Astra Creative Audio has introduced two new compressor plug-ins for macOS and Windows: Astrassor and A-76. Both are designed with a unique drive-based approach instead of traditional threshold controls. This makes them stand out in a crowded market, especially for producers who prefer a more hands-on, input-driven workflow.

Astrassor: Five Characters in One

Astrassor offers five distinct compression characters via a single ratio switch. These include 1:1, which adds colour without compression, 4:1, 10:1 OPTO with a two-stage release reminiscent of optical compressors, 20:1, and NOVA, which intentionally overshoots, causing the output to fall as input rises. There is no threshold knob; you set the amount of compression by driving the input level, and the output gain makes up the difference.

Additionally, two harmonic distortion modes (DIST 2 and DIST 3) let you shape the tone. High-pass (20 Hz to 1 kHz) and low-pass (1 to 20 kHz) filters can be routed to the detector, the audio, or both. Stereo link and a dry/wet mix for parallel compression round out the controls. As a result, Astrassor provides plenty of flexibility for mixing and sound design.

A-76: A FET Limiter with a Classic Feel

The A-76 is a solid-state FET limiter inspired by late-1960s hardware. It also omits a threshold control, relying on input drive and output make-up gain. Its attack and release controls run backwards (7 is the fastest), and the detector reads the output signal. An all-buttons-in mode adds a higher ratio with a bent knee, slower attack, and more distortion, giving you a vintage aggressive character.

The developer’s own measurements show Astrassor has zero latency, with ratios measuring 4.00:1, 10.00:1, and 20.00:1, and harmonics below -120 dBc on its clean 1:1 path. It uses roughly 0.3% of one core at a 64-sample buffer in stereo. The A-76 achieves a fastest attack of 26 µs, 0.125 ms of latency, and aliasing at -102.1 dBc with 8x oversampling. It consumes about 2.1% of one core at the same buffer size.

Pricing and Availability

Both plug-ins are available through the Astra Sampler FX subscription, which costs EUR 9.99 per month or EUR 99 per year. A 7-day free trial is offered. Additionally, A-76 will be sold as a standalone product starting 26 October 2026. The plug-ins come in VST3 and AU formats on macOS (universal binary for Intel and Apple Silicon) and VST3 on 64-bit Windows. A-76 also runs as a standalone application on macOS. System requirements include Windows 10 or later, macOS 10.13 or later for A-76, and macOS 11 or later for Astrassor.

One potential downside is that the installers are not yet signed with a paid certificate. macOS will warn that the developer cannot be verified on first launch, and Windows may show a SmartScreen warning. However, you can clear these by allowing the software in System Settings or by clicking through the warning.

Features

• Drive-based compression without threshold controls
• Five compression characters on Astrassor
• FET limiter design on A-76 with all-buttons-in mode
• Harmonic distortion modes and filter routing
• Stereo link and parallel compression
• Low CPU usage and precise measurements

Price
Subscription: EUR 9.99/month or EUR 99/year
A-76 standalone price: TBA (from 26 Oct 2026)

More info: Astra Creative Audio | Astrassor and A-76