Avid Audio Smack!

$299.00

4.0 (1)

1 Review

Find out who is using Avid Smack!

4 wishlisted

8 saved

Page last updated Jun 05, 2026

Pricing and availability

We compare 600+ stores and found this item at 1 store. Prices updated May 14, 2026.

Store

Reviews

Price

4.0 (2)

$299.00

View Deal

Price History

Based on price data from 1 merchant for "Avid Audio Smack!". Prices shown reflect NEW condition. Tracking began Apr 2, 2026.

^* Product prices and availability are updated by Equipboard every 24hrs and are subject to change. Equipboard may receive compensation for purchases made at participating retailers linked on this site. This compensation does not affect what products or prices are displayed, or the order of prices listed. For more information, please refer to our affiliate disclosure.

Description

Edit description

Looking for a versatile compression tool to enhance your audio mixing experience? The Avid Audio Smack! is here to redefine the way you approach sound dynamics. Perfectly crafted for both budding musicians and seasoned producers, this plugin is designed to bring warmth and clarity to your tracks while maintaining an intuitive user interface that mirrors the charm of vintage compressors.

With three distinct compression modes, Smack! offers unparalleled flexibility, whether you’re aiming for subtle tone shaping or aggressive limiting. Each mode has its own unique personality, allowing you to effortlessly switch between delicate analog warmth and precise digital control. The plugin also integrates a distortion section, enabling the addition of second-order or third-order harmonic distortion, mimicking the lush sound of analog tape saturation.

Smack! takes pride in its foolproof operation, ensuring that users of all skill levels can achieve professional-level compression without a hitch. Its built-in side-chain processing, complete with a side-chain EQ, gives you the freedom to sculpt your sound with precision. Whether you're working on a solo project or mixing a full band, Smack! adapts seamlessly to any Pro Tools environment, supporting sample rates up to 192 kHz and various plugin formats like AAX and TDM.

Key Features:

Three versatile compression modes for a range of tonal effects
Built-in harmonic distortion section for analog warmth
External or internal side-chain processing with side-chain EQ
Support for Pro Tools multi-channel track types
Compatible with AAX Native, AAX DSP, TDM, RTAS, AudioSuite
Handles all Pro Tools sample rates up to 192 kHz

Product specs

Software Type	Compression
Platform	Mac, PC
Upgrade/Full	Full
Download/Boxed	Download
Format	AAX Native, AAX DSP, TDM, AudioSuite
Hardware Requirements - Mac	Intel Core 2 Duo, 1GB RAM
Hardware Requirements - PC	Intel Core 2 Duo, 1GB RAM
OS Requirements - Mac	OS X 10.7 or later
OS Requirements - PC	Windows 7 SP1 or later

FAQs

What type of audio material is the Avid Audio Smack! Compressor best suited for?: The Avid Audio Smack! Compressor is designed for a wide range of music applications, making it suitable for virtually any kind of audio material, including vocals, instruments, and full mixes.
Is the Avid Audio Smack! Compressor compatible with my DAW?: The Avid Audio Smack! Compressor is compatible with DAWs that support AAX Native, AAX DSP, TDM, and AudioSuite formats on both Mac and PC platforms.
What are the system requirements for running Avid Audio Smack! on a Mac?: To run Avid Audio Smack! on a Mac, you need an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 1GB RAM, and OS X 10.7 or later.
Can Avid Audio Smack! be used on a PC?: Yes, Avid Audio Smack! can be used on a PC running Windows 7 SP1 or later, with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor and 1GB RAM.
Is the Avid Audio Smack! plugin available as a physical product?: The Avid Audio Smack! plugin is available as a digital download, not as a physical boxed product.

Videos

Add video

Production Expert

Avid Pro Tools 2018.4 - The Complete Plug-ins Bundle. Our Favourites Plug-ins

Production Expert

Avid Pro Series Multiband Dynamics Review

Production Expert

Smack! by Avid

Mark AndersonAudio

Compressors on Drums | Avid Smack!

AntiTeatar Music

Reviews

Add review

PROS

Versatile with multiple modes, including "Opto" for varied applications
Adjustable Side Chain EQ in "Opto" mode offers unique control
Ratio can be set to 1:1 for adding character without compression
Vintage vibe combined with modern processing control
Effective for demos or non-mastered tracks
Tweakable saturation for varied harmonic content

CONS

Interface struggles with extremely fast music, like death metal
High potential for overuse due to extreme effect
Pricey when purchased individually, better value in bundles
Can be destructive on a bus if not used carefully

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Avid Audio Smack!.

Comparisons

0 0

Avid Audio Smack! is compared to Waves' Smack Attack, highlighting the importance of distinguishing between similar-named plugins.
Source

Features and functionality

0 0

Avid Audio Smack! plugin is recommended for handling quick sequences of hits and detecting weaker transients, offering an edge for complex drum breaks.
Source

Use cases and applications

0 0

Users suggest pairing Smack! with sidechain techniques on click tracks to better handle 16th and 8th note patterns in drum loops.
Source

Add review

4.0 out of 5

Based on 1 Review and 1 Rating

5 star

4 star

3 star

2 star

1 star

jimmarchi1

40991

about 9 years ago

put the smack down

you can get lost in how cool smack's dynamics processing sounds, however its a pretty extreme effect and easy to overuse and for that reason I recommend it only to old-heads with mad compression skills. I actually leave this one alone a lot of the time because its just so potentially destructive on a bus. I almost always audition it on a mix bus or on a parallel bus though. I mean, you cans et it up to be mellow but it gets more generic if you do sow hat's the point? Oh yeah, it has pretty tweakable saturation, its nice to be able to vary the harmonic content but again, tis pretty extreme.... like if you are dicking with smack on a mix one night when you listen the next morning you are going to want to take it off or dial it back substantially.... its easy to overdo this one.

Roles:

Guitarist Bassist Keyboardist

Genres:

Electronic Orchestra Alternative rock

Artist usage

Add artist

Drake

Singer, Rapper

Young Money

Verified via Soundonsound

Noah Shebib tells that he uses the Avid Audio Smack! in Drake Lead Vocal on "Headlines"

Noah "40" Shebib

Music Producer

Verified via Soundonsound

"I like the sound of the Smack! compressor, it adds some more energy and anticipation."

Demi Lovato

Composer, Music Producer

Disney's Friends for Change

Verified via Soundonsound

Used on Lovato's vocals for Clean Bandit's "Solo", as stated by mix engineer Mark Ralph in this November 2018 Sound on Sound interview. An image of the settings for "Demi LV AT.03" can be found here.

“We also have Avid’s Smack! on Demi’s lead vocal. Normally the Waves CL76 is a go-to in-the-box compressor for me, but Smack still gets me an effect that’s most like an outboard compressor. It is really good at detecting pops, and de-essing in a very light way. When I have the vocal on the desk, it will go through my outboard compressor, and sometimes also desk compression. I will err on the side of caution because I know that it will be irreversible by the time I go in the box. When I am in the box and want to hear the vocals really right up front, I will put on Smack! on a more extreme setting, in this case an attack of 5.9 and a ratio of 6:1. The main lead vocal tracks have sends to the two reverb and delay aux tracks lower down the session, where you can see that I completely cut the reverbs and delay in a couple of places, which is a DJ trick: filtering a whole mix in and out."