Please give advice on which compressor to buy

Hi fellers!

The topics regarding compressors from the past days really inspired me towards compressin , since I felt, … well my sounds are all quite nice, o.k, … but somehow they”re not really comin out clear!

My music makin:
Mpc 4k (8 outs = 10 outs!)
Access virus = 6 outs
Mackie sr 24-4-2 (Mackie: 22 channels)
Guitar
FX: lexicon mpx 550, behringer virualizer dsp 2024, my guitar effects (old korg multieffect, marshall, wah-wah cry baby, and some rarely used gear!)
Huge active monitors

Basically there are 22 channels runnin from my Mackie to the monitors and they are next to always all used! Usually i mess around a lot with effects but in the past I’ve never really used compr., … dunno why!

I have 3 external ones at home (lexicon, virtualizer (multifx) and guitar multi fx) and the ones in the mpc, but me – idiot – never came the idea to use them! So last night I was explicitly testing my compr.! 1 Seq: from a song I m workin on, just runnin out Bd, sn, hh from mpc and a basssound from the virus! 3 compr. at send 4, 5 and 6 on the Mackie to easily compare them! 5 hours one and the same beat and no way boring!

My resume: the guitar compr is ****, the virtualizer a bit less **** but still ****, the lexicon compr. much, much better! Damn, its amazing! Each sound comes thru in a way I have not experienced yet in my music makin!

The problem: i can’t do without the lexicon’s rev and delays! No way! So I need a new compr.! … the sooner the better!

I can spend a approx. a maximum of 500 Euro/$! Since I have some unused compr. already it should be a good one! Should be possible, shouldn't it?

As I mentioned I have next to non experience whit compr but what I”ve heared tc are quite good in doin them! what about the triple C?
http://www.netzmarkt.de/thomann/thoiw2_ ... 45054.html
btw: what does multiband envelope mean?

The following link compares different models http://www.netzmarkt.de/thomann/pcompare72.html
It’s a good music page imo, too! I often bought there already!

So, what I want to ask you fellers! Please, can anyone give me advice for the compr I should go for? What are the most important features I should take care off?? what are you using and how happy are you with yours? and maybe some answers to above questions!

Any advice and help is much appreciated!
Thanx meanwhile ...
Alto

Hmm...

why not try using compression as an insert effect insted of a send that way you will hear what it does more... Go from your virus straight into the Compressor then from compressor to your mixer... Or straight from MPC to Compressor... Or use the ALT outs on your MIXER for compressor busses insted or SEND RETURN bus...

you could do worse than copping the industry standard DBX compressor range... check out these little beauties..
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... gory=23793
cop 2x for 4x channels of compression..

Or this with 8 channels built into one unit:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... gory=23793

Or you may want something more studio orientated.... eg: Tube or Optical but you are gonna pay more for that:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... gory=23793

or:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... gory=23793

i have one major question about compressors...if a buy a high end compressor unit, is it ideal to track sounds 2 at a time thru the compressor, record them with the added compression, and then track 2 more sounds thru the same compressor?? im not sure if this is possible, it sounds like it would be time consuming, but if its a high end compressor that can add some amazing effect to your sounds , then i think it would be worth it.

FLUENT --- You can get some pretty good compressor plugin's for your software multi tracker !!! Very high quality..... Would save on time.... but not as good as a optical solid state $5000+ Avalon or something....

Check out focusrite too.........

http://www.focusrite.com/

ok i understand that, so your saying it IS possible if i would buy a high end compressor to do that? im not worried about the time, its fun tweaking everything to my liking...but what i need to know is if that is possible, or would i need multiple compressors (i.e. one compressor for every 2 sounds)

^yeah.. i need to know that too...

wow! thanx fellers for ur response! much appreciated!

some huge probs here at home! my pc is a single worm, completely messed up! can't either open a link, nor copy one of your links and not even put one of the cheese yellow smiles at the right on a post! gonna check all of your links ouf tomorrow when back at work! but thanx meanwhile!

compr. as main insert: 1. didn't have y-cables! 2. so i run it (as insert) back into a stereo channel on my mixer! but that messed up other parts of the song like melodic parts, air parts (sorry my bad english, hope you get it)! so i decided just to try it with some percussion parts and basssound! ... but i know and i m looking forward: there is much much more experimentin with compr. to come! just don't wanna buy bull*** compr. since there are some already here!

my major thought: different sounds need different compr. settings! so i thought: damn so i need more compr.! one for bd, hh, sn! another for the melody, one for chords, ...! is that right or is that all bull****? to phrase it differently (that's what i hope): are good compr. able to allow different compr. settings at the same time! eg. compr. setting 1 for bd, compr. setting 2 for melody, ... therefore my question:

1. what does multiband envelope mean?

