Aggressive smashing comp for drum parallel???

[mherrane]

Any suggestions? I really like Valley dynamite but so far haven't found one for myself. I've also had great results with El Fatso. Any other suggestions or ideas?

-- Mikko

[JensT]

Sonalksis TBK 3. Or SSL drumstrip.

[DSK]

I just stumbled upon this thread a few hours ago searching about the Pye compressor in relation my new ITB favorite for smashing drums plugin Waves Pie:

******//www.gearslutz.com/board/high-...r-example.html

Check the video... amazing style of compression.. really cool on drums.

Also Elysia Xpressor sounds nice (and it's more expensive brother the Mpressor is actually more agressive)..

Overstayer's first compressor is also really smashing and it's in the accessible price range.

As for plugins check :

Devil-Loc from Soundtoys

Molot from Vladg

Mpressor from Elysia

and Pie from Waves

[ROCKER STUDIOS]

Dragon's

[Lee Cardan]

distressors of course!
Or chandler Zener for something a little more slutty

[Fletcher]

The best I've met for that [while still keeping a semblance of "high fidelity" - which may seem like a contradiction in terms... but really isn't] is the Dramastic Audio "Obsidian"... absolutely fantastic unit for that application [and many others as well].

Best of luck with your search!!

Peace

[airmate]

You have already mentioned the dyna-mite... it is simply GREAT for that application - and well worth the wait until you find a unit.

Don't spend a fortune on a "slutty" parallel smasher. It is simply not necessary. The dyna-mite sounds killer and it leaves you with some funds for other nice things.

While I love my Curve Bender, I could not justify to spend that much money on the Zener, with the dyna-mite costing a fraction of it...

[Drumsound]

The lowly RNC in regular mode is a great parallel drum bus comp. I use it all the time.

[Doc No]

as already mentioned:
smash = Softube dyna-mite, Sonalksis TBK3

the mpressor with neg.ratio or SSL LMC is also a great option

[SWAN808]

on a budget the Overstayer peices can dot his well. Both have a wet/dry mix...the VCA can get incredibly aggressive with the 'behaviour' knob...

[imacgreg]

LOVE the overstayer here. One of the few outboard pieces that is worth integrating into an ITB setup. Use it as drum sub comp and as drum bus compressor with the mix knob dialed back a bit.

I'm infatuated with a 33609 or 2254 doing similar things, but when they can't be had (or afforded), overstayer is used with no regrets.

[swafford]

I use the Mofet 1176, all buttons in.

[warhead]

An 1176 FET style comp is the first thing I think of when I think crazy drum smash job. You can really drive drums individually or grouped hard and it has this amazing way of keeping everything pinned to the surface, which is what I want for parallel anyhow.

War

[Strobian]

API 2500 is the winner.

[mherrane]

I'm currently using UA 2-1176 for this and don't like it so much, it's just too clean somehow, even with extreme settings. It doesn't have the Urei "smack" even though it reacts similar way...I Used to have a Fatso (which I liked better) but I got the UBK mod. The only thing I could use the original Fatso comps was for drum smashing, with the UBK mod the comps have other uses.

I can't demo Overstayer here in Finland :(. I'm considering a new original Fatso but since the comps are (IMO) useless elsewhere, I think the price is too high.

-- Mikko

[mwagener]

I had great results with the FMR RNC.
The Ridge Farm Boiler is somewhat similar to the SSL listen mic comp in "severeness".
My two favs however are the Chandler TG-1 and the RETRO 176.

[darthgustafson]

Chandler TG1 is hands down my favorite parallel drum comp. It will give you loads of character.

[Slikjmuzik]

I think Fletcher mentioned one of these already, but I was gonna suggest one of the Smart Units in 'crush' mode or a Dramastic Obsidian with the skill button pushed in.

[7rojo7]

Are we talking about plugs or Hi end?
Focusrite 131 linked, you can fudge with it a lot.
sidechain, tunable exciter, eq, works better than carving a hole in your recorded tracks to make the paradidle wiggle

[skythemusic]

Ones I like include 1176 all buttons in, distressor, Allison Research Gain Brains. On a budget DBX 163x and Alesis Micro Limiter are really cool.

[aidyhall]

I like the Joe Meek SC2.2 a lot on the drum parallel, and it's pretty cheap ...

[Empire Prod]

I like Distressors a lot

[ilovesound]

I have heard many also talk about the ADR Compex for drums ...

[NathanEldred]

Distressors, Chandler TG-1, Purple MC77

[Karloff70]

Radioman (Audio&Design F600 rebuild) ?

[Sounderground]

Check out a pair of Dragons! With dry/wet control they where made to do parallel stuff, and about the desire for "aggressive and smashing", well –just take a look at it...

[Aisle 6]

Dynamite is definitely aggressive and can be purchased cheap. Sounds huge on drum buss.

Wow, LisaSmile, a 2500 hater. That is rare. But if that is API's worst piece...then viva API. ; )

Stacks of mastering engineers using them on your mixes. Cannot be a bad piece. IME it always pleases.

[rocksure]

Valley People 440 can do a great job of smashing drums, but can also be used moderately to compress things a bit more transparently.
DBX 160vu is another good smashing possibility.
ADR Compex..well the one I have here at the moment is running a bit lame as it needs re-capping, but I've heard enough to think when that's done it will be awesome for the job.

[Silver Sonya]

@Lisa Smile: Not sure what your musical aesthetic is --- these things are wholly subjective, of course --- but check out Spoon's "Transference," where the API 2500 is used all over the place. Fantastic, huge-sounding disc. The thing is pretty much an advertisement for the 2500.

To the OP: I'm gonna recommend the Lisson Grove in mono, straight up the middle, blended in. Fantastic sound.

- c

[Aisle 6]

Originally Posted by LisaSmile

Woopsy...you've touched two nerves on that one...it certainly can be a bad piece....especially if a lot of current ME's are using that thing as part of their chain...it's almost as bad as having a C2 as part of a mastering chain...I mean unless you WANT to destroy any depth, width and girth you had going on in your mixes ...that is.
...shall we leave this for another thread though?.. I have some pretty strong opinions about this piece and ME's using Mixbuss compression and especially bad Mixbuss compression


To the OP I forgot another one DBX 162...very nice for parallel drums

Ha Ha! Happy to have a discussion with another engineer with strong opinions. Much better than some of the misguided opinions that are around here so often.

My mastering engineer uses one, although he has quite a few different comps. It is not necessarily his go to or must use comp, but it does get a lot of use and I use this mastering engineer because my mixes come back sounding like my mixes. No balance changes or smashed. Just nice healthy level with all the dynamics intact. He is a genius at that.

Back to the post...yes, agreed, the 162 is another goodun'.