Best Tube Compressor for Piano in 2026 | The Sierra Sessions

Описание: Have you ever tried compressing a grand piano and ended up hearing the compressor more than the instrument? 😩 In this video, we put 8 legendary tube compressors to the test on a beautifully recorded Steinway grand piano — aiming for maximum transparency while taming dynamics (around 5 dB gain reduction).
We blind-tested these tube-powered gems on a stunning performance of Hans Zimmer by pianist Maria Kotzastrati, recorded at Sierra Studios. Which one keeps the magic, adds warmth, and stays invisible?
The contenders:

Undertone Audio Mixland UnFairchild (Fairchild 670 clone)
Overloud Gem Comp 670 (Fairchild clone)
Acustica Audio Ultramarine
Acustica Audio Midnight (Moonlight RS660 / Fairchild-inspired)
Slate Digital FG-2A (LA-2A style)
Slate Digital FG-MU
MixWave D.W. Fearn VT-7 (pristine tube masterpiece)
Acustica Audio Sunray (Summit-style emulation)

Results? A surprising tie for first place — UnFairchild and DW Fearn VT-7 crushed it! Overloud and Slate Digital came very close too. We also dive into the DW Fearn's unique Harder/Softer knob that lets you dial in cleaner or warmer character.

Timestamps:
0:00 Intro – The problem with piano compression
0:21 Why transparency matters on piano
0:36 The 8 tube compressors lineup
1:37 The piano performance (Maria Kotzastrati – Steinway at Sierra Studios)
1:52 Setup & calibration (5 dB GR)
2:24 Listening to the raw dynamic range
4:56 Blind Test
9:15 Results & winners!
9:50 Deep dive: DW Fearn VT-7 Harder/Softer knob demo
10:29 Final thoughts & thanks

Which tube compressor was YOUR favorite? Drop it in the comments below — let's discuss! 👇
If you're mixing piano (classical, film, pop), which of these would you reach for?

Check out Maria Kotzastrati's full performance:    • Interstellar- Time, Hans Zimmer  

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#TubeCompressor #PianoCompression #BestCompressorForPiano #Fairchild #LA2A #AudioPlugins #MixingPiano #BlindTest #MusicProduction #AskAlex

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Thanks for watching! 🎛️🔥

Disclaimer: This video is not sponsored. All opinions are my own.

My top favourites (so you don't have to watch the whole video) are:
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Undertone Audio Mixland UnFairchild
⭐⭐⭐⭐ MixWave D.W. Fearn VT-7
⭐⭐⭐ Overloud Gem Comp 670
⭐⭐⭐ Slate Digital FG-MU