We only recommend products that we use and believe in. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Pro-C 3 takes FabFilter’s professional compressor plug-in to the next level in terms of sound, features, and workflow, while Pro-Q 4.10 brings multi-plug-in support to the Instance List, turning the industry-standard EQ into a full multi-track channel strip.
Six new compression algorithms
Adding to the eight styles of its predecessor, Pro-C 3 serves up six brand-new compression algorithms to steer users’ dynamics processing in all sorts of exciting new directions. The Versatile Style is a general purpose algorithm for use on any material, and Smooth is the new go-to for super-smooth gluing at low ratios and longer envelope timings. At the more extreme end of the scale, the Upward algorithm applies pumping upward compression, and TTM combines downward and upward compression across multiple bands. Finally, with the warm opto-like tube compression of Op-El, and the fabulous variable mu richness of Vari-Mu, Pro-C 3 reaches new heights inspired by classic hardware compressors.
Compress with character
Further boosting Pro-C 3’s sonic credentials, the new Character panel heats things up with three flavors of analog saturation. Choose the Tube, Diode, or Bright variations, raise the Drive amount, and switch between Pre and Post Compression routing for a wealth of sound-enhancing harmonic distortion and coloration treatments.
Improved Side Chain EQ
The ability to precisely filter and equalize the sidechain input is central to any great compressor, and Pro-C 3 ups the number of available EQ bands from three to six. Each band can be set to any of the filter shapes users already know and love from Pro-Q 4; the extensive menu of roll-off slopes now includes Brickwall Low Pass and High Pass options, and every band can be independently switched to mid or side processing. With its dramatically improved Side Chain EQ, Pro-C 3 gives more control over compression triggering than ever.
Immersive Dolby Atmos® compatibility
Every bit as effective for immersive audio production as it is for good old stereo, Pro-C 3 supports all major surround formats up to Dolby Atmos® 9.6.1. Routing automatically adapts to the multi-channel format of the host project with no manual configuration required; stereo linking in surround mode operates independently for each stereo pair (L/R, Lc/Rc, Ls/Rs, etc); and the output level meter shows all channels, labelled appropriately. Following in the footsteps of Pro-Q 4 and Pro-R 2, Pro-C 3’s friction-free multi-channel implementation opens the plug-in up to a whole new world of production possibilities.
Host tempo triggering and Auto Threshold adjustment
Joining Internal, External, and MIDI triggering in the Side Chain section, Pro-C 3’s new Host Sync option outputs a steady internal pulse that triggers the compressor at any tempo-synced note value, with adjustable Offset and trigger Length for fine-tuning — ideal for dialing in rhythmic ducking effects without the need for an external trigger input. Further triggering flexibility is provided by the new Auto Threshold setting, which dynamically shifts the Threshold so that the same amount of compression is triggered at different input levels — very handy for maintaining consistent dynamic styling in highly-volume-variable dialog tracks, for example.
Plus: Pro-Q 4.10 brings multi-plugin support to the Instance List
Pro-Q 4 introduced the innovative Instance List, enabling multiple instances of the plug-in to be controlled from a single interface; with the free Pro-Q 4.10 update, this incredibly powerful functionality now also incorporates Pro-C 3, as well as the Pro-G gate and Pro-DS de-esser plug-ins. All running instances of those plug-ins appear in Pro-Q 4.10’s Instance List, arranged in order of insertion on each track, where they can be individually bypassed and controlled to a varying level of detail depending on the Instance List Zoom setting — from essential controls only at the lowest level of Zoom to almost all parameters at the highest Zoom level. With the new Instance List, what was already a transformative workflow accelerator becomes even more expansive and empowering — and even more beautiful in full-screen mode.
Users of Pro-G and Pro-DS should download the latest minor updates to enable Instance List compatibility. Other FabFilter plug-ins will be added to the Instance List in the future.
Pro-C 3 Key features:
- Professional compressor plug-in for mixing and mastering, with 14 diverse compression algorithms, three flavors of highly-authentic analog coloration, and six-band Side Chain EQ, plus automatic Threshold control, Dolby Atmos® surround support, up to 32x oversampling, and more
- New: Versatile, Smooth, Upward, TTM, Op-El, and Vari-Mu compression Styles
- New: Character Mode adds three types of realistic analog saturation, coloration, and drift: Tube, Diode, and Bright
- New: Pro-C 3 instances can be controlled via the Instance List in Pro-Q 4.10, together with Pro-G and Pro-DS
- New: Full immersive/Dolby Atmos® functionality (up to 9.1.6), with customizable channel/stereo linking
- New: Host tempo triggering for rhythmic compression
- New: Auto Threshold for level-independent compressor triggering
- New: Adjustable Maximum Lookahead enables balancing of latency against lookahead
- Improved: Fresh new design
- Improved: Side Chain EQ section increased to a maximum of six bands, with many more filter types, and LP/HP Brickwall slopes
- Improved: Oversampling up to 32x
- Improved: Redesigned preset browser, with easy search, tags, and metadata
- Improved: Showing and hiding the Side Chain section no longer turns the Side Chain itself on and off
- Improved: Easier access to Bypass button and MIDI triggering
- Improved: Better reverse linking of Dry and Wet level knobs
- Plus: All the usual FabFilter features: perfectly fine-tuned knobs and controllers, interactive MIDI Learn, undo/redo and A/B switch, Smart Parameter Interpolation for smooth parameter transitions, an extensive help file with interactive help hints, sample-accurate automation, NEON and SSE optimization, and more
Pro-Q 4.10 Key features:
- Professional mastering-grade EQ plug-in with up to 24 bands, a huge range of filter types and slopes, and centralized control of multiple instances of Pro-Q 4, Pro-C 3, Pro-G, and Pro-DS via the Instance List
- Improved: Multi-plug-in support in the Instance List enables multiple instances of Pro-Q 4, Pro-C 3, Pro-G, and Pro-DS to be controlled from a single, zoomable (up to full-screen) interface
- Improved: Having any band in Spectral mode now always introduces the associated latency, even if its Dynamic Range is set to zero
- Minor fixes and improvements
Where to buy:
FabFilter Pro-C 3 is now available for EUR 169, USD 199, or GBP 149, supporting both Windows and macOS in VST and VST 3, Audio Units, AAX, AudioSuite, and CLAP plug-in formats. Bundles with FabFilter Pro-C 3 and other FabFilter plug-ins are also available at: https://www.fabfilter.com/shop
Existing FabFilter customers can purchase or upgrade to FabFilter Pro-C 3 with very attractive discounts by logging into their online user account at: https://www.fabfilter.com/myaccount
System requirements are either Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, or Vista (32-bit and 64-bit) and a VST 2/3 host, CLAP host, or Pro Tools, or macOS 10.13 or higher (64-bit only) with Intel or Apple Silicon processor, and an Audio Units host, VST 2/3 host, CLAP host, or Pro Tools.
FabFilter offers a free 30-day evaluation period for all its plug-ins, including Pro-C 3 and Pro-Q 4.
About The Author
