Anyone else really love the Chandler Germanium Compressor...?

[herecomesyourman]

This compressor is starting to become a serious addiction...I've owned a pair for over a year, but the harder I drive things, the more "real" I seam to be able to get it all to sound after I high pass filter in the box after I track.

I know it's, in some ways, just pure harmonic distortion, but when I listen to stuff like the Beatles White album...that's kind of where I can get things to go...distorted, but fun and vibrant to listen to.

Anyone else really love this piece? They were kind of hyped for a short time when it came out, but I can't see myself ever selling mine.

[Hamburg58]

I love mine... Very versatile. I use it on bass the most when Mixing. I love the way a bass reacts to the different transistors. I want to get another one so I'll have a pair. I usually have two overheads and run them through a VCA compressor when I mix like a DBX160 VU, or a pair of Calrec VCA Compressors.. Could be fun with the Germanium with overheads!!

[Babaluma]

i have a pair, love them to bits, use them on everything!

[NYMo]

Hi there,

Just sold mine this week (Manley vari mu coming)!
Loved the Zener smash !

cheers

John NYMO Nyman

[Ribbonmicguy]

love it on female vocal that needs some character and weight.

snare is also cool!

i haven't been able to get it to work well on bass.

[lerone]

chandler comp is amazing full stop! Nothing sounds bad (well, within limits of course!) Amazing on bass, guitars, parallel comp mastering, overhead, incredible on kick parallel, drum buss, vox, you name it, it kills it!!! The right kind of squash.

[Jorg]

if it was stereo for that price I'd buy one in an instant

[chewing]

I use 3 of them all the time...
The Zener mode is absolutely amazing on snare, bass and kick.
It's so versatile from (almost) natural to crazy squeezing
But I still can't get it on vocals... I don't know.

[herecomesyourman]

Chewing!

I tend to use mine on vocals more than anything lately...

And on acoustic guitars...I run the drive a bit hot and then use the wet dry to give me back a less compressed sound.

VERY Beatles...but it's going to add grit, so you have to go into it expecting that.

[withintheflux]

Another fan of the germ Comp here. It in fact the only current outboard compressor that I use.

At the time being I am enjoying the Gain/Feedback tone options the most.

There have been a few threads discussing the long learning curve of the unit, which I've followed. I have to admit that I haven't always had immediate luck with the comp on some sources. As far as making a signal sound better, yes, its a breeze. But using the Germ as an envelope shaper is tough.

Has any one else experienced this? Sometimes I feel like the unit excels most at mojo, less so at sculpting dynamics/transients.

blake

[AllAboutTone]

I hope they are better than the Germ pres, imo the pres were ok but nothing to write home about.
I would have interest in hearing one tho, compressors that is.

[shuld]

What settings would you use it on for vocals?

[piotr]

Yes: I do love mine.

;-)

p.

[Neukoln]

I've got two of them and they impress me more and more every day.

There is some magic in there that in not as noticeable when you hear it for the first time. To be honest I was a bit disappointed when I first got them.

Now - Every time I patch them in I get happy.

They are AMAZING on vocals - I'm surprised that people have trouble with this.

Drum bus is incredible - as is the mix bus.

These ain't goin anywhere...

[Babaluma]

agree!

i know i posted above but that was a while back. have had one for 18 months, and a pair for about a year, i love them more all the time. i was also wondering a bit a first, as they were subtle, but now i know them i love what they do!

[Cabbage]

I am still trying to understand mine. The attack is crazy slow. I tend to back off to the less colored curves.

Have had good results om kick, though. Using it more like a gate that chops off some decay, and leaves nothing but punch.

Seems to me it is more of a mixing than a tracking compressor, and I have been doing mainly tracking since I got mine.

Petter

[GYang]

One of comps I would never get rid of, even if not used on most of things.
Excellent box, as all Germ rack gears (dunno, but seems 500 format pre is not there for some reason)