Empirical Labs manufactures high-end professional audio processing equipment, including the renowned Distressor, FATSO, and PUMP compressors.
Empirical Labs Inc. (ELI) is a prominent manufacturer of high-end professional audio equipment, beloved by recording studios and audio engineers worldwide. Best known for the iconic Distressor compressor, ELI focuses on creating products that are easy to use, highly durable, and offer classic vintage sound characteristics combined with modern performance specs.
From analog tape simulators like the FATSO to 500 series modules like the PUMP Compressor, Empirical Labs gear is renowned for its signature musical non-linearities, warm harmonics, and intuitive operation. The brand provides comprehensive user manuals and setup guides to help users implement compression, saturation, and dynamic control perfectly within their tracking or mixing setups.
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Common questions about manuals, registration, and support for this brand.
You can find user manuals, operational setup examples, and guides for the Distressor, FATSO, and PUMP compressors here on Manuals.plus or through the official Empirical Labs support page.
You can register your new audio processor for its three-year limited warranty at the official Empirical Labs website by visiting the warranty registration page.
Yes, the EL7 FATSO (Full Analog Tape Simulator and Optimizer) models broadband tape saturation, providing harmonic generation, high-frequency clipping, and switchable transformer circuits typical of older analog gear.
No, you need to use a dedicated microphone preamplifier to boost your signal to line level before connecting it to the Empirical Labs PUMP Compressor module.