1176 or Distressor etc.......

[linchpin123]

Long time lurk'r, first post. I am looking for a great vocal compressor for my chain of pearlman-germ-?-hedd. I can only afford 1 for now. Play rock, male vocals looking for a huge vocal presence; talent included. I am looking for fat color, one track to stand on its' own.


thanks

[andreªs]

Somehow my germs & 1176s (RevF) are not best friends for tracking. For me U87/Valvet/UM92S into the germanium (feedback 4-7) do sound better without an 1176. OCL-2 works better. Can't tell about the Distressor, don't have one. In general I find the germaniums quite picky when it comes to compression - of course dependent on the feedback setting.

[JoeyB]

Originally Posted by linchpin123

Long time lurk'r, first post. I am looking for a great vocal compressor for my chain of pearlman-germ-?-hedd. I can only afford 1 for now. Play rock, male vocals looking for a huge vocal presence; talent included. I am looking for fat color, one track to stand on its' own.


thanks

It's not mentioned very often here, but the Studio Electronics C2 compressor is a great FET box with beefy i/o transformers. I use it along with a 1968, and 1176 FETs, and it definitley gets more agressive then the others, and has a sweet sound when pushed hard without the compressor active.

[ripper]

I don't like the distressors for tracking but i have a couple if needed for the odd mix task.

an 1176 is the real deal.

an Manley ELOP is an amazing deal if you need stereo want the tubey thing and are mainly tracking vocs or acc gtr.

[mixerguy]

The Distressor rocks for vocals.

no doubt

flexible, sounds great

get it for sure!!

[linchpin123]

Thanks for the advice. I need a one trick pony for tracking mainly. Checked out the ocl-2, c-2, and the manley. Seems I need an la-2a style for laying down into PT. Still have to check out the distressor (haven't heard it yet) to make me change my view. Anybody else using germs for tracking vocals?

[jdjustice]

don't forget the TRAKKER; you have the HEDD so you probably have already considered it, just thought I'd add it....

as far as vocal tracking goes, I would rather have an LA-2A or Distressor than anything else. JMHO.


J.D.

[Harsh]

Man I was freakin out thinking I needed an 1176 because I read all these posts saying that you've got to have one to get that mojo.... So I went to the rental place and did a shootout between that and the 1176 emulation on the distressor..... I deffinately noticed a little more warmth with the 1176, but as far as the detail that it brought to the vocal I liked what the distressor did better, is the distressor better than the 1176 no just different. I didn't think what the real 1176 had to offer was worth getting rid of my distressor although I was fully ready to do that at the time if need be.

[Kalite Marka]

Originally Posted by linchpin123

......Anybody else using germs for tracking vocals?

I usually track through a vintage bacteria but people swear that it sounds very similar to germs...
So you want us to decide for you? Ok.
You have to buy both otherwise you're fooked especially if you're doing rock.
Furthermore if you're tracking and mixing drums you're gonna have to buy 2 distressors.

[linchpin123]

I usually track through a vintage bacteria but people swear that it sounds very similar to germs...

lol
R u a member?


Seriously though, I live in no mans land with the freakin' polar bears and troglodites, as a result I can never get my hands on any quality gear unless I buy it first. I actually went to the local music chain in Winnipeg, (about 120 miles) Being a dealer for Neumann asked him bout' a Neumann u 87ai. He said "WHATS THAT?"
Nuff said.

PLEASE more compressor help!

Thanx 4 the replies.

[Jim vanBergen]

ok, my first response is, GET BOTH.

If that's not an option, remember that a Distressor can "emulate" an 1176 as well as other comp designs, so if you can only buy one comp, a Distressor is a pretty good choice.

I have 2 Distressors, but I track lead vox thru a Purple Mc76! You can have my '76 when you pry it from my cold dead hands.

Hope this helps, cheers!

Jim

[Metatone]

I've been enjoying tracking vox through the Germanium and I've been using an original, early 70's LA3A with it. Seems a great match to me. I get more of what I like about the Germanium when I use it with the LA3A.

I'm curious to try my MC76 with it when I get it back...anyone else found that the Germanium and 1176 don't play nice together?

[Jazzy Alz]

I own stereo distressors. I've used an original 1176 but never did an a/b. I vote for the distressor.

[phelbin]

Originally Posted by Jim vanBergen

ok, my first response is, GET BOTH.

If that's not an option, remember that a Distressor can "emulate" an 1176 as well as other comp designs, so if you can only buy one comp, a Distressor is a pretty good choice.

That's exactly it. You almost can't go wrong with either...and eventually should have both. But the distressor is probably a better first purchase because of its added flexibility. It can be aggressive, and it can be smooth. I love looking over at it and watching the meter crush the signal, and I'm still amazed that I don't really hear much compression.

[pigpen]

76 in this case....I own them both, but for rock, IMO, the 76 is the way to go.

(actually selling a Distressor right now...pm me if you choose it)

[airmate]

Originally Posted by linchpin123

Anybody else using germs for tracking vocals?

this week i was tracking vocals through my germanium for the very first time. sounds awesome! very smooth and round, yet ballsy. i recorded a female soul singer with plenty of midrange in her voice. germ drive was set at 4 and feedback at 2 or 3. pad and and thick were not engaged. mic was a neumann cmv563 with m7 capsule.
later i opened up the top end a bit with a manley pultec (full bandwith and a good amount of boost at 10 khz), and then 5-7 db compression with an la-2a.
smoooooooth...

before i got the germ i used to track vocals through a v72. it seems like now i have a good alternative to play around with. recommended!