Hello. Can you help me? I want buy a hardware compressor

Technique · Post by **Technique** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 11:26 am

Hello. Can you help me? I want buy a hardware compressor with SideChain function. Max for a $2K

steevio · Post by **steevio** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 2:21 pm

i can't advise you on what to buy, but i can on what not to buy.
i have these three compressors, and i dont like any of them ;

Focusrite Compounder.
got rave reviews in the press, but i dont like it at all, attack is way too slow, and generally degrades the sound. bass expansion function just muddies up the sound. my mates got one and he hates it to.
more expensive focusrites are better !

Alesis 3630
cheap project compressor, waste of money.

DBX 266xl
same as above.
dont like the sound of it at all.

my mate has a TLAudio ivory compressor and it sounds tame.
but the higher end TLA's are nice

to be honest, if you're spending 2K you are into the professional studio area, and you should be able to get something half decent.
i wouldnt advise anyone to buy project studio compressors, they just dont cut it. having these sort of compressors has made me learn not to use compressors !!!, now i rarely use compression, and concentrate on getting my gains / velocities / envelopes / eq's right so i dont need compression.
i now prefer the no compression approach, but if you're wanting pumping effects etc, theres no other way i suppose.

Technique · Post by **Technique** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 3:48 pm

so, what do you think about Drawmer DL251 ??
I know that many famous musicans use compression. like Robert Babicz aka Rob Acid

steevio · Post by **steevio** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 4:12 pm

Technique wrote:so, what do you think about Drawmer DL251 ??
I know that many famous musicans use compression. like Robert Babicz aka Rob Acid

dont get me wrong mate, compression is a very important part of music production, it's just that i cant really afford to buy a top end professional compressor, and i dont rate the project studio models that i have been able to afford or audition, so i was forced into using a different approach, and now i prefer to work that way.
i used to work as a studio engineer, and we had Drawmer compressors, and they were excellent.

sorgenkind · Post by **sorgenkind** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 4:55 pm

steevio:

I was about to buy a 5052 from the ivory serie of TLAudio... the one with dual preamp/EQ/Comp and 3 valves per channel.
After reading your post I said stop.
There is nowhere here to audition those expensive gear, what's your final word on them?

steevio · Post by **steevio** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 1:22 am

sorgenkind wrote:steevio:

I was about to buy a 5052 from the ivory serie of TLAudio... the one with dual preamp/EQ/Comp and 3 valves per channel.
After reading your post I said stop.
There is nowhere here to audition those expensive gear, what's your final word on them?

its a tricky one mate, i've got the TLA Ivory 5013 eq and to be honest i find the EQ harsh on it, and i use the amp in it for warming up the sound on my whole mix without the EQ switched in alot of the time.
its the same old story, you get what you pay for. the higher end TLA stuff is sweet, but i dont really rate the ivory series stuff.
i've never heard the model you mention, but i know a couple of people with the earlier compressor, and its a bit soft sounding.
ive got lots of bits of kit like this in my studio ( £400-£600 project studio gear )which gets good reviews in Sound on Sound, but when you get it home, doesnt quite hit the mark, but when i go to the cutting room and hear the professional level gear from the same companies, it sounds awesome.
i think you have to pay real money (£1000 +) if you want the quality with tube gear, it's a lot of money but if you're using it on final mixdown for you're whole mix its worth it, especially if you're wanting to fatten and warm up digital mixes.
theres a few intermediate options, check out Toft Audio kit !
i dont want to put you off mate, maybe get a few more opinions, especially someone who's got that model.
good luck

sorgenkind · Post by **sorgenkind** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 9:42 am

thanks steevio,

gonna check out Toft Audio, thanks for the input!

Android · Post by **Android** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 5:10 am

I got a Alesis 3630 since Daft Punk uses them

and I liked it so much I picked up 3 more for cheap

I use them for filter / sidechain effects and they work great

I also picked up two old school (70's) DBX compressors but haven't tried them out yet...

any reason why you need compression?

I got mine strictly for sidechaining, don't use it to correct mixdown problems

This Toft looks pretty cool
http://www.toftaudiodesigns.com/dc2.html

let us know which you choose...