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Over 30 years ago, Empirical Labs' Dave Derr set out to design a compressor that would combine the sonic characteristics of faves like the 1176 and LA-2A. The end result was the EL8 Distressor, which debuted in 1996 and quickly became one of the most utilized compressors of the modern recording era.
Saying "most utilized" is probably an understatement, as Empirical Labs has sold over 40,000 Distressors. Maybe the correct word is "dominant." But why is there so much love for the comp? The reason engineers like Joe Chiccarelli, Tchad Blake, F. Reid Shippen, and Michael Brauer continue to reach for the compressor is its versatility.
The Distressor features eight unique compression curves that run the gamut from subtle warmth to full-on nuclear. Each curve has its own vibe and takes on the feel of a different compressor. There's also the Distressor's Distortion modes, which offer three ways to dial in vintage-inspired color and character.
Recently, Vintage King visited the Scramble Shack with the EL8-XS (a stereo pair of EL8-X Distressors) to further explore the compressor's capabilities. Watch below as we kick things off with a look at the EL8-X's British Mode, and then shoot out the hardware with the UAD EL8 plug-in on performances from Jake Lemond, Bob Mervak, and Bryan Reilly.
