No, compressors have also been used in analog studios for a long time... See, for example, this device... http://www.audioblendmastering.com/fairchild-670/ http

No, compressors have also been used in analog studios for a long time... See, for example, this device... http://www.audioblendmastering.com/fairchild-670/ http://www.audioblendmastering.com/fairchild-670/ Often digital plugins try to recreate the characteristics of such old tube monsters, because their sound is considered superior by some. On the other hand, mastering plugins (including compressors and much more) nowadays are algorithmically that complicated that an analog version is not feasible. EDIT: sorry, link is to an old limiter, not strictly a compressor, but one gets the idea