We have all been there. You drive umpteen already highly processed audio channels into a separate bus only to pile on a bunch more plug-ins. Not only is the CPU starting to grumble but often you lose your original vision with so many individual plugs in action. Wouldn’t it be great if you could get an all-in-one processor designed specifically for the job? Well, those clever folk at Softube have come up with a possible solution. Enter the ‘Bus Processor’.

Features

Softube Bus Processor is not just a compressor. This nifty-looking plugin has a selection of workhorse features designed to glue the component bus elements together. These include…

  • Compression (Naturally)
  • Saturation
  • Sidechaining
  • Spatialization
  • Air filter
  • Stereo widening
  • mono bass filter

It seems as though Softube have considered most of the main processes that are necessary to treat a bus. The only main component missing from this list is EQ. I would like to think that this generally gets addressed on the individual channels before hitting the bus and then finally at the mastering stage.

Softube Bus Procvessor Workflow

For me, I think the main advantage of a tool such as this is workflow. Once you master this one tool you can simply drag it onto any of your buses and get busy straight away. No more endlessly scrolling for the perfect compressor or saturator.

Ease of workflow is one thing, but how does this Bus Processor sound? Several respected Youtubers have already demoed it and the general consensus seems extremely positive. Just look at the massive grin on the face of Dom Sigalas below as he puts it through its paces.

In Dom’s conclusion, he was convinced that Softube had bought something new to the table. He was very impressed that in one plugin you could do so much to improve the sound of a bus. You can check out his review here

With its ultramodern algorithms and elegant easy to navigate GUI the Bus Processor looks set to become a real workhorse for many producers. And of course, there are no rules to say it must be used on a bus channel. With the ability to utilise so many useful processing elements, this may be a handy tool for standard channels too.

Compatibility & Pricing

  • macOS Big Sur 11, Monterey 12, Ventura 13
  • Windows 10 (64-bit), Windows 11
  • Softube account
  • iLok account
  • Computer with AU, VST, VST3 and/or AAX compatible DAW host software
  • Internet access (for downloading installers and managing licenses)

At a launch price of $99 you seem to get a decent amount of feature bang for your buck. You can get the bus processor directly from the Softube website here.

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