Aurora GTC2 compressor - excellent addition

[Bump Music]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I was thinking of getting one too - so this is helpful. What's it like on the 2 buss?

[Mike H]

Originally Posted by Bump Music

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I was thinking of getting one too - so this is helpful. What's it like on the 2 buss?

I didn't try it on the 2 buss.
I have the Shadow Hills comp on the 2 bus.....................I think Peter R. has taken over my 2 bus forever.

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by Mike H

I haven't had time to play around with the options on the unit yet (combined compressors, etc).

Anybody else tried the GTC2?

Yep. It kicks ass on vocals... Try the opto setting on the next vocal you track!

Awesome.

It's also very good on the 2 buss...

[True North]

What is the SRP on that little puppy ?

[True North]

It's not showing up on his site yet

Not that it matters as it relates to sound, but do we have an pics yet ?

[Geoff_T]

Originally Posted by True North

It's not showing up on his site yet

Not that it matters as it relates to sound, but do we have an pics yet ?

Hi There

Yes, it is on the site but rather buried in the Ask Geoff forums...

- A focus on our new Dual Compressor

We are still sorting out photos to upgrade our products page...

It uses totally different circuitry (including transformers!) to the 33609.

[sethdk]

same compressor as in GTQC channel strip?

Is the GTQC channel strip available yet for sale?

[True North]

Originally Posted by Geoff_T

Hi There

Yes, it is on the site but rather buried in the Ask Geoff forums...

- A focus on our new Dual Compressor

We are still sorting out photos to upgrade our products page...

It uses totally different circuitry (including transformers!) to the 33609.

cool, thanks for the link. Is the dual compressor a stereo version of the compressor found in the GTQC ?

Any word on a street price ?

[darkwater]

Originally Posted by Mike H

I didn't try it on the 2 buss.
I have the Shadow Hills comp on the 2 bus.....................I think Peter R. has taken over my 2 bus forever.

Right there with ya!

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by sethdk

same compressor as in GTQC channel strip?

Is the GTQC channel strip available yet for sale?

Yes, and yes:

Aurora Audio GTQC

[espen askelad]

Sounds like a cool unit. Will be happy to learn more about it, and hopefully hear some on/off clips eventually. Got a pic of it? Haven't seen on yet. What's the price on these?

[jdjustice]

bump...
for those of you that have a GTQC channel or GTC2 compressor:

if you were to compare the compressor to another available unit, which one would you compare it to?
i want to know how the compression section sounds relative to something i have heard before (1176, LA-2A, Distressor).

thanks!
~j.d.

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by jdjustice

bump...
for those of you that have a GTQC channel or GTC2 compressor:

if you were to compare the compressor to another available unit, which one would you compare it to?
i want to know how the compression section sounds relative to something i have heard before (1176, LA-2A, Distressor).

thanks!
~j.d.

It has it's own sound, flavor, vibe, etc.... The fet is 1176-ish, but still very much it's own thing... pretty aggressive sounding, whereas the opto is much smoother.

[tomylee]

are there external sidechain inputs? or at least some portico like ch2 control ch1?

[Geoff_T]

Originally Posted by tomylee

are there external sidechain inputs? or at least some portico like ch2 control ch1?

Hi

Yes and no... or perhaps, maybe!

There is a 1/4" jack socket on the rear panel that is the link to connect to another unit and this socket sends/receives a dc signal proportional to the amount of compression.

I have not tried, nor particularly recommend, sticking an audio signal into this jack socket but it is diode rectified and would compress in proportion to the size of the audio signal.

So, yes/no/sort of...

Re the control aspect... there's nothing stopping you setting one side such that it controlled t'other. The stereo link switch is pretty bullet-proof and whichever channel is doing the most compressing will force the other channel to follow exactly.

[Geoff_T]

Hi

As requested (then deleted?) by espen, here's a quick digital photo of a production GTC2.... we will get professional photos eventually added to our products page...

[espen askelad]

Originally Posted by Geoff_T

Hi

As requested (then deleted?) by espen, here's a quick digital photo of a production GTC2.... we will get professional photos eventually added to our products page...

ah, cool - I deleted my post when I found a picture floating around on a site. It was pretty blurry, though, so it's nice to actually see the details! Looks cool.

[DONNX]

I just got mine. And I love the sound as well. I ended up trading my new Neve 33609 J/D. Just because they are such close cousins. And I am totally happy of just keeping the Aurora comp. The are both great comps/limiters no doubt.

But I find the Aurora even more versatile. Combo, Fet and Opto is just awesome. Definitely a new forward step in the compressor world. They do sound slightly different. So if you like every color in the color in the crayon box as JJ Puig would say. Then get them both. Its the slutty thing to do.

[engmix]

Just wired up my new GTC2. Since I have a rough mix to send out before my client hops on a plane tomorrow, I thought i would go right for the mix bus...and it's late so I will have to try it out in more detail over the next week.

