Overview

The SPL Attacker Plus Microplug delivers part of the same magical envelope shaping provided by the original Transient Designer hardware, replicating the edge and punch provided by the Attack knob. It uses the same processing technique, known as Differential Envelope Technology, which revolutionized dynamic processing with its level-independent methodology.

Providing just a single knob that lets you dial in all the transient punch you could ever need, Attacker Plus also sports a soft peak limiter and a dry/wet control, allowing total flexibility across a wide range of content and a worry-free workflow in the digital world. And with over a decade of hardware modeling experience, Brainworx has impregnated the Attacker Plus with a core algorithm that matches the behavior of the original Transient Designer unit closer than ever before.

Working with the Attacker Plus is disarmingly simple: All attack events can be amplified regardless of their signal level. However, don’t let this plugin’s simplicity fool you — the possibilities for studio and live applications are seemingly endless. 

Traditionally, EQ has been used to separate instruments in a mix. By focusing on the initial transient instead of specific frequencies, the SPL Attacker Plus amplifies just the attack curves of a sound event. This allows instruments to be mixed at lower levels, which opens up space in the mix while the relationship between tracks is preserved. 

Emphasize the attack of a kick drum or a loop to increase the power and presence in the mix. Adjust the apparent “distance” of the microphone by simply varying the ATTACK values. Increase the attack of guitar sounds for that in-your-face tone. The built-in limiter and dry/wet control allow you to push Attacker Plus to the edge, then dial things back as needed.

The Analog Code

“You have cracked the analog code!” That was the response from a hardware developer during listening tests of SPL’s plugin technology. The phrase quickly became associated with SPL to such a degree that the company decided it was the perfect name for their digital product line. And thus, SPL’s Analog Code brand was born. 

SPL hardware products can be found in the world’s most renowned facilities, and have become a staple for audio professionals ranging from home studio owners to top mastering engineers. With the growth of computer based audio systems, the need for the SPL sound in the form of a plugin has also grown. With Analog Code plugins, that coveted SPL sound can now be right inside your DAW.

Activate the fully functional 14-day demo with your Plugin Alliance account today to hear for yourself (no dongle required)!

Features

  • Same great transient shaper taken from the Attack knob of the SPL Transient Designer Plus
  • Built-in peak limiter with Gain Reduction meter
  • Dry/Wet mix
  • Plugin Toolbar with Undo / Redo, A/B/C/D banks and reset function
  • New and improved user interface and core modeling algorithm

Audio Examples

Industry Reviews

  • TMS

    TMS

    Songwriter/Producers (G-Eazy, Bebe Rexha, One Direction)

    Loving the updated SPL plugins. I’ve always run them in parallel so to have the wet/dry knob is a godsend. The peak limiter is also a welcomed extra, especially on the Attacker Plus. You can… Read More

  • Michael Zimmerling

    Michael Zimmerling

    (Bloc Party, Simply Red, Will Young)

    It comes as a pleasant surprise to see that Plugin Alliance has updated these wonderful SPL Micro Plugins to a ‘Plus’ version. They look more appealing with a new limiter, dry/wet function,… Read More

  • Josh Newell

    Josh Newell

    Producer, Engineer, Mixer (Linkin Park, Anthrax, Avril Lavigne)

    The SPL Attacker Plus has to be the quickest way to add some snap to your drums. Excellent tool for getting fills to cut through on busy rock drumming.

  • Lee Slater

    Lee Slater

    Producer/Mixer/Engineer (Emeli Sande, Roots Manuva, Lana del Rey)

    My favourite plug for getting keys/piano to cut through a dense mix, or take-your-head-off punch for your kick and snare!

Customer Reviews

  • SR

    ★★★★☆
    by CRISTHIAN
    SIMPLEMENTRE HERMOSO
  • MR

    ★★★★★
    by Salmio1
    I like it!
  • reseña

    ★★★★★
    by vidal
    BUENO
  • dynamite

    ★★★★★
    by Synthitize
    This SPL plugin is much easier than a compressor to set up to boost a drum or a bass or a synth...etc.
    Above all, it is much more efficient! It quickly becomes indispensable.
  • SPL Attacker Plus

    ★★★★★
    by Kaseboy Advance
    While I love transient processors like XLN's Drum Shaper-10 and even FL's native Transient Processor, this one blows them out of the water. Whenever I need fat, punchy drums, this plugin never fails… Read More

Specifications

Supported Plugin Formats
AAX DSP, AAX Native, AU, VST2, VST3

Supported Operating Systems
macOS 14 down to macOS 11
Windows 11 down to Windows 10

Mac
Intel, or Apple Silicon

PC
x64-compatible CPU

System Requirements
Display resolution: 1440 × 900px or 1280 × 960px or higher
Memory: 2 GB RAM

Downloads

With the Installation Manager you can select, download & install all the Plugin Alliance products. Select any and all formats you need for your system! Mac & PC.

