Tracking Compressor. Purple MC 77?

[arpodthegreat]

So i need a compressor for tracking. the only compressors i own are an RNC, a couple DBX 160a, and ART Pro VLA and the ART pro Channel. Now that i have got some nice preamps i would like a good compressor for tracking bass and vocals with the idea that i can rent whatever compressors i need for mixing. it has often been sugested that you can't go wrong with an 1176 and i remember Fletcher saying that the purple MC 77 is the best sounding 1176 that's not a real, vintage 1176. so, for my first high end compressor, is this what i should get? any other sugestions? the purple is $1,650 on mercenary and i don't really want to spend more than that (maybe i would spend a little more if it was dual mono/stereo). i am not against a stereo comp i just don't need one and would rather get a good mono compressor for the same money.

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by arpodthegreat

So i need a compressor for tracking. the only compressors i own are an RNC, a couple DBX 160a, and ART Pro VLA and the ART pro Channel. Now that i have got some nice preamps i would like a good compressor for tracking bass and vocals with the idea that i can rent whatever compressors i need for mixing. it has often been sugested that you can't go wrong with an 1176 and i remember Fletcher saying that the purple MC 77 is the best sounding 1176 that's not a real, vintage 1176. so, for my first high end compressor, is this what i should get? any other sugestions? the purple is $1,650 on mercenary and i don't really want to spend more than that (maybe i would spend a little more if it was dual mono/stereo). i am not against a stereo comp i just don't need one and would rather get a good mono compressor for the same money.

In my experience you need 2 comps for all around(vocals and bass):


A Purple MC77 and either a La2a or Tubetech CL1B(change the tubes) depending on how much color you like.


A mixture of the above can cover just about any vocal or bass situation.


And they will do it in style.

[84K]

A pair of Purple MC77s, Stereo Atomic Squeezebox and a Pendulum Vari-mu... You could leave me on a desert island with those being my only compressors.

[beats workin']

you'll be really happy with the improvement of these comps versus what you've got now. the purple is really useful for both tracking and mixing. great tone box as well.
thrill's right- the LA2 would be my second choice. more color and pillow.
distressors are also really useful.
check out paul at oddysey pro sound. he's really service-oriented and has great prices as well. good guy.
david

[Saucyjack]

Throw a Distressor in there and/or if you can stretch the budget a Cranesong Trakker.

[zimv20]

Originally Posted by thethrillfactor

a La2a

in your opinion, do the reissues cut it?

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by zimv20

in your opinion, do the reissues cut it?

These days i am trying to be less opinionated when it comes to gear around here(i've been told i am stepping on a lot of toes lately).


So i will try to be more politically correct.


Here goes...


In my personal opinion...No and Yes.


No it doesn't have the mojo of the real thing.


Yes on its own merit its a fine compressor.


I use it these days for tracking vocals(when the MC77 doesn't work) and on certain things in mixdown.

[mikebuzz]

******//cgi.ebay.com/Universal-Audio-...QQcmdZViewItem

1176ln $1500

Later
Buzz

[Mike O]

Originally Posted by thethrillfactor

These days i am trying to be less opinionated when it comes to gear around here(i've been told i am stepping on a lot of toes lately).

[zimv20]

Originally Posted by thethrillfactor

These days i am trying to be less opinionated when it comes to gear around here(i've been told i am stepping on a lot of toes lately).

So i will try to be more politically correct.

when it comes time, i'll look for a vintage one, then :-)

[max cooper]

Originally Posted by thethrillfactor

These days i am trying to be less opinionated when it comes to gear around here(i've been told i am stepping on a lot of toes lately).

But you don't seem to have an agenda other than helping people pick the right gear and /or make better sounding recordings.

[dillweed]

La-3's are my favorite tracking compressor.

very smooth and really hard to mess up. Can't even really hear it working.

I usually save the 1176 and La-2's for more character if needed when mixing.

[robot gigante]

Originally Posted by max cooper

But you don't seem to have an agenda other than helping people pick the right gear and /or make better sounding recordings.

True, and you're never rude or overly assertive with your opinions Thrill- I say be as frank as you feel like!

IMHO the Purple would be an excellent choice to start out with.

[analogjeff]

have worked with vintage and reissue 1176's, LA 2A's, and others -- for our own studio, after trying a number of compressors, we bought the Purple, and we totally love it -- with the right setting it can make a vocal larger than life without squashing it... highly recommended!

[gracejames]

If the MC-77 is a great alternate to an 1176, what would be simular to an LA-2A?

[Metatone]

I don't know how precisely similar it is...but I believe the TubeTech CL1b (with tubes changed) can play the part of an LA2A...perhaps trading some mojo for savings and convenience/reliability (ie it's not vintage). YMMV, very much!

[arpodthegreat]

thanks for all the feedback guys. i know that more than one compressor would be nice i.e MC 77 and an LA2A (though i've read around here that the LA3A can be the shit) and a distressor. but i was asking about what to get in terms of getting one compressor. sounds like i could do fine with either one of these. because the MC77 is readily available, nicely priced and 100% reliable, i think i will go with one of these and ad an LA3A down the road or maybe a 1969 merc edition

[airmate]

i like the fact the reissue la-2a is perhaps not as coloured sounding as a vintage unit.
it sounds smooth as hell, the compression characteristic is nearly "invisible", and it leaves the source material "untouched" in a positive and very pleasant way.
from a compressor of this kind i exactly expect what the la-2a reissue does. there are quite a few "vintage mojo" pieces in my studio, but "the older the better" has never been a basic rule for me.

given the aging process of the t4 cell the reissues should even have smoother compression characteristics, since their t4's are brand new. maybe you'll notice a slightly different kind of overall colouration due to tubes/transformers, but to me this is a matter of taste. and as stated above, the reissue fits my taste better.

would you still say i'm a gearslut?
sometimes it looks like "the older the better" is one of the eternal rules here, regardless of sound...

[edvdr76]

If you want a good tracking-mixing compressor, get your self a Focusrite Red-3. That is hands down one hell of a compressor!! A Distressor is also a bomb unit. If you can get your hands on a DBX 160vu, that right there is a good piece of gear. If you want a nice tube compressor then get yourself a Summit DCL-200. You can't even hear that one working but it sounds absolutely BRILLIANT!!!