
Calico Compress is a variable-topology compressor: feed-forward or feedback,
peak or RMS detection (blended, not switched), five character styles from
clean VCA to optical, FET and vari-mu, and a saturation stage bolted on
afterward so the “glue” and the “grit” are two separate decisions.
How it works, in plain terms
The detector blends peak and RMS response and links stereo channels by
however much you want, feeding a gain computer with variable knee that
slides from transparent leveling into aggressive, program-dependent
squeeze. After the compressor, a five-mode saturation stage (Clean, Tape,
Tube, Console, Iron) with up to 4x oversampling adds harmonic color that
tracks how hard you’re driving it. A live gain-reduction tracer shows you
the curve you’re actually getting, not the one you think you dialled in.
Features
COMPRESSOR CORE
- Threshold, Ratio (1:1 – 30:1), Knee, Attack, Release, Makeup, Mix
- Topology: Feed-Forward / Feedback
- Style: Modern, VCA, Optical, FET, Vari-Mu
- Lookahead up to 5 ms
DETECTOR
- Peak/RMS blend, RMS window, Stereo Link amount
- Routing: Stereo or Mid-Side, with per-target M/S selection
SIDECHAIN
- Internal or external source, HPF/LPF sidechain filtering, SC Listen,
SC Drive
AUTO
- Auto Gain, Auto Attack, Auto Release, Smart Detect
SATURATION
- Type: Clean, Tape, Tube, Console, Iron
- Drive, Drive Track (“Heat”), Bias, Oversampling (Off/2x/4x)
MASTER
- Input Trim, Output Gain, Bypass
- Spectral analyzer with meter rings, true-peak metering, sidechain
visualization
Format: VST3, CLAP | Category: Compressor