can an Insert harware compressor replace plugins .. i.e just using a stereo unit

[activexjava]

Hi ... getting inspired by some posts about compressor plugins ...
I wonder if I get only 1 decent stereo compressor .. and use it as an insert ... same manner as using an external reverb unit ... can it be sufficient for the whole mix?... I am simply buying gear before starting to work on my first project .. I have the diamond waves suite .. with the RCOMP included ... but again .. that's software ... I want to know if getting 1 hardware compressor will do the trick

ideas?..

thanks
John

[ethan_c]

I use a STC-8, TG1 and a 1176 as inserts all the time. If you have have 6.4 or higher (Pro Tools) then you can setup the automatic delay compensation which really seems to help.

[orville]

I m confused, mostly by the reply to the question rather than the question.

-you mean to use it as a typical mix bus comp. (to simply insrert a comp. on the stereo mix bus) or in parallel compression (as in to send separate tracks to it and bring it in alongside the 'clean' tracks)?

In the case of the mix bus comp, theres no need for latency compensation.

In either way, the parallel comp. method is used often for small subgroups like drums, but it would be chaos for an entire tune (why not just strap your comp. across the mix buss like everyone else?)

[u b k]

the syntax of the question is confusing, but i think i get it, and the answer is "no". the stereo comp will work for "the whole mix," but you will still need individual comps (or plugs) for individual instruments.

everyone's got their own style; what i like to do is get my instruments individually compressed so that they're mostly controlled but still sound a little too dynamic for a mix. then i use the mix comp to bring it all home. having the transients still alive and kicking makes them work the mix comp more like an instrument unto itself, and gives me the excitement of a compressed sound without sacrificing openness and clarity.

2db max gain reduction on the 2buss, low ratio (1.5:1), slow attack, medium release, unless it's hiphop, then i dig in a little more and use a faster release.


gregoire
del ubik

[activexjava]

Originally Posted by u b i k

the syntax of the question is confusing, but i think i get it, and the answer is "no". the stereo comp will work for "the whole mix," but you will still need individual comps (or plugs) for individual instruments.

everyone's got their own style; what i like to do is get my instruments individually compressed so that they're mostly controlled but still sound a little too dynamic for a mix. then i use the mix comp to bring it all home. having the transients still alive and kicking makes them work the mix comp more like an instrument unto itself, and gives me the excitement of a compressed sound without sacrificing openness and clarity.

2db max gain reduction on the 2buss, low ratio (1.5:1), slow attack, medium release, unless it's hiphop, then i dig in a little more and use a faster release.


gregoire
del ubik

nice hint ... humm .. what do you think if I used tape saturation .. I just got a new addon effect for my mixer O1V96 v2 .. it sounds amazing on individual tracks .. I haven't got the chance to use it for the final mix bus .. but .. I am curious to hear what you think if I used tape saturation instead of a stereo compressor..
after all .. tape saturation is one form of compression ..

[activexjava]

what I wanted to say is .. I am trying to replace software plugins with hardware units ... it will lessen the load on the CPU of my computer... and that could translate to a more stable operation .. and possibly better sounding ...

if you want to get a really decent hardware compressor .. like TubeTech CL2A
it costs something like $3700 ...

its not within my budget to stack such units to serve the individual tracks .. (parallel operation) .. but .. I guess I will need to get a second unit for the final mix bus ... hummm... OOPS! .. now that's expensive ..

at least if it does the trick for the parallel operation I will be happy .. that is not the case as you guys are saying ..