First thing I noticed was the unit sounds excellent. The build quality is top notch as well. Looks slamming in the rack, and the dented knobs are a nice touch. The knobs have nice resistance, and the buttons have a nice stick. although i wouldn't slam the buttons, they feel like perhaps over time they could go if abused. It doesn't feel like it runs hot. But i've only had it on for about 2 hours. it's a very nice Class A piece of gear all around from my quick run through.

There's a sidechain on the back of the unit for linking two units together. I'm not really seeing the wisdom of this particular element to the design. I mean the unit is stereo to begin with, so not sure where this will come into play? I would have preferred to see a sidechain for frequency dependent compression uses instead. With that said, I'm not noticing any significant clamp down on the large amount of low end in the rough I'm doing. And there are plenty of other comps out there that don't have a sidechain. This one is in that camp. With that said, perhaps Geoff will offer a mod to the sidechain in the future if possible

I do notice a slight thickening to the sound, but not in a loose kind of way. I'm a bit fried at the moment, but i also think I'm noticing a little bit of shine way way up top. Definitely adding a nice finish to the rough I'm doing. By the way, I'm in opto mode, with slowest attack, quickest release, and a bit of makeup gain. I'm not slamming the unit, not the right type of record i have up for that. Although, I have to say, when i did hit it a bit harder for a moment, it still sounded good. This units opto mode is seriously smooth. There's definitely a little pump, but i tend to like that. I'm not sure if it will do the Distressor Crush factor, but I haven't tried to dial that in yet.

I put the GTC2 in back of my SSL G Comp, and the two played nice with each other. The SSL did it's SSL thing, and GTC added a nice roundness to the audio. I have the unit inserted into the 2 BUS of my tonelux. I'm finding this to be a nice combo.

I once slammed Geoff for being flakey about getting out his products in a timely fashion in one of the forums. Better to take your time, and design something quality. This guy obviously knows his shait when it comes to equipment. I can tell a lot of thought went into the unit, and again, it simply sounds excellent. I have a hand full of very nice comps, and this unit sits very well alongside them, but adds a little something different in an elegant way.

[NoizyNinja]

Everyone still digging their GTC-2's?

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by NoizyNinja

Everyone still digging their GTC-2's?

[JordanA]

Mine still has a happy home!

[ProducerBoy]

I'm just digging into my GTQC (same comp section, I believe). Instantly fell in love with the FET, but I'm still getting a handle on the opto.

Easily the finest build quality I've had hands on time with. Mr. Tanner sets the bar very high with his work. Tip of the hat!

[dhiltonlittle]

use mine on damn near every session. love it!

[DONNX]

Originally Posted by NoizyNinja

Everyone still digging their GTC-2's?

Sorry, not everyone at this point. With furthing testing and time. I didn't really like it more so than the staple comps I have in my inventory already. Mix bus it works great. But I wanted it to do it all. Sorry for being greedy! That was my main reasoning for buying it. And I got enough mix bus comps in the racks.

FET and OPTO is honestly redundant in my studio. I got plenty of other Fet/Opto comps that I am content with, like the TLS3, LA2As, LA3As, 1176LNs Purple MC76s. So that was my reasoning. It sounded slighty better than my AMS 33609 tone wise but the 33609 had it beat for heavy compression and limiting. Geoff warned me. He said it was a transparent compressor compared to most. It really does a unique thing and has a nice tone. Perfect box for strapping on the 2bus.

You asked, and you shall receive. I can see it now that I will be attacked for selling mine and speaking my honest experience with it.

Still got my GTQ2 preamp and eq though and love the hell out of it.

[dBMusic]

I got mine some 9 months ago.
Never got to try it on voice, or bass, or whatever...
Whe I first got it, I tried it on master bus and it's been sitting there ever since.
It changed just about everything I didnt like about my AWS 900.
Nice combo IMO.
Sometimes (with very bassy or more dancy trax) I will have the Guelph before the Aurora.
The Gueph is pretty much an SSL, though more open sounding and with added sidechain bla.
In that case I will still want the transformer sound of the Aurora - even if I set it to do no more than a mite of levelling.
To my ears the Aurora is the nicest thing out there.
For reference: I also have the odd SSL, a Strohm (Fairchild clone), an original 33609 (hi there, Geoff) and other bits & piecees but the Aurora is clearly my fav.
I've also added a GTQC that in mix I will use on Bass most of the times - also use it for laptop tracking (everything you need in 1 HU)

[john_fromAustria]

i like mine too

[KEYBEEETSSS]

Thought I'd bump this as I'm deciding what to grab 1st... Does anyone have this as well as a CL 1b?

[chrisdee]

Hey KEYBEEETSSS.

I'v got the GTQC and think it's a great all in one solution. Have not played around to much with the compressor yet, but it seems to bring a darker sound to the preamp (or should I say not as bright as when I bypass it). Have not tried GTC2, but I'm guessing it's in the same neighbourhood ?