Vac Attack from Mixland is an analog model optical limiter plugin designed to control the dynamics of individual tracks and groups. The vacuum tube saturation circuit adds harmonically rich warmth and character to the vocals, drums, bass and stereo bus.
The Vac Attack is based on a coveted hardware device that was discontinued in 2020 and has since skyrocketed in price. The plugin was developed by Grammy Award-winning mixer Jesse Ray Ernster and code ninja Eddie Lucciola.
The Gain Link function provided by Vac Attack links the value of the Reduction knob to the value of the Gain knob. Increasing the degree of gain reduction applied results in an increase in makeup gain. As a result, you can make level-matched A/B comparisons and focus on the beautiful character provided by this optical limiter plugin.
Vac Attack uses an optical design based on digital emulation of a light source and a light-dependent resistor. As the plugin’s input level increases, the light source becomes brighter and causes the resistor to apply compression. Using the plugin’s Knee control, you can fine-tune how quickly the compression ratio is applied, resulting in a natural, non-linear gain reduction.
A two-band equalizer with two modes, J and E, lets you shape the tone of your tracks after applying compression. Whether you want to add warmth to the lows or sparkle to the highs, these EQ modes give you the flexibility you need. Switch the center frequency of the push low pass filter between 52 Hz (J) and 230 Hz (E). Additionally, switch the center frequency of the high-pass filter between 4.4 kHz (J) and 10 kHz (E).
Vac Attack includes a sidechain equalizer that filters the signal passing through its sidechain. By using a high-pass filter, a bell filter, and a low-pass filter, you can influence the sidechain signal in a variety of ways. By filtering out audio material that would otherwise cause the limiter plug-in to fire at the wrong time, you can set up tight, controlled limiting without unwanted pumping effects.
Vac Attack’s Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) feature adds a level of harmonic richness to your sound, giving it the fuller sound found in analog equipment. This feature is ideal for adding character to sterile digital records. Use it gently to add richness, or turn up the volume for a more aggressive, distorted sound.
By default, Vac Attack applies the same gain reduction to the left and right channels to maintain a balanced stereo image. If you’re working with dual mono audio or a balanced mix, channel linking can be left on for even processing. Disabling channels helps avoid pumping effects when processing stereo files with completely different left and right channel information.
