PAA Audio has entered the digital audio workstation market with the release of American FET, a new plugin modeling a 500-series FET compressor at the circuit level. According to Monthly Mixing, the manufacturer designed the software to replicate specific hardware components, including JFET curves, discrete operational amplifiers, and output transformer magnetics. The product features a unified CEILING control for threshold and gain adjustments, four compression modes ranging from 2:1 ratio to hard limiting, and a dedicated de-essing function via detector tilting.
The release supports Mac, Windows, and Linux platforms in AU, VST3, and AAX formats, broadening distribution potential for music retailers serving diverse studio setups. Monthly Mixing reports that the plugin utilizes a straightforward license file authentication system, eliminating the need for iLok dongles or recurring subscriptions, a move that could appeal to cost-conscious producers. Additional features include external sidechain inputs, stereo linking, and a CPU-efficient mono mode. The dry/wet mix is applied post-transformer to facilitate parallel compression workflows. PAA Audio is currently offering the plugin at an introductory price of $49 through October 5, after which standard pricing will apply. This launch adds to the competitive landscape of emulation plugins available to the professional and project studio sectors.
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