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Average Price: $9,238
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$100
$501+
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Based on price data from 2 merchants for "Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor". Prices shown reflect NEW condition. Tracking began Apr 2, 2026.
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Description
Dive into a world of unparalleled sonic mastery with the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor—a cornerstone for serious sound engineers and producers alike. This versatile signal processor is designed to provide meticulous control over your audio dynamics, whether you're mastering an entire mix, sculpting individual busses, or refining single tracks. With its dual-stage architecture, it seamlessly blends an optical compressor with a discrete VCA compressor, each offering distinct tonal characteristics and control parameters.
In the Optical section, experience traditional threshold and gain settings, complemented by a program-dependent release that echoes the legendary LA-2A. This is where subtlety meets precision, allowing you to gracefully tame peaks while preserving the essential character of your music. Meanwhile, the Discrete section invites you to explore adjustable ratios, attack, and release times, letting you fine-tune compression to suit any musical style or complexity.
What truly sets the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor apart is its trio of switchable output transformers—Steel, Nickel, and Iron. Each option infuses your sound with a unique tonal quality, from the polished highs of Nickel to the colored mids of Iron, and the robust lows of Steel. This feature alone offers a palette of sonic flavors, reminiscent of the world's most iconic studio consoles.
Whether you're a seasoned professional or a passionate enthusiast, the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor is your ticket to dynamic control and tonal excellence.
Key Features:
- Dual-stage compression with both Optical and Discrete sections
- Switchable output transformers: Steel, Nickel, Iron
- Operable in stereo and dual-mono modes
- High-quality components for pristine audio fidelity
Product specs
| Type | Optical/VCA |
| Number of Channels | Stereo, Dual Mono |
| Controls | Optical/Discrete Threshold, Optical/Discrete Gain, Ratio, Attack, Recovery |
| Ratio | 1.2:1 to 20:1 |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz-20kHz |
| Inputs | 2 x XLR |
| Outputs | 2 x XLR |
| Side Chain Inserts | Sidechain Highpass Filter |
| Rack Spaces | 5U |
| Power Source | Shadow Hills rackmountable power supply required (sold separately) |
| Height | 8.5" |
| Depth | 14.25" |
| Width | 19" |
| Weight | 33.5 lbs. |
FAQs
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What type of compression does the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor use?
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The Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor utilizes both optical and VCA compression, allowing for versatile dynamics control suitable for mastering applications.
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How many channels does the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor support?
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The Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor supports stereo and dual mono channels, providing flexibility in processing multiple audio sources.
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What are the main controls available on the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor?
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The compressor features controls for Optical/Discrete Threshold, Optical/Discrete Gain, Ratio, Attack, and Recovery, offering precise manipulation over dynamics.
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Is the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor suitable for mastering?
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Yes, the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor is specifically designed for mastering, offering high-quality compression with detailed control over dynamics.
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What kind of inputs and outputs does the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor have?
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The compressor is equipped with 2 x XLR inputs and 2 x XLR outputs, ensuring professional-grade connectivity for studio environments.
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Does the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor require an external power supply?
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Yes, it requires a Shadow Hills rackmountable power supply, which is sold separately, to operate effectively.
Videos
Doctor Mix
Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor In Action
Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor In Action
Doctor Mix
Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor Tips & Tricks
Dan Worrall
Shadow Hills Industries Mastering Compressor Demo - Sweetwater Sound
Sweetwater
Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor Walkthrough | Vintage King
Vintage King
Reviews
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor.
Use cases and applications
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The Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor excels at providing a gluey, warm tone for genres like indie and folk, but may sound muddy on heavy music.
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For mastering, some users employ less than 1dB of gain reduction with a slight mix knob adjustment, resulting in a controlled yet punchy sound.
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It's noted for adding a distinct sonic signature, potentially lifting mids, which can be detected even without engaging compression.
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While not specific to techno, the compressor is praised for its incredible detail, loudness, and stereo enhancement capabilities.
