How well does the Distressor do 1176?

[audiomichael]

I've heard that the Distressor can do a pretty good 1176 impersonation. Is it as close as the Purple MC77?

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by audiomichael

I've heard that the Distressor can do a pretty good 1176 impersonation. Is it as close as the Purple MC77?

Nope.

And it doesn't do the La2a/La3a better than the real thing.

Same goes for the DBX 160 VU, 165,160X or Neve comps.

But it does some other thing that makes it useful.

Bottomn line....you need them all.

[kellyd]

I agree w/thrill. I use similar settings on the distressor and it works really well but doesn't sound like my 1176s. It does it's own thing which is fine. If I needed more 1176s I'd buy them. I do use at least 5 different settings on the distressor for different sources and usually 2 or 3 on the 1176. Couldn't live without at least 2 of each. Can't wait for the Tonelux version of the distressor.

[Musiclab]

I agree with Thrill, the distressor doesnt emulate anything well, but it sure sounds good, and it sure is a very useful tool.

[pigpen]

I concur

[audiomichael]

thanks for the great replies.

I'm looking for a comp for vocals that'll make vocals big and in your face (pop music). The Purple might be the first I try out.

[ziegenh5]

The distressor is great for a lot of stuf, but for vocals, I'd reach for something else first.

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by audiomichael

thanks for the great replies.

I'm looking for a comp for vocals that'll make vocals big and in your face (pop music). The Purple might be the first I try out.

What does "big and in your face" mean to you?

Also are you asking about a comp for tracking or mixing?

[audiomichael]

I should probably rephrase that to heavily compressed while maintaining a punchy bottom, and adding a bit of clarity.

For mixing.

[Aearth]

Originally Posted by audiomichael

I should probably rephrase that to heavily compressed while maintaining a punchy bottom, and adding a bit of clarity.

For mixing.

Then get Drawmer 1968 Mercenary Edition.

Nick

[ejsongs]

try this...run you vox through the vari mu....use one side for comp and the other for limiting

this my give you the result you are looking for.

ej

[Fletcher]

Originally Posted by audiomichael

I've heard that the Distressor can do a pretty good 1176 impersonation. Is it as close as the Purple MC77?

No.

They are totally different beasts that work in totally different ways to produce totally different results.

When the "Distressor" [Distortion compressor] first came out it was considerably different from all other units... so the question was how to get market acceptance for it. The answer at the time was to say that it could be a lot of things in a lot of applications [which is the truth], except the way it was said was that it could "emulate" an LA-2A, 1176, etc. Frankly, that was a crock of shit.

It can "emulate" the action of the gain reduction cell to a point, but the sound of the unit is uniquely it's own.

10 years and like 11,000 units later, the EL-8 "distressor" is a unique unit for unique purposes that will NOT be an MC-77, 1176, LA-2A, 2254, etc., etc., etc.... what it will be is the best sounding "distressor" clone ever imagined, a unique and highly useful tool in it's own right, and a welcome addition to damn near every studio that has ever tried one.

Nothing more, and certainly, nothing less.

If you want an MC-77 then get an MC-77... if you want a very useful, highly functional, and I dare say one of the first units that I grab for vocal applications... then I would recommend you try an EL-8 and make up your own mind after you have heard and tried the unit in application.

Best of luck with your search!!

[stellar]

Originally Posted by Fletcher

They are totally different beasts that work in totally different ways to produce totally different results.

I read a post on a tech forum where someone disassembled a distressor and came to the conclusion that it was identical to an 1176 but without transformers (and different controls). I wonder how they could have been so far off....

[mixerguy]

Originally Posted by Musiclab

I agree with Thrill, the distressor doesnt emulate anything well, but it sure sounds good, and it sure is a very useful tool.

I agree.

[mixerguy]

Originally Posted by stellar

I read a post on a tech forum where someone disassembled a distressor and came to the conclusion that it was identical to an 1176 but without transformers (and different controls). I wonder how they could have been so far off....

maybe they were smoking the cheap crack? If they had the good stuff, they would have seen that the guts of a Distressor are NOTHING like an 1176?

