PuigChild Compressor

The PuigChild is Waves' emulation of the Fairchild 660/670 tube compressor, developed in collaboration with Jack Joseph Puig and modeled from his personal units. The Fairchild remains the standard reference for warm, musical compression, and this plugin captures its essential character with reasonable fidelity.

Variable-mu tube compression behaves fundamentally differently from VCA designs. Rather than controlling gain through a voltage-controlled amplifier, variable-mu topology uses biased vacuum tubes whose gain responds to input level. This creates a naturally musical response curve that reacts organically to program material. The PuigChild models this behavior along with the transformer coloration and harmonic content that defines the Fairchild's sonic signature - an open, slightly thick character that flatters vocals and instruments without apparent compression artifacts.

The plugin offers six selectable attack and release combinations, covering the original hardware's fixed ratios. Multiple compression modes - mono, dual mono, stereo, and M/S - accommodate different mixing scenarios. The inclusion of switchable 50/60 Hz hum and noise floor adds authentic analog character, though whether this enhances or clutters your mix depends on workflow preference.

As a bus compressor, the PuigChild excels at cohesive gluing without obvious pumping, though aggressive settings still yield the classic drum-kit compression sound. It's less transparent than modern solid-state designs and works best on sources benefiting from tonal warmth rather than clinical control.

The Fairchild emulation market is crowded, with competitors including Universal Audio's hardware-modeled version and other software alternatives. The PuigChild performs credibly within this context, offering a functional alternative at plugin pricing while maintaining reasonable sonic accuracy to its hardware inspiration.