TDR Kotelnikov vs Cytomic The Glue
Specs, price and the Dubspot Score, side by side — with our verdict on which effect to buy.
Which should you buy?
On the Dubspot Score, Cytomic The Glue comes out ahead (8.8). That said, the right pick depends on your workflow and budget — read both reviews before deciding.
Specs compared
| TDR Kotelnikov | Cytomic The Glue | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | $99 |
| Dubspot Score | 8.5 | 8.8 |
| Formats | VST2, VST3, AU, AAX | VST2, VST3, AU, AAX |
| Type | Wideband dynamics processor / bus compressor | Analog-modelled VCA feedback bus compressor |
| Version | 1.6.7 | — |
| Processing | 64-bit multi-rate; delta-oversampled path | — |
| Key controls | Crest-factor scheme with separate peak and RMS release | — |
| Formats | VST2, VST3, AAX (Win 64-bit); VST2, VST3, AU, AAX (Mac 64-bit) | VST2, VST3, AUv2, AAXv2 (64-bit) |
| System | Windows 7+; macOS 10.9+; OpenGL support | — |
| Paid upgrade | TDR Kotelnikov GE (Gentleman's Edition) | — |
| Circuit inspiration | — | Classic 1980s British large-console stereo bus compressor |
| Detector | — | Dual-diode envelope follower (feed-back topology) |
| Ratios | — | 2:1 (soft knee), 4:1 (medium), 10:1 (hard / peak-limiter territory) |
| Attack | — | 0.01 ms to 30 ms (includes faster settings than original hardware) |
| Release | — | 0.1 s to 1.2 s plus classic Auto release |
| Key extras | — | Mix, Range, sidechain HPF (0–2 kHz, 6 dB/oct), external sidechain, stereo link 0–100% in 25% steps, Peak Clip, advanced oversampling |
| Platforms | — | macOS 10.13+ (Intel/Apple silicon); Windows 10+ (64-bit) |
| Price model | — | $99 one-time; free trial available from Cytomic |
| Related stock device | — | Ableton Live Glue Compressor uses the same core algorithm family |
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.