[audiomichael]

Originally Posted by ejsongs

try this...run you vox through the vari mu....use one side for comp and the other for limiting

this my give you the result you are looking for.

ej

I'll try, but the Vmu is pretty slow compared to the 1176. the 1176 + Varimu might be a nice combo platter though.

[mixerguy]

Originally Posted by ziegenh5

The distressor is great for a lot of stuf, but for vocals, I'd reach for something else first.

I'm just the opposite - in many sutuations I'd grab the Distressor first.... and see if it works. It usually does, for me. I like that it is so fast and flexible. You can dial in so many things quickly.

The other day I was recording a rock vocal in a great studio - I had 1176, LA2A, original dbx 160, fairchild 670, and many others at my fingertips - and I reached for my Distressor and recorded the vocal thru it. In a way I felt a little silly - me with my modest Distressor, ignoring all those classic, great compressors.... but I needed to make it work, first time, really fast.... (the singer was a bit nervous) ..... so I picked what I knew would work right away.

In the loud bits I was pushing 6-8 db compression, quite transparently. It sounded great!

A good singer into a good sounding 47 didn't hurt, tho!

YMMV.

[audiomichael]

I used to have a Distressor (patched for tracking only), it was the best compressor ever for crappy singers. You could beat the pulp out of the vox and it would add a little life.

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by audiomichael

I should probably rephrase that to heavily compressed while maintaining a punchy bottom, and adding a bit of clarity.

For mixing.

Rebuilt Gates Sta- Level...but without 6386 tubes.


Also the Vac Rac limiter on stun with a well tracked vocal works as well.

[pan]

Vocals thru Distressor nuked on a mult is instant "in your face"...YMMV

[Bat Head Sound]

Originally Posted by Fletcher

No.

They are totally different beasts that work in totally different ways to produce totally different results.

When the "Distressor" [Distortion compressor] first came out it was considerably different from all other units... so the question was how to get market acceptance for it. The answer at the time was to say that it could be a lot of things in a lot of applications [which is the truth], except the way it was said was that it could "emulate" an LA-2A, 1176, etc. Frankly, that was a crock of shit.

It can "emulate" the action of the gain reduction cell to a point, but the sound of the unit is uniquely it's own.

10 years and like 11,000 units later, the EL-8 "distressor" is a unique unit for unique purposes that will NOT be an MC-77, 1176, LA-2A, 2254, etc., etc., etc.... what it will be is the best sounding "distressor" clone ever imagined, a unique and highly useful tool in it's own right, and a welcome addition to damn near every studio that has ever tried one.

Nothing more, and certainly, nothing less.

If you want an MC-77 then get an MC-77... if you want a very useful, highly functional, and I dare say one of the first units that I grab for vocal applications... then I would recommend you try an EL-8 and make up your own mind after you have heard and tried the unit in application.

Best of luck with your search!!

Yeah, but I heard it does a pretty mean Fairchild impression AND makes a bitchin' tuna sandwich...

[audiomichael]

Originally Posted by thethrillfactor

Rebuilt Gates Sta- Level...but without 6386 tubes.


Also the Vac Rac limiter on stun with a well tracked vocal works as well.

I was mixing once and tried the Jim Scott technique. Set up the Gates on a send, and send kick, snare and bass to it (like a verb send). It was REALLY punchy and cool. Although I was working on a vintage Neve console.

Thrill, have you heard the 'new' Sta-Level?

http://www.vintageking.com/20-Hottes...sion-Amplifier

Are you talking about switching to the 6BJ6 tube?

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by audiomichael

I was mixing once and tried the Jim Scott technique. Set up the Gates on a send, and send kick, snare and bass to it (like a verb send). It was REALLY punchy and cool. Although I was working on a vintage Neve console.

These days i like the UA La2a for this.



Strap a API 550A EQ after and you are ready to go.

Originally Posted by audiomichael

Thrill, have you heard the 'new' Sta-Level?

http://www.vintageking.com/20-Hottes...sion-Amplifier

Are you talking about switching to the 6BJ6 tube?

