Klanhelm - MJUC Jr. | Free Compressor VST Plugin

MJUC Jr. is the second Klanghelm compressor we've covered in this column, having written about the DC1A in a previous post, in which we enthused about its lovely, warm sound. 

The MJUC Jr. is, as its name suggests, a simplified version of Klanghelm's MJUC compressor. There are very few controls to get your head around here; there is a big 'compress' knob to dial up the amount of compression, there is a big make-up gain knob, and there is a 3-way switch.

The switch allows you to select the compression times, although obviously there isn't a huge amount of fine control here. Select 'Fast' for a fast attack and fast release, 'Slow' for a slow attack and slow release, or 'Auto' for a fast attack with an auto release based on the audio signal. 

As with the DC1A, the lack of fine control is compensated for by the characterful sound of the plugin. The MJUC Jr. is modelled on an early 1960s style variable-mu compressor. The compression sounds dense but natural, and the harmonics that are generated add a nice warmth to the signal.

Switching between the different compression modes doesn't just alter the attack and release times of the unit, but also the slew rate of the transformers and the timing of the other parts of the circuitry. This means that different harmonics are generated and the compressed audio sounds different as a result. 

MJUC Jr. is available as a 64 bit plugin for Mac or Windows. VST, VST3, AU and AAX versions are provided. You can download the plugin from the Klanghelm website for free.