FRM really nice Compressor vs THAT4301 Pico Compressor

[synap2012]

FRM really nice Compressor vs THAT4301 Pico Compressor

Hey I have herd the FMR before it sound pretty good, is the Pico compressor in the same ball park as the FMR compressor. or are they two totally different beasts.

Thanks

[synap2012]

ANybody? Have any of you ever used either of these compressors before?

[emrr]

The RNC doesn't hold a candle to the Pico; there is no competition. The Pico is superior in every regard; like 10++ times better. The Pico sound quality is great, which can't be said for the RNC, IMHO. The Pico quality does not change with extreme amounts of compression either; you can hear whatever warped abuse you apply to a signal without listening through the 'audio suck' factor that plagues so many compressors at heavier settings. The Pico is excellent at very low ratio mix work, and clean enough for mastering work. It can lift low level detail in surprising amounts with only 1-1.5dB GR at 1:1.2 ratio. The Pico has a fully pro feature set with great metering, and interfacing that will handle balanced and unbalanced signals with ease. You won't regret having one.

Wanna buy my RNC's? They are available.....

[bdubya]

So is the Pico available as a kit similar to that pictured in the build thread?? For 500 series I mean, with front panel and all that. . .thanks

[synap2012]

wow, looks good. I have a dbx 900 series rack, is there a way I could DIY a edge connector to fit the pico 500? or should I ask how hard would it be?

[TAVD]

Originally Posted by synap2012

wow, looks good. I have a dbx 900 series rack, is there a way I could DIY a edge connector to fit the pico 500? or should I ask how hard would it be?

IIRC, the dbx900 connector is on the opposite side from API. You might need to get fancy with some stand-offs. I seem to remember the DBX being 24v also.

[dcharrison]

I,m thinking about building a sidecar for drums with 8 mic pres and 8 channels of compression and limiting. The Presonus ACP88 and the Klark Teknik 8 channel comps are appealing because (I believe) they allow linking multiple channels, not just stereo linking.
A.) Is there a way to do that with the Pico?
B.) Am I just being anal worrying about that?

I know I want a stereo comp on the overheads, and I suspect that I want the snare and kick isolated and individually controlled, but there is so much common signal on toms and OH, I figure I might like to have them marching in lock step.

Any thoughts?

[futur2]

Originally Posted by RogerFoote

Anyway, there are around 10 kits left. After that, they will be available as fully assembled units only (at slightly higher cost of course).

Roger

how much will that be?

[Max headroom]

Originally Posted by emrr

The RNC doesn't hold a candle to the Pico; there is no competition. The Pico is superior in every regard;.....

IMHO .... this is plain wrong ....


Cheers


Max

[futur2]

Originally Posted by futur2

how much will that be?

hi roger,

i sent you a pm before asking publicly. no idea of a price so far?

[Ruairi]

Originally Posted by Max headroom

IMHO .... this is plain wrong ....


Cheers


Max

I'm agree wholeheartedly with EMRR and disagree with Max. I've owned a stereo Pico for the last few months and it's a seriously impressive piece. I firmly believe that had it been released by a known brand with a marketing budget that many Slutz would be creaming themselves to own one. I've been using it almost exclusively in very low ratio mode on the mix bus and for mastering. Gorgeous firming up of the mix.

I borrowed a RNC from a friend for a few months several years back. I was in the middle of tracking a massive project with huge instrumental variety - rock stuff, strings, percussion, real piano etc etc. I tried teh RNC on everything and was left thinking that it was ok for the money but I certainly didn't record any keepers through it or ever buy one.

Would be happier with a good plug in than the RNC, could never say that about the Pico. My pico has Cinemag transformer outs, yummy...

Will definitely be buying a set of the Pico 500s for tracking as soon as I get a rack.

Cheers,
Ruairi

[Max headroom]

Originally Posted by RogerFoote

Max

Maybe you could share how you are using the Pico Compressor and which one you own. You do own one, right?

Cheers
Roger

Yes ... I have Pico , RNC and RNLA ..... I use them for tracking ......

IMO .... RNLA is the best sounding compressor of all 3 of them .....

I record via api 512 c, GR , adesign silver ( all 500 format ) and avalon 737 .....