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Using the Shadow Hills Compressor after a multiband compressor can create a smoother compression effect by pre-treating peaks.
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The Shadow Hills Compressor is often used in a mix bus context rather than strictly for mastering, due to its heavy-handed compression character.
Source
Features and functionality
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Users recommend setting the attack at 30ms for percussive elements, achieving a snap without excessive gain reduction, and suggest slow release times for optimal results.
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The Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor can be simplified by using only the optical gain and threshold, minimizing the need for other controls when in stereo mode.
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It's possible to stack discrete and optical modes, although using only one at a time simplifies operation to just two knobs.
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In M-S mode, the right side controls the side signal, offering unique benefits not present in stereo mode.
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The plugin's right half is mostly inactive in stereo mode, simplifying operation compared to dual mono.
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User experience
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It's noted that the saturation characteristics of the Shadow Hills' transformers are often preferred over actual gain reduction, enhancing tonal color without compressing.
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Some users find the interface overwhelming due to unrecognizable labels and settings, but reading the manual reveals its simplicity in stereo mode.
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Comparisons
Critic Reviews
5.0 out of 5
Based on 1 Review and 12 Ratings
115
Our go to Mastering compressor.
The Shadow Hill compressor got a great warm characteristic and a very intuitive way of compressing.
Artist usage
Add artist
I love the Shadow Hills Mastering plug-in. In the final stages, it glues everything together.
At Sing Sing Studios in Melbourne, Tony Espie and the Avalanches began to get to grips with the initial mixes of the tracks. Further processing of the sounds was done using Neve 3315 EQs and a Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor
Used on the vocals for "When the Curtain Falls", as stated by mix engineer Al Sutton in this January 2019 Sound on Sound interview. An image of the settings can be found here.
"The main lead vocal, track 48, has the Opticom for some compression, and I'll always have a parallel lead vocal channel next to it, called 'smash', again for parallel compression, and it'll have tons of plug-ins and I'll just crush it to pieces, almost to the point of distortion, and tuck that underneath the main vocal. The plug-ins on the 'smash' channel include the Waves SSL Channel, Waves CLA-76, Waves DeEsser, Waves H-Delay, and the Soundtoys PhaseMistress. The latter is to get the choruses to sound wider, and the track has some automated delays. For vocal reverb I use the Echoplate 2 [plate reverb] with a Delta Labs Effectron II for pre-delay, and depending on the song either a Lexicon Primetime II or Fulltone Echoplex for slap-back delay.
"Finally there are the backing vocals, on which I had again the Waves SSL-Channel, CLA-76 and DeEsser, and then the Waves SuperTap delay, for stereo delays in the choruses, also to get them to sound wider. I do the vocal blend in Pro Tools and, depending on the parts, will send the blends out on one of the two stereo outs. In this case I had two sets of stereo outs to the API and I compressed each pair lightly with the Inward Connections TSL3 and TSL1."
To glue everything together, Al Sutton once again employs parallel compression. "The API Legacy has an A bus and a B bus, and I'll put a Shadow Hills compressor on the B bus. I'll blend that back in with the A bus, and I'll print that back on as a stereo track in the session. I'll print a brickwalled track as well so we can hear the mix really loud, and get some idea of where we'll end up. But I'll send my mix uncompressed to mastering, which for this album was done by Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound. I leave loudness up to the mastering engineer, because I don't want to play that game any more. It just ruins your mixes. If you can get at a competitive volume without having all the dynamics smacked out of your mixes, I think it will resonate more with people."
The Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor can be seen throughout the video in the background.
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In an Instagram post by Alawn (@alawnmusic), the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor is visible on the left monitor, highlighting its use in his studio setup.
In a YouTube video on the channel 作曲家・和田貴史の庭, Neeraj Khajanchi is shown using the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor in his studio, NK SOUND TOKYO. Renowned for its musicality and versatility, this compressor is favored by top artists like Radiohead and Coldplay for its ability to manage complex transients with precision and excellent tone.
Album Usage
The Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor has been featured on the following albums:
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
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