Exciting sounding compressors for mixing

[mindkontrolle]

I would seriously consider at least two channels of ADR Compex. I think there is a fine remake out there now...

A few Distressors is always a good thing for your compression needs.

If you don't have 1176's already, they are immeasurably useful. LA-3's and LA-2's also.

I would definitely add the Retro tube compressor stuff, Sta-Level and 176.

[mindkontrolle]

BTW, not all plugin compressors are dull and boring.

The Vertigo/Brainworx one is brilliant.

[Egg_Fried_Rice]

I'd second the Distressors and the Manley Vari MU. I do love the PSP Old Timer though...

[SoZo]

Originally Posted by mindkontrolle

I would seriously consider at least two channels of ADR Compex. I think there is a fine remake out there now...

A few Distressors is always a good thing for your compression needs.

If you don't have 1176's already, they are immeasurably useful. LA-3's and LA-2's also.

I would definitely add the Retro tube compressor stuff, Sta-Level and 176.

Great suggestions, I would of never know about the ADR... looks like a classic. The Retro stuff is positively on my radar. 1176, which one! Slate, Lindell, Mohog, Purple ????

LA2A are there boutique clones out ?

[SoZo]

Originally Posted by Egg_Fried_Rice

I'd second the Distressors and the Manley Vari MU. I do love the PSP Old Timer though...

The Distressor was on my list but ... not sure about them from preview clips Ive heard.

[Rolf Ebitsch]

Tube Tech CL 1B - great sounding box !

R.

[mindkontrolle]

The Purple is too bright in my opinion.

I'd check out the Mohog, it sounds killer. It's amazing, actually.

I think maybe with the Retro tube stuff, the LA-2A reissue becomes less appealing, even if they are not necessarily interchangeable.

A Neve flavour would be a must, although a bit pricey, again IMO.


So....

ADR Compex (stereo)
Mohog MoFET76 pair
Retro Sta-Level
Retro 176
Neve 33609J/D

?

[andreaeffe]

Daking FET II - booomwow on everything, and fast, and ballsy, and flexible!

Urei 1176 (either the Universal Audio or, better yet, the Mohog, with the added bonus of twin/very different transformer sounds... the Purple is too trebly/screming for my taste, the Slate is overpriced and has some fancypants additions that I'm not so convinced about - and sounds fine, but not nothing revolutionary) and 1178 (stereo...not the same as an 1176 and no transformers, but it always brings a smile!)

LA2A or, a bit more affordably, the Anthony DeMaria ones, particularly the stereo 1500 or, for ma different flavour, the 1600 (think LA3A on tubes)
Or something by TubeTech, like the CL2A or LCA2B.


LA3A for guitars (if U can find one for a reasonable price!!)

Neve 33609 or, on a more resonable budget and IMHO just as good, the Vintagedesign CL1 mkII..

For quite a bit of money, the Retro STA Level is a godsend "gigantizer" & mix cement on lead vocals, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, and the Retro 176 is a recording gem of control & creamyness!

For not much money, the Valley People Dynamite - killer & aptly explosive (given the name) on drums!

On a slightly more oddball/rarity route, for quite peculiar flavours, I completely agree on the ADR Compex (btw the aforementioned Daking FET II does the Compex release characteristics and curves verrrry well...), and I'd add in a legendary Pye stereo (PWM) compressor... if U can find one, or there are a couple of good clones around.

Happy shopping,


A
F

[scruffydog]

Originally Posted by SoZo

To me, plugs compress but are so dull and boring. I will be purchasing more comps for mixing hybrid. I record mix mostly drums bass guitar and vox rock stuff. I have an 5043, I want 8 more channels of comp what would you look at if you were starting.

I think if i was starting over now....i would skip to the mix outputs first.
I currently use a bit of Smart Research C1 and a UBK Clariphonic over everything.

It seems to allow me to use everything else...sounds...plugins...all my stuff...to it's best.

So rather than have a rack of different things...i would start with the overall big picture...you may find you safe money in the long run and that you are more focussed in what you buy next and why.
Starting here..you may find you are already sounding better than you thought you could and that your plugins begin to sound more real to you!...INTERESTING ...but true..

so look at the options for mix compression and mix e.q too, whilst you are dreaming of how to blow your hard earned dosh!
Aim high....buy once..buy right...no waste.

[jetam]

You need the 1176. LA-2A is also one to have, although it can be a bit slow for some things and the CL 1B is suposed to be a similar thing but more flexible, however I don't have enough experience with it to say if it is a good replacement for LA-2A.
I really like the Drawmer DL231 (also 221 and 241) too. It can sound very clean, but you can easily make it aggresive if you want.

[mindkontrolle]

The Dakings are dope.

The Manley Vari-Mu is dope.

The PYE's are sick, very special. I owned one a while back. They are VERY explosive, even more than the Compex (if you can imagine that), but creamy. Creamy and explosive is how I would describe the sound. Easy to overdo it too, I have to say, not the most versatile unit. They don't have a gain knob which was an issue for me since I'm always gain-staging. I've since obtained an EMT 156 which is the only other compressor I know that uses Pulse-Width Modulation and it does do gain and is very versatile. But good luck finding either one of those. Too rare and problematic.

[SoZo]

Originally Posted by scruffydog

I think if i was starting over now....i would skip to the mix outputs first.
I currently use a bit of Smart Research C1 and a UBK Clariphonic over everything.

It seems to allow me to use everything else...sounds...plugins...all my stuff...to it's best.