RNC is very clean , does not mess up with sound ...... it does what i need of compressor to do when i track instruments .....

I do pop , jazz , some milder rock and similar styles .....

I rarely record drums or heavy guitars .....


Cheers



Max

[Max headroom]

Originally Posted by RogerFoote

Well......... Hmmmm.

Now I am starting to understand. I just went through all of our records and we never sold anything to a "Max" in Austria. We have never shipped anything to Austria for that matter.

Now I am wondering where "Max" got his Pico!

Best regards
Roger

I am not from Austria .....

I buy my stuff from Germany , Swiss and USA ..... sometimes from Canada . If you are trying to discredit me ..... it is fine ...

Your Pico is purchased second hand , from very good friend of mine .....

It is just my opinion , and after 10 years in this business I think that I deserve one .... You think different and that is fine too ....

I pointed that I do Jazz and Pop , not to say that pico is not for that kind of music , but to answer to Your question ..... how I use it , and for what kind of music ......


I hope that clears everything


Cheers


Max

[emrr]

Originally Posted by emrr

Wanna buy my RNC's? They are available.....

After owning them for 6-7 years, they are always my compressor of last resort, and I frequently unplug them and go without since they just won't do what I want them to do. I think maybe Michael Brauer is right; they are killer in super-nice mode on background vocal busses. And so is a Pico, but with better sonics! They do kinda sound like Alison Gain-Brain's on drums, but I have Gain-Brain's, and they sound better. My Picos came from Roger; I can't speak to the sound of the infinite variables found in other's DIY versions. There are plenty of ways to screw it up.

[shortyprs]

I'm curious about prices on non-500 series mono and stereo units assembled. Can't seem to find a mention anywhere and I worry about putting one together myself, after the exchange with Max. I'm just 'ok' with the soldering iron.

Tom

[Snatchman]

Gotta chime in and say that the Pico 500 and the Pico Stereo ( 2-Bus) are some great sounding compressors! I have the RNC, and even tho I use it , definately not on par with the Pico 500. ( couple more that I have is not either.....) Also, no connectivity issues with the Pico! ( it's balanced......)..YMMV

[Max headroom]

Originally Posted by RogerFoote

Not trying to discredit you, but as I pointed out, if I didn't build it there may be issues with the unit. Comparing it to cheap stuff like FMR and ART is totally unfair on your part if some DIYer built the thing with substituted parts.

Maybe discression on your part would be a good thing to implement in the future. Or at least come clean and tell people that this was not built by FCS when you try to torpedo my products!!!

You might be right there , I bought it as a whole .... didn't know who assembled it ..... Maybe You did , maube not .... I may ask , if You are interested .....



Cheers


Max

[s.d.finley]

Originally Posted by RogerFoote

I am currently negotiating with a partner sales channel. If he works with me on this, the sell price is going to be $500.00 each for the fully assembled Pico 500 Compressors.

If I sell them on my own, the price will still be $500.00, but I will not be able to ship internationally whereas the sales channel I spoke of would be able to ship internationally.

Best Regards
Roger Foote
Foote Control Systems

Awesome!! For 500 stuff!

[RogerFoote]

Max

Don't worry about it, but I know I didn't build any mono units. So far what I have built for sale were the big 1U Stereo Edition models with blue front panels that say FCS on them. I should probably add that here, where I live we are having wildfires and the smoke is really bugging the crap out of me... I tend to get a little cranky, my apologies.
Been stuck indoors since June 21.

If the unit you have does not have balanced I/O, it is one of the rev41 boards. They were very popular and over 100 of them went out to DIYers.

Big improvements were made on rev185 boards that include:

>Balanced I/O
>Broadcast style bypass (Passes signal with power off)
>Phantom power protection
>Re-designed audio path
>Precision metering with switchable ranges (20dBfs or 10dBfs)
>Provisions to drive output transformers (1:1)


shortyprs

I would have to quote a non 500 build. I had planned to release a quad Pico Mono compressor for tracking duties. Not sure if that is what you are looking for?

s.d. finley

Thanks for the nice words!

Snatchman, Doug and Ruairi

These guys are some of my heavy supporters and over time we have become good friends as well. You guys ROCK! Thank you so much!
Without you guys, the Pico would be a pale facsimile of it's current form.

