Use a pedal plugin (like the Ignite Amps TSB-1) with the Drive at 0 and Level at 10 to tighten the signal before it hits the amp.
Modern producers face a paradox. You want your mix to sound competitive (loud), but you don't want it to sound squashed (lifeless). Traditional compression turns down loud peaks, then turns up the entire signal. This works, but it often kills the micro-dynamics —the tiny clicks, thumps, and transients that make a recording feel alive. ts empire vst