2. what is 2x for 4x channel or 8x channel mean?

and finally a very easy one (thats due to my unfortunately bad english, please someone can rephrase that in an easy english)

3. madness: 'you could do worse than copping the industry standard dbx compressor range ...'

cheers fellers, thanx meanwhile

alto

You should run your compressor on buss 1 and 2 on the mackie. this way you will have the control to assign any instrument to the compressor when you need it.If you have it on the inserts you are limiting yourself.

The triple c is ok but you wanna get the C1 (Alan Smart) Smart Research.

This guy designed the SSL Consoles but later sold the rights, now he's got his own range out half the price of the new SSL which has just came out,also his model is dual mono (so you can control both sides) The new SSL is stereo (u can't control two separate signals)

If this is to much get a 2/hand BSS Compressor which is amazing for the money,also has a great desser for vocals.


Mac

fellers!

... listen! actually i came hear to launch a topic to solve a prob asking you for some advice on which compr. to buy! no, i got damn ! and that's esp. for the nice tiny little things recommended by bravo and mac! damn, who told you that i ain"t really good at savin money when it comes to buy gear?

but i m gonna rephrase it otherwise, cause i can"t simply afford these monster compr.! have planed to buy some external analogue filters, new guitar (prob a lucy), guitar amplifier and finally some good monitors at the end within next time! money is the ****! o.k.?

so, more or less i would like to have a good compr. which gives me a compr. in the sound quality my lexicon mpx 550 gives me for my reverbs, delays! somethin in the cost rangetil max. 500 Euro,$! 2 channels i think is good (enough) havin, isn"t it?

so the only one i found till now (and i m not even sure if they have still the one with 2 mono channels) is the triple c! i'm a bit sceptic bout the dbx!

anyone has this tiple c? how is it? is it shit? or lets say: if its more or less the same as the one i have on my behringer multi fx than its a vaste of time and money! anyone knows? or maybe this quest: is the bss much beher?

macman, bravo & madness! thanx for your help meanwhile!

any further suggestion is as always much appreciated!

alto

the answer, for your budget, is a pair of RNC's (Really Nice Compressor) housed in a funk logic rackplate. Each of these units costs $175.00, and each is also a stereo unit, not dual mono. With two you could compress a stereo sample and mono sample at the same time. But the best news is that high-end gear snobs consider these compressors to be one of the best choices you can make for under $800...that's right, $800. I've used these things and they are very good sounding, clean, basic compressors. I'm not sure how much 500 euros is but I'm willing to bet you can't afford the Alan Smart, and don't worry about the multiband envelope thing...this just means you can set the compressor to affect certain parts of the frequency spectrum, which I guess might be cool, but you don't need it for now. I'm not too familiar with this Triple C thing but it's like a digital device where you can dial in a whole bunch of parameters, right? Forget this stuff, it is specialized and you just want a basic, good compressor...RNC, you can't go wrong.

yup...rnc on busses 1-2 and 3-4...problem solved

Don't Diss the DBX man....

It has been, an will continue to be, the industry standard for Compression in a Live situation! DBX1066

Plus, you get a GATE (very usefull for PUNCHY drums) and a LIMITER (keep those levels tight) This is what you need for a live situation, you wanted them for live eh.... !!!!!! Plus, running a GATE on a LIVE guitar will help you know end removing picking sounds and background hum etc.,

The RNC is a very good option... I have herd them and they sound quite good... perfect for recording... but not as versatile... If you drive a DBX compressor hard it will colour the sound in a way that a DBX is known for....

Its up to you, but I would suggest you head down to your local store and try a couple out... look at the different settings you can have.... study the specs and even download a manual and learn all there is to know about compression...

good luck

hy jontakiff!

thanx for ur advice!

rnc 1773! right? well they would suit very good to my home mate distortion too (actually i didn't made that - wouldn't be able, a good friend of mine did)! its by far the smallest gear in my studio hear, but believe me it makes the biggest noise - 2 contr. and 1 tubo-dist.-knob! small, nice and simply great! the cost for it was about 3 $ (tax-incl.)!!! 2 rnc + the dist together would also kinda fit in the 19" rack! ha, ha, ha!!!

but in terms of price your right! its a realistic option! i just doubt about the quality! reviews on homepages are always kind of ... you know (not to talk about akai - but regarding this they're all the same anyway)! don't really know about these compr.! never heard about them! ... but i like them! donno why!

has anyone ever tried some rnc 1773? are they really good analogue compr.? i mean they look like a toy - no problem about that - actually would be fun - just some doubts that i m on the way to buy the biggest joke in my equipment! anyone with experience on them out there? (to remember, they should be better then the compr. i already have on my multi fx behringer dsp 2024, and the korg guitar multi-fx!)

thanx anyone

cheers

alto

btw jontakiff! quest: you said: 'with a pair of them u can compress a stereo and a mono sample!' well, am i missin somethin or am i wrong when sayin with 2 stereo compr i m able to compr 2 stereo samples?