Industry Reviews
Rafael Pirela
The Cenozoix Compressor is a Swiss Army knife in the world of dynamic audio processing. Its exceptional versatility emulating the characteristics of every hardware compressor imaginable makes it a standout plugin in my toolkit. My go-to application is the Black VCA as a parallel processor adding a distinctive snap while limiting transients when I need to gain RMS like in a parallel drum bus. Another example is a Virtual Mu in a parallel vocal bus where it creates thickness and increases perceived loudness adding harmonics.
Brian Malouf
There's now a single compressor that replicates them all and it (practically) defies the laws of physics. A FET compressor but without the distortion, ridiculous amounts of Pumping without the negative artifacts, and a pristine Opto emulation that offers all the renowned characteristics of the Vintage gear you need to have, but with an ultra sophisticated new math that just about eliminates aliasing artifacts, and classically quick VCA compression that immediately provides the glue you were looking for.
Taking this amazing bit of tech (from the company that makes the fabulous Kirchhoff EQ) for a spin is at first overwhelming because of the amount of information about your signal that is on display, but then turns into a simple and effective interface that starts you off on a quick tour of the many attributes built into this design.
Logically, the buttons to start pressing begin your journey at the lower left side of the GUI with a unique menu that clues you into to the various styles of compression available, complete with modifiers that you’ll recognize and inherently operate. Just scrolling though the 12 original factory circuit designs and through to the 12 recognizable interfaces that mimic the best of the world’s most familiar hardware devices is a trip down sonics lane with the effect of giving you a most definitive place to start to get the sound you’re looking for.
All this plus a feature I’ve been wanting in a compressor my whole professional life: this thing not only adjusts release times according to the transient nature of the program, but also allows for real-time adjustment of the compression ratio, offering more intensive compression as the signal level increases or a more natural sound as it decreases. Not so much on the clip gain adjustment with this bad boy!
Dustin Phillips
At first pass on the Cenozoix, I immediately fell in love with the interface - showing how the signal/transients are affected in real time with the scrolling waveform. The presets offer a great starting point for various instrument or vocal types, but the plugin gives endless flexibility to dial in exactly what you're looking for. The built-in odd-even harmonics are a great addition as well to add color in the realm of popular hardware we've all loved for years. Very nicely done with this one. It'll be a go-to in my toolbox moving forward.
Paul "Willie Green" Womack
I’ve had a little more time with it, but I’ve used it on drums, background vocals and a full mix and it’s amazing everywhere. The parametric side chain section is great and really effective. Cenozoix has all the features you could imagine, and plenty you didn’t even know you needed!
Javar Rockamore
Cenozoix got added to my mix bus and hasn’t left. It’s truly a special compressor that gives you a multitude of control and can be super transparent or harmonically colored. My favorite feature is you can basically turn it into any compressor. That’s something I haven’t seen before. It’s almost like a troubleshooting compressor. A Swiss Army knife of sorts.