MJUC jr. Is A FREE Vari-Mu Compressor VST Plugin By Klanghelm

Klanghelm has announced the release of MJUC jr., a freeware colorful variable-tube compressor for digital audio workstations on PC and Mac. The plugin is based on the commercial (but still quite affordable) MJUC plugin.

Coming from the developer who also made the brilliant DC1A (my current go-to freeware compressor effect), my expectations for MJUC jr. are quite high. Similar to the DC1A, the new freeware compressor by Klanghelm comes with a very streamlined user interface with just a few controls. However, it also sports a highly detailed variable-mu compressor circuit emulation which is (at least on paper) capable of both smooth leveling and extreme pumping compression with added saturation on top.

The plugin is based on a mix of two different compression algorithms from the full version of MJUC. It combines the characteristics of various early variable-mu compressor designs. The user interface features a large gain reduction meter, only two knobs for adjusting the amount of compression and output gain, a timing switch with three timing options (fast, slow and auto) and an on/off switch. It is clear that the interface is optimized for a quick and easy workflow, which can be quite helpful in projects with a large number of tracks (the interface is also fully resizable, which is always a nice bonus). If you like the sound of MJUC jr. but would like to have more control over the sound, take a look at the full version of MJUC (priced at €24) which comes with a more detailed user interface and additional variable-mu compressor models.

MJUC jr. will work on all major platforms and is available for free download from the developer’s website. The download pack contains an installer, which is understandable for a product with so many different plugin formats.

Download

MJUC jr. is available for free download via Klanghelm (4.4 MB download size, ZIP archive containing an EXE installer, 32-bit & 64-bit VST/AU/RTAS/AAX plugin format for Windows & Mac OS).