STC-8 or Thermionic Culture Phoenix

rara114 · 6th November 2005

I need a good workhorse compressor for my 2 buss for my mixes.... Looking for something to make me happy. I'm mostly mixing Dance and HipHop styles of music....
I know one is "transparent" and the other is definately colored... I like both for what their purposes are...

As a side note my producer really likes the sound of a band from France called "Phoenix" with their album "Alphabetical" ..... any one know what sound that is?

-Robert

Darius van H · 6th November 2005

I've got both.......completely different sound.....why not try renting a few comp's first to avoid making an expensive mistake?.......The STC-8 is extremely transparent and is considered "boring" by a lot of people because of this (though there are just as many people who are mad about it).......the Phoenix is more colored and dare i say "warm", but could be a little slow for some applications.

rara114 · 6th November 2005

how much "character" can you get form the STC-8 when pushed hard?

in fairness, how clean or transparent can the Phoenix be?

tonyespinoza · 5th June 2007

the stc8 at it's most colored is still very clean. i could hear the diff, but a lot of times my clients and producers could not. more of a feel thing.

the phoenix CAN be very transparent at a one or two db of reduction. i wouldn't use it as a peak limiter (but frankly was not a fan of peak limiting on the STC either).

mac black · 5th June 2007

You need both

, no really, you do..

I would get the Phoenix first and after 6 month get the STC-8...

While they're both amazing in their own right, It takes longer to get used to the STC-8 while the pheonix makes you happy as soon as you start messing with it .

The MPCist · 5th June 2007

I use the STC-8. It depends on what you want for your setup and if you want a clean transparent compressor, it's probably one of the best out there other than the GML.

Andrew Kinsey · 5th June 2007

If you could only get one compressor and it had to be either STC-8 or Phoenix, id say that the STC-8 is the most flexible out of the two. STC-8 is one of the few compressors that will deliver good ressults for pretty much every application one would use a compressor for. From the mix Bus to compressing a vocal. It just works very well and sounds good.

Phoenix is deffinately a great unit and to me it does have a nice warm sound compared to the STC-8 but i think the Phoenix is less flexible in terms of the amount of things it can do.

tonyespinoza · 5th June 2007

I agree with Mac Black.

Having owned both -- the Phoenix is just such a joy I would start there.

I sold my STC eventually, but I'll always keep a Phoenix.

-tE

PrinsJan · 5th June 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonyespinoza

I agree with Mac Black.

Having owned both -- the Phoenix is just such a joy I would start there.

I sold my STC eventually, but I'll always keep a Phoenix.

-tE

Agree. I produce dance music also, The Phoenix is always on our beatz.
Slow attack, fast release. Great resutz for dance and hiphop !

**Riccardo** · 5th June 2007

Can't help you decide but I'll throw in a bit of info that maybe has gone unnoticed.
The Phoenix has now a Master denominated version with:

" Stepped Input & Output controls * 6 position switched attack control * 7 position switched release control * 11 position switched threshold control"

THERMIONIC CULTURE ALL VALVE DESIGN PROFESSIONAL AUDIO EQUIPMENT

pieter · 6th June 2007

I have both. For tend to mostly go for STC8 on 2buss and Phoenix on vox and bass.

For dance, I find the phoenix is not fast enough on 2 buss.

Pieter

mac black · 6th June 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by pieter

I have both. For tend to mostly go for STC8 on 2buss and Phoenix on vox and bass.

For dance, I find the phoenix is not fast enough on 2 buss.

Pieter

Actually, Vic has a mod that gives you quicker attack response.
I made 100's of dance records with the phoenix, many times without even compressing ... just going through it and pushing it until the valves start to distort, then pull back a little.
Contact your distributer.

RoundBadge · 6th June 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riccardo

Can't help you decide but I'll throw in a bit of info that maybe has gone unnoticed.
The Phoenix has now a Master denominated version with:

" Stepped Input & Output controls * 6 position switched attack control * 7 position switched release control * 11 position switched threshold control"

THERMIONIC CULTURE ALL VALVE DESIGN PROFESSIONAL AUDIO EQUIPMENT

About timethumbsup ..
i wonder if he can mod older ones into the stepped version..
i'd do it

disco judas · 20th June 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darius van H

I've got both.......completely different sound.....why not try renting a few comp's first to avoid making an expensive mistake?.......The STC-8 is extremely transparent and is considered "boring" by a lot of people because of this (though there are just as many people who are mad about it).......the Phoenix is more colored and dare i say "warm", but could be a little slow for some applications.