Best regards
Roger Foote
Foote Control Systems

[Snatchman]

Originally Posted by dcharrison

I,m thinking about building a sidecar for drums with 8 mic pres and 8 channels of compression and limiting. The Presonus ACP88 and the Klark Teknik 8 channel comps are appealing because (I believe) they allow linking multiple channels, not just stereo linking.
A.) Is there a way to do that with the Pico?
B.) Am I just being anal worrying about that?

I know I want a stereo comp on the overheads, and I suspect that I want the snare and kick isolated and individually controlled, but there is so much common signal on toms and OH, I figure I might like to have them marching in lock step.

Any thoughts?

I have owned/used the ACP-88 ( actually 3 of them...), haven't heard the KT. The ACP-88s are ok, has some good features. Probably works better for a "live" enviorment (IMHO).. The onboard fan is sorta anoying for the control room tho. I'm planning to go the Pico 500 side-car route myself. The thing I like about the Pico, I can leave it in or out of the chain without detrimental side effects just hitting by-pass!...My other comps does something to the signal, even in by-pass.....Good luck with your side car..

[12Bass]

FWIW, I've found that the sound of my RNC improved by replacing the original OP275 op amp with a new LM4562. The low distortion National op amp makes the RNC sound a bit more open and natural IMO. The only downside I've found is a barely perceptible increase in hiss (in an otherwise very quiet compressor). I'm not sure about the layout, but from what I understand, the analog section of the RNC is rather simple, with most of the work done with DSP....

[RogerFoote]

Sorry Geoff...

I'll delete the content...

[RogerFoote]

Geoff

After you mentioned it I saw what you meant. I don't post here much, don't know the local customs or lay of the land. I should have checked a little more thoroughly before I started talking "product".

I will however post some info in an appropriate forum here, thanks.

Sorry for that folks, wasn't trying to be too agressive about my product. I just get excited....

Best regards
Roger

[synap2012]

I posted this thread to get the technical info about those two compressors, I was in hope to get the answers that i was lookin for. and I did!

thanks to all

[Dan Kennedy]

Indeed.

[dannygold]

Don't you have to, like, build the Pico Compressor? Sounds like geekslutz to me.

[RogerFoote]

Geoff and Dan

It did not start out by dissing another product.
There was an opinion voiced by someone else about the Pico being superior to cheap compressors and I agree.

One thing though, I don't contrive things to promote anything. I have been a small business owner since 1974 with an excellent customer support history and have been known as a very honest business man.

I also realize that there are other interests here that might feel that they want to thwart upstarts that might become competition. That is a feeling I am getting right now! Talk about contrived.

Anyway, thanks Geoff and Dan, I feel like I know you both better now and realize I didn't know you at all before.

I also had reservations, now founded, about posting here... Guess I thought I would give it another go.

Anyway, over to the big dogs, over and out.


rf

[JohnRoberts]

Originally Posted by Geoff_T

Hi

I'm glad it got the results you wanted.

Just my 2c though, I hate to see a product promoted by dissing another.

The thread looked a little contrived....

In response to this being contrived, when I saw the question asked, I advised a common friend who told Roger, the post was here.

I felt it would be good to hear from the horses mouth, so to speak.

If he planted it, he showed unusual patience in waiting two days and making the OP ask twice.
-----

I find it all to common, especially here, when expressing subjective opinions for people to speak in exaggerated terms. The OP asked for a specific comparison. I wouldn't expect a thoughtful objective comparison.

JR

[Drone]

Originally Posted by Geoff_T

Hi

I'm glad it got the results you wanted.

Just my 2c though, I hate to see a product promoted by dissing another.

The thread looked a little contrived....

I think we're all big boys & girls here & don't need industry reps pointing that out to us.

Besides it doesn't take a genius to see the pico is a better unit all around but also much more expensive. - A bit of an unfair comparison really.

[RogerFoote]

Yes the Picos are more expensive than complete entry level gear. Most good stuff is.

If you are good at DIY, you can buy the bare boards and key parts here:
Pico Compressor Audio Design Forum • View topic - The latest Pico Stereo Edition build

Roger