Standard Audio

Standard Audio LevelOr

Legendary Hardware. Now in the Box.

Standard Audio Level-Or Level-Or is a fierce character compressor/limiter based on the cult-classic 500 series hardware unit by Standard Audio. Rebuilt with Safari Pedals’ lush interface and extra tone shaping tools, it’s a beast of a plugin—perfect for smashing drums, vocals, or any sound that needs a punch in the face (in a good way).

Standard Audio LevelOr
Setup

Installation

Windows

  1. Open the .exe installer.
  2. Accept the license agreement.
  3. Choose your plugin formats (VST3, AAX and/or Standalone).
  4. Click Next → Install.

Mac

  1. Open the .pkg installer.
  2. Accept the license agreement.
  3. Choose your plugin formats (VST3, AU, AAX and/or Standalone).
  4. Click Continue, enter your password and install.
Mac installer
Windows installer
Activation

Registration

When you open the plugin for the first time you will see the registration screen.

Subscription

Includes all current and future plugins. Any new plugin you download activates without additional authorization.

Perpetual License

Lifetime access to the plugins you purchased. Does not include future plugin releases.

Registration screen

Offline Use

An internet connection is required only for the first activation. After that the plugin works offline.

Start a Trial or Register

Click Activate Demo for a free 14-day trial. If you have a license key, enter it and click Activate.

Activate / Deactivate
Activate / Deactivate
Too Many Devices? If you've reached the 4-device limit, deactivate one from the registration screen to free up a slot.
Controls

Features

Two Modes. Infinite Energy Switch between the beloved Mk1 and Mk2 flavors, each with their own distinct punch and grit. Whether you're after gritty lo-fi or explosive high-energy dynamics, Level-Or Mk2 delivers.

Mk1
Original vintage-flavored crunch, raw and nasty.
Mk2
Extended range, improved fidelity, more surgical control.
Pre/Post Tone Shaper
Sculpt your transients or shape the body with the versatile tone control.

Speed Switch (Fast / Medium / Slow): In Level Mode, this adjusts the release time of the limiter. In Crunch Mode, it modifies the distortion characteristics for different textures of grit and also controls a high-pass filter to shape the sound (16k and 8k)

Fast
Snappy, punchy response.
Medium
Balanced and musical.
Slow
Longer sustain and more dramatic compression.

Mode Switch (Level / Crunch / Bypass)

Level Mode
Extreme JFET limiting that pummels your signal into submission. Expect aggressive compression and heavy leveling.
Crunch Mode
A transistor-driven harmonic distortion beast. From subtle warmth to pure destruction, dial in as much dirt as you dare.
Bypass Mode
Keeps your signal clean and untouched
Input Gain
Controls how much signal is fed into the circuit. More input = more compression, more distortion, more attitude.
Output Gain
Adjusts the final output level to balance your signal after obliterating it.
Over-Sampling
Emulates consumer-grade cassette recorders for a warm, lo-fi sound.
Blend
Provides a cleaner, more professional tape sound with subtle character.
Auto Gain
Keeps levels even as you crank the input / output knob.
Testimonials

Studio Reactions

Support

Troubleshooting

If something isn't working as expected, most issues are quick to resolve.

  1. Re-read the Setup section — something may have been missed during installation or activation.
  2. Double-check your DAW settings, plugin folder paths, and system compatibility.
  3. Restart your DAW and try loading the plugin again.
  4. Make sure your OS and DAW are up to date.

Still stuck? Email Bar@safaripedals.com with your OS, DAW version, and a description of the issue.