Audio + Design Compex 2 compressor

BenJah · 21st October 2004

Hi there. Does anyone have experiance with this compressor. I have come across a pair of them for sale for around $400. Is this a bargain??

BenJah · 22nd October 2004

Anyone??

Hiwatt · 22nd October 2004

You mean ADR... "Audio Design Recording"

Yes they are pretty cool comps of a 70's vintage. I would say that $400 for a pair of them would be a smoking good deal. I have seen a few of these on ebay go for over $2000!!!

So ya buy them and if you don't like them maybe sell them to me.

BenJah · 22nd October 2004

Thanx for the tip!

unity gain · 22nd October 2004

the compex is a great compressor, quite sought after stateside but....
they are difficult to repair and find parts for, build quality was not that great and the pots tended to go bad. be prepared to sink real money into it to get it up to spec. i hope you get lucky and have found a minty!

triez · 22nd October 2004

They are great, reputedly the compressor used on John Bonham's kit (ADR Vocal Stresser). The only thing is that you MUST have the owners manual to use it, because the compressor is set from the limiter - you must use ADR's instructions to set up the unit in the channel.

I had until last week the service schematics and the relevent parts of the owners manual up on my .Mac site, but I am shifting them to a new server, they will be up again next week.

Steffmo · 22nd October 2004

I have one...and yes they are a bit shoddy on the build. If anyone has a suggestion on someone to do a restoration I'd appreciate it.

The compex sounds fabulous...a bit like a Distressor at times. I was turned on to it while working with Mike Chapman, who used it on the mix buss almost all of the time. He always patched it to an alternate return so he could hear the mix with or without the Compex. Records like My Sharonna, The Sweet, and the first Pat Benatar had the Compex in several roles.

It has a compressor, peak limiter, and a sorta gate. Yes it is tricky to set up, but its learnable.

And at 400.00 ....a super bargain.

ajcamlet · 22nd October 2004

thats a great deal but...if there are anything wrong with them, you'll spend a lot of time looking for parts and trying to get them to work. But --for 400- you could just make one working unit out of two ......

Wiggy Neve Slut · 22nd October 2004

Quote:

Originally posted by triez
They are great, reputedly the compressor used on John Bonham's kit (ADR Vocal Stresser). .

Led Zep had the versions that were in the Helios consoles. Im not sure if there were anu susbstantial differences between the ADR units and the ones that helios manufactued other than them being in vertical slots/module form for console use. I know that the Helios ones are much cooler looking ( in a mat gloss colour) and "must sound better cos its a Helios"

I wonder if the crew @ viintageking could help clear this up?. But as a rule ADR is pretty bitchin comps and spank like a mofo!!

Wiggy

echorec · 23rd October 2004

Yeah, sounds like a good price.

BTW, what´s the difference (if any) between the compex and the 760 model?

echorec · 23rd October 2004

I think ADR manufactured the Helios compressors. I just got some nice looking vertical ADR today.

Jules · 23rd October 2004

My my my sharona!

Wew!

I can immagine ADR comression on that record for SURE!

I knew there was a reason why I liked my vocal stressor!

I find it the best under snare compressor / eq device on the planet...

Also good for hyper compressed clean gtrs...

21st October 2004	#1
BenJah Gear addict Joined: May 2004 Posts: 386 Thread Starter	Audio + Design Compex 2 compressor Hi there. Does anyone have experiance with this compressor. I have come across a pair of them for sale for around $400. Is this a bargain??

23rd October 2004	#12
Jules Gearslutz.com admin Joined: Apr 2002 Location: A Yank in London, UK Posts: 17,805 1 Review written	My my my sharona! Wew! I can immagine ADR comression on that record for SURE! I knew there was a reason why I liked my vocal stressor! I find it the best under snare compressor / eq device on the planet... Also good for hyper compressed clean gtrs... __________________ Jules Add your reviews to the new reviews area! Gearslutz on Facebook Follow my GS picks on Twitter

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22nd October 2004	#2
BenJah Gear addict Joined: May 2004 Posts: 386 Thread Starter	Anyone??

22nd October 2004	#3
Hiwatt Gear addict Joined: May 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 389	You mean ADR... "Audio Design Recording" Yes they are pretty cool comps of a 70's vintage. I would say that $400 for a pair of them would be a smoking good deal. I have seen a few of these on ebay go for over $2000!!! So ya buy them and if you don't like them maybe sell them to me.

22nd October 2004	#5
unity gain Gear nut Joined: Nov 2003 Location: NY, USA Posts: 81	the compex is a great compressor, quite sought after stateside but.... they are difficult to repair and find parts for, build quality was not that great and the pots tended to go bad. be prepared to sink real money into it to get it up to spec. i hope you get lucky and have found a minty!

22nd October 2004	#6
triez Lives for gear Joined: Apr 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 1,316	They are great, reputedly the compressor used on John Bonham's kit (ADR Vocal Stresser). The only thing is that you MUST have the owners manual to use it, because the compressor is set from the limiter - you must use ADR's instructions to set up the unit in the channel. I had until last week the service schematics and the relevent parts of the owners manual up on my .Mac site, but I am shifting them to a new server, they will be up again next week.

22nd October 2004	#7
Steffmo Lives for gear Joined: Sep 2004 Location: West Haven, CT Posts: 3,018	I have one...and yes they are a bit shoddy on the build. If anyone has a suggestion on someone to do a restoration I'd appreciate it. The compex sounds fabulous...a bit like a Distressor at times. I was turned on to it while working with Mike Chapman, who used it on the mix buss almost all of the time. He always patched it to an alternate return so he could hear the mix with or without the Compex. Records like My Sharonna, The Sweet, and the first Pat Benatar had the Compex in several roles. It has a compressor, peak limiter, and a sorta gate. Yes it is tricky to set up, but its learnable. And at 400.00 ....a super bargain.

22nd October 2004	#8
ajcamlet Lives for gear Joined: May 2003 Location: Hoboken, NJ Posts: 519	thats a great deal but...if there are anything wrong with them, you'll spend a lot of time looking for parts and trying to get them to work. But --for 400- you could just make one working unit out of two ......

23rd October 2004	#10
echorec Lives for gear Joined: May 2003 Location: Europe Posts: 1,256	Yeah, sounds like a good price. BTW, what´s the difference (if any) between the compex and the 760 model?