Nah i haven't heard the Vintage king version.


They look like refurbished one's to me.


No i was talking about switching the actual Vari-Mu 6386 tube.


For vocals i really like believe it or not a NOS 5670.


It sounds much cleaner and with a little more "zing" to it but it still retains the bigness and warmth.


I have an original RCA black 6386 as well which i like on bass.


This has the more classic Vari-Mu sound to it.


Big and ballsy.


Until i get another Sta-level i'll have to keep switching it back and forth.

[Steamy Williams]

Originally Posted by thethrillfactor

Nah i haven't heard the Vintage king version.


They look like refurbished one's to me.


No i was talking about switching the actual Vari-Mu 6386 tube.


For vocals i really like believe it or not a NOS 5670.


It sounds much cleaner and with a little more "zing" to it but it still retains the bigness and warmth.


I have an original RCA black 6386 as well which i like on bass.


This has the more classic Vari-Mu sound to it.


Big and ballsy.


Until i get another Sta-level i'll have to keep switching it back and forth.

Thrill, I realise the 5670 has the same pin configuration as the 6386, but do you have do anything special to the Sta Level in order to change the tube? Were any of the modifications that your tech did to the Sta Level performed to allow you to do this?

Also, would you care to contribute to this thread about the other tubes in your Sta Level:

Replacement tubes for a Gates Sta Level

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by Steamy Williams

Thrill, I realise the 5670 has the same pin configuration as the 6386, but do you have do anything special to the Sta Level in order to change the tube? Were any of the modifications that your tech did to the Sta Level performed to allow you to do this?

Also, would you care to contribute to this thread about the other tubes in your Sta Level:

Replacement tubes for a Gates Sta Level

The one thing you have to do is internally adjust the meter so it matches the tube.


The rest of the tubes in my Sta-Level were the originals it came with(I bought it of a guy who had the thing in sitting in his attic since the 60's).

My Sta Level is modified with a variable Pad on the input and faster release times.

[Steamy Williams]

Originally Posted by thethrillfactor

The one thing you have to do is internally adjust the meter so it matches the tube.


The rest of the tubes in my Sta-Level were the originals it came with(I bought it of a guy who had the thing in sitting in his attic since the 60's).

My Sta Level is modified with a variable Pad on the input and faster release times.

Is internally adjusting the meter easy to do, could anyone do it?

How useful or essential is the pad on the input?

Sorry for the thread hijack!

[Mark Warren]

The Distressor can't be set to sound anywhere near the Purple. If you plotted gain reduction out on a curve and compared the print outs, yes, I'm sure it could compress similarly but once you actually listen to the two - the Purple is a clear winner on vocals in my opinion, at least for tracking.

During mix the Distressor can be more useful on vocals once you see where/how the vocal is going to sit in the mix. The Distressor just does something harmonically to the vocals that just messes them up if used during tracking, sort of planting you in a spot that gives you less options later. In other words it adds something that can't be taken away later, however if you save the Distressor for mixdown you have the option at that point of adding it or not.

The Purple is a great sounding unit. Rich and full are words that come to mind. It's also simple to operate and you'd have to work hard to get it to sound bad. Just turn the knobs till it sounds good.

On the Distressor, designed to be more a swiss army knife of compressors rather than to emulate on thing really well, there's enough knobs and switches to have you wasting more of your time.

Don't know why I focused so much on vocals but as far as on bass, there both good, the Distressor more of a modern sound and the Purple more of a vintage sound. Again no matter what knobs/switches you tweak on the Distressor it won't sound like the Purple. So that's good news for Purple...

[dale116dot7]

Originally Posted by stellar

....came to the conclusion that it was identical to an 1176 but without transformers (and different controls). I wonder how they could have been so far off....

That's not exactly what I said - pretty much all JFET-based compressors, though, have a similar circuit topology. The devil (and the sound) is in the details, and Dave Derr is a very clever designer when it comes to that. So support a great designer and buy a dozen!!!

[absrec]

Distressors rule!!!