Hi,

Do you use both at the same time?

If so, in which order?

Any other comp you think compliments the STC-8 better?

6th November 2005	#1
rara114 Gear maniac Joined: Oct 2005 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 151 Thread Starter	STC-8 or Thermionic Culture Phoenix I need a good workhorse compressor for my 2 buss for my mixes.... Looking for something to make me happy. I'm mostly mixing Dance and HipHop styles of music.... I know one is "transparent" and the other is definately colored... I like both for what their purposes are... As a side note my producer really likes the sound of a band from France called "Phoenix" with their album "Alphabetical" ..... any one know what sound that is? -Robert

6th November 2005	#2
Darius van H Lives for gear Joined: Feb 2005 Location: Amsterdam Posts: 1,735	I've got both.......completely different sound.....why not try renting a few comp's first to avoid making an expensive mistake?.......The STC-8 is extremely transparent and is considered "boring" by a lot of people because of this (though there are just as many people who are mad about it).......the Phoenix is more colored and dare i say "warm", but could be a little slow for some applications. __________________ www.amsterdammastering.com

5th June 2007	#4
tonyespinoza Gear maniac Joined: Mar 2005 Location: san francisco Posts: 268	stc8 vs. phoenix the stc8 at it's most colored is still very clean. i could hear the diff, but a lot of times my clients and producers could not. more of a feel thing. the phoenix CAN be very transparent at a one or two db of reduction. i wouldn't use it as a peak limiter (but frankly was not a fan of peak limiting on the STC either). __________________ * Tony Espinoza SF SOUNDWORKS [Shhh...]

5th June 2007	#5
mac black Lives for gear Joined: Feb 2003 Location: london Posts: 2,792 2 Reviews written	You need both , no really, you do.. I would get the Phoenix first and after 6 month get the STC-8... While they're both amazing in their own right, It takes longer to get used to the STC-8 while the pheonix makes you happy as soon as you start messing with it . __________________ "Tolerance becomes a crime when applied to evil" ... - Thomas Mann

5th June 2007	#6
The MPCist Lives for gear Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 4,536	I use the STC-8. It depends on what you want for your setup and if you want a clean transparent compressor, it's probably one of the best out there other than the GML. __________________ THE MPCIST

5th June 2007	#7
Andrew Kinsey Lives for gear Joined: Apr 2006 Location: London Posts: 743	If you could only get one compressor and it had to be either STC-8 or Phoenix, id say that the STC-8 is the most flexible out of the two. STC-8 is one of the few compressors that will deliver good ressults for pretty much every application one would use a compressor for. From the mix Bus to compressing a vocal. It just works very well and sounds good. Phoenix is deffinately a great unit and to me it does have a nice warm sound compared to the STC-8 but i think the Phoenix is less flexible in terms of the amount of things it can do. __________________ Best Wishes, Andrew Kinsey High End Audio Equipment Specialists In the UK & Europe

5th June 2007	#8
tonyespinoza Gear maniac Joined: Mar 2005 Location: san francisco Posts: 268	Gratification I agree with Mac Black. Having owned both -- the Phoenix is just such a joy I would start there. I sold my STC eventually, but I'll always keep a Phoenix. -tE

5th June 2007	#10
Riccardo Mastering Moderator Joined: Apr 2003 Location: Always on the Run Posts: 2,675	Can't help you decide but I'll throw in a bit of info that maybe has gone unnoticed. The Phoenix has now a Master denominated version with: " Stepped Input & Output controls * 6 position switched attack control * 7 position switched release control * 11 position switched threshold control" THERMIONIC CULTURE ALL VALVE DESIGN PROFESSIONAL AUDIO EQUIPMENT __________________ Velvet Room Mastering "Can you imagine how great the Beatles or Pink Floyd could have sounded if they had used better cables? I expect a Nobel prize to someday be awarded to an audiophile cable designer, as they clearly are way ahead of the rest of us. " - DC -

6th June 2007	#11
pieter Gear maniac Joined: Oct 2003 Location: Belgium Posts: 281	I have both. For tend to mostly go for STC8 on 2buss and Phoenix on vox and bass. For dance, I find the phoenix is not fast enough on 2 buss. Pieter __________________ Pieter La Buanderie www.labuanderie.be

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