FabFilter Drops Pro-C 3 and Updates Pro-Q 4

FabFilter just released Pro-C 3 and updated Pro-Q 4 to version 4.10.

I've been using FabFilter plugins for years. They're part of my daily workflow - the kind of tools that disappear into your process because they just work.

These updates are significant.

Pro-C 3 Adds Six New Compression Algorithms

Pro-C 3 now has fourteen compression styles total. Six new algorithms join the existing eight.

The new styles give you more tonal options. Versatile handles general-purpose work. Smooth delivers subtle glue compression. Upward gives you pumping upward compression when you need movement.

TTM combines upward and downward compression across multiple bands - that's a workflow shift right there.

Op-El brings warm opto-like tube compression. Vari-Mu adds rich variable mu-style compression inspired by classic hardware units.

The Character panel is where things get interesting. You can add analog saturation with Tube, Diode, or Bright variations. Adjust the Drive. Route it pre- or post-compression.

The Side Chain EQ now has six bands with Pro-Q 4 filter shapes. That level of control over your compression triggering changes what's possible.

Pro-C 3 supports Dolby Atmos up to 9.6.1. If you're working in immersive audio, that matters. Host tempo triggering and Auto Threshold adjustment add flexibility without adding complexity.

Grab Pro-C 3 here: Plugin Boutique

Pro-Q 4.10 Brings Multi-Plugin Instance Control

The Pro-Q 4 update adds multi-plugin support to the Instance List.

You can now control multiple instances of Pro-Q 4, Pro-C 3, Pro-G, and Pro-DS from a single interface. That's the workflow improvement - not having to jump between plugin windows when you're dialing in your mix.

Think about tweaking EQ, compression, gating, and de-essing across multiple tracks from one screen. You stay in flow state instead of breaking focus to hunt for the right plugin window.

This is particularly useful on complex mixes where you're managing dozens of processing chains. The cognitive load drops when you can see everything at once.

Get FabFilter Pro-Q 4 here: Plugin Boutique

What This Actually Means

FabFilter doesn't release updates just to stay visible. They release updates when they've solved a real problem or expanded genuine capability.

Pro-C 3's new compression algorithms aren't just different flavors of the same thing. Each style handles transients and dynamics differently. That gives you more tools to shape material without reaching for multiple compressors.

The Instance List in Pro-Q 4.10 addresses a workflow friction point that's existed since multi-plugin processing became standard. Switching between plugin windows breaks concentration. This removes that friction.

These aren't incremental improvements. They're functional expansions that change how you work.

Why I'm Covering This

I don't cover every plugin release. Most releases are noise - minor updates that don't change your workflow or improve your output.

FabFilter's updates are different. They add capability without adding complexity. The interface stays clean. The sound stays transparent. The workflow gets faster.

That combination is rare.

If you're already using FabFilter plugins, these updates are worth your time. If you're not using them yet, Pro-C 3 and Pro-Q 4 are solid entry points into their ecosystem.

The tools don't make the music. But the right tools remove friction between your intention and your output.

That's what these updates do.

What's your current compression workflow - are you using multiple compressors to get different tonal colors, or sticking with one flexible unit?