ChangeLog

Attacker Plus

SPL Attacker Plus - Changelog

Version 1.9.1 (Oct 9, 2023)
- General: fixed CPU spikes on Mac OS

Version 1.9.0 (Aug 15, 2023)
- General: added native Apple Silicon compatibility for AAX
- General: added macOS Ventura support
- General: improved plugin loading time in the DAW
- General: fixed issue causing Logic to crash when closing the plugin UI
- General: improved font drawing behavior

Version 1.8 (Mar 15, 2022)
- General: added native Apple Silicon compatibility for VST3, VST2 and AU
- General: added macOS Monterey support
- General: added Windows 11 and Windows 10 21H1 support
- General: discontinued Windows 7 support
- General: discontinued macOS 10.9 and 10.11 support
- General: fixed metering behavior in block sizes of 2048 samples and higher

Version 1.7 (Mar 22, 2021)
- General: Compatibility with Logic on Apple Silicon devices via the Rosetta-2 layer
- General: Fixed possible artefacts when freezing or bouncing tracks in Pro Tools
- General: Fixed automation highlighting disappearing in Studio One
- General: Improved license dialog visibility in dark mode
- Improved metering behavior

Version 1.6 (May 27, 2020)
- General: Qualified for use with the Windows 10 May 2020 Update
- General: VST3: Fixed potential hangs in a DAW upon loading
- General: Fixed logical issues in undo / redo behavior
- General: Fixed UI resizing issues in Ableton Live on Windows
- General: Fixed audio processing initialization issues on amp and delay products

Version 1.5 (Nov 06, 2019)
- General: Qualified for use with macOS 10.15 Catalina
- General: Qualified for use with Windows 10 November 2019 Update
- General: Fixed plugin validation in Logic under macOS Catalina
- General: Fixed preset name restore in Logic when reopening a session
- General: Fixed opening authorization dialog triggering automation
- General: Improved instantiation times for plugins
- General: Improved license functionality and branding for subscription
- General: Removed 32-bit support on macOS and Windows

Version 1.4 (Jul 10, 2019)
- General: macOS 10.14.5 Update compatibility
- General: Windows 10 1903 Update compatibility
- General: Fixed activation issue in Windows hosts set to non-English language (e.g. Cakewalk)
- General: AU: Fixed issue with increased CPU and memory on reopening UI
- General: VST3: Fixed issue with adapting to host knob mode, and now prioritizing linear
- General: VST3: Fixed issue with VST3 preset permissions
- General: VST3: Improved synchronization between parameter states and some UI functions, e.g. toolbar reset


Version 1.3 (Nov 16, 2018)
- General: macOS Mojave compatibility
- General: Windows October 2018 update compatibility
- General: adding Windows High DPI support for VST2/3 plugins
- General: Fixed potential crashes in Cubase and other VST2 / VST3 DAWs
- General: Fixed potential CPU spikes and audio dropouts
- General: Fixed rendering in Pro Tools on the start of a session
- General: Fixed missing presets in Wavelab and other VST3 DAWs
- General: Improving keyboard control, fixing issues with catched keys preventing it from passing through to DAW
- General: Fixed parallel use of host sessions (e.g. with Live)

Version 1.2 (May 24, 2018)
- General: Microsoft Windows Redstone 4 compatibility
- General: Added computer keyboard control for plugin parameters
- General: Fixed Mouse scroll wheel not working in Windows 8
- General: Fixed an issue where plugins will not validate or load after a certain amount of plugins have been loaded (Windows)
- General: Fixed visual GUI freezes when adjusting DAW parameters, meters, analyzers (Mac)
- General: Fixed possible issue with Pick Pack licenses
- General: Small licenser stability fix

Version 1.1 (Oct 23, 2017)
- General: Mac OS High Sierra compatibility
- General: Fixed possible crash on online activation (Mac OS High Sierra)
- General: Fixed Logic Pro X not validating AU plugins (Mac OS High Sierra)
- General: Fixed CPU spikes and crashes with Cubase (Windows)
- General: Fixed bug that could lead to "AAE -6 error" in ProTools (Windows)
- General: Fixed crash with FL Studio
- General: Fixed crash when cross-opening plugins in various hosts
- General: Fixed crash when using mixdown in Audition
- General: Fixed crash in Final Cut Pro
- General: Fixed delayed parameter handling and crackling issues in Cubase with VST3
- General: Fixed bug where plugin settings were not saved in Harrison Mixbus
- General: Fixed bug that led to AAE error -9317 in ProTools when instantiating plugin
- General: Fixed bug where plugins did not render properly when "x ray" option is enabled in Sonar
- General: Modifications to factory presets were lost when reopening session
- General: Fixed mouse wheel behaviour with second monitor setup (Windows)
- Some plugins: Value labels do not appear every time when clicking on parameter in UI
- General: Faster instantiation time for plugins (Windows)
- General: Adding support for automation highlighting in Presonus StudioOne

Version 1.0 (Mar 13, 2017)
- Release version