- in Podcast by Bobby Owsinski
Episode 623 – Creator Of The Distressor Dave Derr
What makes the Empirical Labs Distressor such a lasting studio classic?
In this episode, I sit down with Dave Derr, founder of Empirical Labs and creator of the Distressor.
Among the things we talk about analog compression, product design, the birth of Nuke mode, FATSO, Mike-E, plugins, and the studio lessons that shaped his gear.
Dave shares how his years as a musician, engineer, and Eventide employee led him to build tools that solved real recording problems.
From dead drum sounds to analog saturation and trademarked knobs, this conversation offers a warm, practical look inside one of the most respected minds in pro audio.
Chapters:
00:01:12 – What has changed since Dave’s last visit?
00:01:33 – Why Empirical Labs does not release products just to release them
00:03:03 – The FATSO product that almost did not make it
00:04:04 – Growing up in Delaware and playing the Philly music scene
00:06:34 – Eventide, studio work, and the path toward independence
00:07:25 – When the idea for the Distressor began
00:09:39 – The dead drum sound problem that shaped the Distressor
00:12:54 – How Nuke mode got its name 00:14:27 – The 1176 all-buttons-in sound and Brit mode
00:15:28 – The compressor control Dave thinks matters most
00:16:06 – How the Distressor evolved over the years
00:17:34 – The wide frequency response inside the Distressor
00:18:54 – How FATSO brought analog character back
00:22:40 – Why Dave created the Mike-E preamp
00:25:00 – How Empirical Labs approached plugins
00:26:38 – Plugin clones, trademarks, and protecting the Empirical Labs look
00:28:54 – The products Dave still thinks about making
00:30:21 – Favorite instruments and what makes them hard to record
00:33:16 – The era Dave thinks had peak audio quality
00:36:48 – What Dave wishes more people knew about him
And much more.
You can hear it at Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Mixcloud, Spotify, Deezer, TuneIn Radio, or RadioPublic.
Also, a video version of this podcast is now available on YouTube as well.