So rather than have a rack of different things...i would start with the overall big picture...you may find you safe money in the long run and that you are more focussed in what you buy next and why.
Starting here..you may find you are already sounding better than you thought you could and that your plugins begin to sound more real to you!...INTERESTING ...but true..

so look at the options for mix compression and mix e.q too, whilst you are dreaming of how to blow your hard earned dosh!
Aim high....buy once..buy right...no waste.

I was actually thinking the exact opposite e. I want to produce the sounds first before I glue them togeher more in the mix with a bus comp. For example I want to get a kick and snare for this song etc... or I want this room sound on this guitar squashed.

For me its more about my art and texture then the overall mix.

[Kelly Cameron]

Bang for the buck:

Daking, Daking, maybe try a Daking and...

oh ya almost forgot, DAKING

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk

[Brad McGowan]

Another vote for the Daking FET Compressor. I enjoy using mine much more than the 1176 or Distressor I had. if you do a search you can find a pretty I depth review I did at the time. The bottom line is that it sounds good to amazing on everything. Recall is a breeze because of all switched settings. It's the kind of compressor that people buy more than two of. If I only could have one compressor I think this might be it. I use mine on every single vocal I record.

I'm also a fan of the Overstayer FET compressor. It compliments the Daking very well in that it can do that super obliterated nuked sound the Distressor does. It can makes a bass guitar sound really BIG when you use the mix knob. My Overstayer has been living on my drum bus lately. know it's blasphemous to say, but I like these two compressors much more than Distressors and 1176's.

Brad

[TonyBelmont]

A couple of those new BAE 10 DC's would be pretty cool... Kinda like a 2254, but better/ more flexible.

I would also take a look at something like the Aurora GTC2 which has two different compression circuits and is pretty special... Has worked on almost every source I've tried it on thus far. It's hard to find something that can kick ass on practically everything you can throw at it like that one... and seems to make things sound 'better' just by running through it with no gain reduction!

[gear is cool]

Distressors, Chandler TG, SSL, 1176 with all the buttons pushed in.


Good luck!

[SoZo]

Wow lots of votes for the Daking's.. hmm have to audition one!

What would be your choice of compressor or compressors for female vox both tracking and mix?

[gainreduction]

I had a brief encounter with the new Lipinski 500-series compressor the other day. Very nice, gotta say. Clean signal path but very vibey and nice ballistics on the compression action.

Seemed like a quality build too.

[mindkontrolle]

Originally Posted by SoZo

Wow lots of votes for the Daking's.. hmm have to audition one!

What would be your choice of compressor or compressors for female vox both tracking and mix?

Someone said it before. Tube-Tech CL 1B. Put in NOS tubes.

[nickelironsteel]

quite happy were with SHMC, DRIP670, pair of 1176 REV A/B, 2x NEVE 33609 iss12, 2x distressors, if i want to add colour i patch em through a vintage transistor siemens mixer or a couple vintage siemens/albis tube pres

[cheu78]

Originally Posted by mindkontrolle

I would seriously consider at least two channels of ADR Compex. I think there is a fine remake out there now...

If you don't have 1176's already, they are immeasurably useful. LA-3's and LA-2's also.

I would definitely add the Retro tube compressor stuff, Sta-Level and 176.

+1!
and as Tony said try a BAE 10DC...
maybe also a Crane Song Trakker could be handy..



Cheu

[George Necola]

Originally Posted by SoZo

Wow lots of votes for the Daking's.. hmm have to audition one!

What would be your choice of compressor or compressors for female vox both tracking and mix?

Glory Comp. my friend is selling one used btw

Gesendet von meinem GT-I9300 mit Tapatalk

[Brad McGowan]

Originally Posted by SoZo

Wow lots of votes for the Daking's.. hmm have to audition one!

What would be your choice of compressor or compressors for female vox both tracking and mix?

This is not a slutty high end option at all, but I really like tracking female vocals through my Aphex 661 set to auto/fast mode. It's relatively innocuous and controls the dynamics very well without imparting any real tone of its own. The HF expander section lets you add back some air if you are clamping down really hard. You can find these units for about $350 used I think.

I would think anything in the LA2A camp would be nothing short of heavenly for female vocals.

Brad

[dandeurloo]

Originally Posted by Brad McGowan

This is not a slutty high end option at all, but I really like tracking female vocals through my Aphex 661 set to auto/fast mode. It's relatively innocuous and controls the dynamics very well without imparting any real tone of its own. The HF expander section lets you add back some air if you are clamping down really hard. You can find these units for about $350 used I think.

I would think anything in the LA2A camp would be nothing short of heavenly for female vocals.

Brad

I have both and they are great for vocals and much much more.

[4blades]

Originally Posted by mindkontrolle

The Manley Vari-Mu is dope.

Agreed.
On my 2buss reside a GML 8900, controlled and really transparent,
and a QES Labs Variable-Gm, round and fat tone, with an amazing 3-D image.

They are dopes

[schmuck]

Since almost every compressor in history has been mentionned already, I would not only like to throw in a +1 for the aurora compressor (one of those units that really make things sound better by just passing audio through it) but also mention the elysia mpressor, if you want it a bit more on the "edgy/agressive/non-classical sounding" side.

[Ward Pike]

This question has been asked many time... consistently, my answer is Focusrite Red 3. Unbelievable finish on your mix.

$2100-2750 used.

[SteelyDani]

Originally Posted by Ward Pike

This question has been asked many time... consistently, my answer is Focusrite Red 3. Unbelievable finish on your mix.

$2100-2750 used.

[SoZo]

Mix Bus comps are going to be my venture after I have a full rack of mix comps and Eq's.