Best Bang 4 Buck Stereo Tube Compressor <$500.00?

[jaguarmusicboy]

I'm looking for recommendations for the best value in a budget stereo tube or hybrid tube/solid state compressor/limiter for a friend who has a small studio in his home. After reading many reviews from both consumer and professional sources, the leading contenders seem to be the Bellari RP 583, the ART Pro VLA, the Behringer T-1952, and the Phonic T-8200.

At the bottom of the price range is the Behringer, and I happen to own one which I have found to be quirky and useful only on rare occasions. I also have a Phonic T-8200 which I picked up on an ebay fire sale just because I couldn't resist checking it out for what amounted to chunk change. Of those two I would have to choose the Phonic hands down as it actually sounds pretty nice and can be quite useful. I'm reluctant to recommend it too highly though because the build quality is really poor (the power switch failed the third time I turned it on).

I've had no experience with either of the others. The ART is essentially a solid state unit with a 12ax7 "warming" circuit. I believe the Bellari to be a proper tube based unit with an optical circuit somewhere in the chain. Anyone care to comment usefully on choosing between these options (PLEASE NOTE: this is LOW END THEORY ... so if you're going to say, "why don't you save your money and buy your friend an 1178 or an ADL or a Manley Vari-Mu" or some other >$1k wonder, go back to the high end gear forum where you belong!) I own a number of high end tube dynamics pieces
ranging from an Altec 322c to a Manley Vari-Mu; so yes, I know the difference, but
what I'm seeking here is a BUDGET BASED recommendation.

Also, there are clearly going to be differences of opinions expressed here, so please try
to keep the dialogue civil! I've read some pretty heated exchanges recently on this
site so I feel compelled to put in a plug for useful, experience based comments free from invective! So let the comments begin (and if you are affiliated with any of the above companies and wish to comment, feel free to chime in, but please identify your
connection to the product(s) in the service of full and fair disclosure). Now that I've taken all the fun out of the question I'll be curious to see if anyone bothers to post a reply!

[NesNeedsGear]

i had an ART VLA that I used on occasion...sounded nice, tho not fast enough for all applications (duh, it's an opto comp)

I didn't get to do switch out the tubes and Op-Amps, but I hear changing those 4 parts makes a HUUGE difference.

[jaguarmusicboy]

Hey NesNeedsGear - Thanks... VERY useful. I've had some great luck
hot rodding some of my own gear. Since this is a gift for someone else
it had not occured to me to think in that direction; but I could easily
snag one of these on ebay used and have my technician either walk me
through the mods or do it himself. I'll search here and google to see if
I can find any documentation on that unless you already know the specific
part upgrades or a site that lists them. GREAT IDEA! Every new year should
start out with a good idea like that!

[Wayne]

I'd be curious to know why or what the tube' factor is supposed to bring at this price point. Aside from the ones you mentioned that would all have their particular thing going for them, isn't there likely to be more bang' (read open more quality options) elsewhere?

[jdg]

i think the belari unit is the only true "tube" unit of the bunch (not a starved plate design, but full voltage on the tubes)

i havn't heard one.. but i own a VLA.. which is OK for somethings... but not for its "tube" sound.

[petsematary]

why not just buy an rnc and forget about the tube?

[drycounty]

Originally Posted by ArtGarceau

It's really hard in that budget. The only thing I can think of is the Art Pro VLA after mods.
If you want non-tube and you know how to solder you can almost all of the comps at www.groupdiy.com.

Two questions -- one, does anyone have a link to a page that actually shows the DIY opamp replacement?

And also, does anyone know if two ART PRO channels are linkable? If so, that might be a better answer for <$500-550.

[Stitch333]

The bellari 583 is highly modifiable. Im get one just to hotrod

[jaguarmusicboy]

Solid info and questions all!

First to those who asked variations on "why tube" - my buddy does have a decent
descrete solid state unit already and the "tube" thing was what he wanted. I'm not
quite handy enough as a DYI electronics guy to take on building a home made 1176 at the moment, but thanks for the reference info on it. I may be able to pass it on to somone who actually has the skill and time. The Bellari mod approach seems promising.

Every once in a while one finds some sort of sleeper on eBay; but in the last several
years all the old radio gear has gone through the ROOF ... you know, the Gates/Collins/Federal stuff and their lesser known relations.

Anyhow, I encourage anyone else who stumbles on this to put in their two cents... and
offer sincere thanks to those who already have!

Happy New Year All

[Acoustic Cloud]

Hey Jagman!

Happy New Years!

As far as I know, the only true tube pres that are cheap are the Bellari, GT Brick, and the Electro-Harmonix. Most other ones are starved-plate design, and arent full voltage.

Alot of the cheaper pres that have tubes in them, can be nice sounding pres for the money, as I have owned a few....but the tube is a Christmas light in them.

[madhermit]

For what it is worth, I used to use the Pro VLA as a 2 buss. Worked fine if you just tickle it a bit. It does tend to darken the source material a wee bit though.

I like the darkening effect on things like raunchy guitars or an occasional voice with an edge in it.

[Flying_Dutchman]

Maybe forget the tube and build a ssl clone...gyraf

[roxxon]

I have the Phonic T-8200.
It sounds pretty nice on most applications.
I like it, I've had no issues with it as of yet.

I also have a Phonic Tube 8100 pre-amp.
I like it's sound a lot.
Good on vox and acoustic guitars and bass.
Have not tried it on other instruments yet.
No issues with it, either.

I have heard some Bellari pres and one of their compressors.
They are good for some applications.
The Phonic stuff is better all-around gear, IMHO.
To me it's more versatile.

I also have 4 ART tube Pack compressors, I bought them really cheap on EBAY.
2 sound pretty decent, the other two are duds.
They are all the same models.
Quality control is a big issue with ART gear.

[roxxon]

[jaguarmusicboy]

Hey Roxxon ... I must say I've been quite pleased with the SOUND and performance of my 8200. However, the AC switch that failed within the first two weeks and half the meter bulbs burning out in a month were not things that made me want to rush out and buy other Phonic products...

Still, so far so good. Fixed the switch and am living with the bulbs out.
I think it's coming down to choosing between the 8200 and the Bellari (in which case
I'd have mods done). Time is running out (there's a birthday involved) and unless I get REALLY lucky I think those are the best options so far.

[roxxon]

That's too bad about your Phonic comp.
Must have been a real "lemon."
I bought both of my Phonic pieces on Ebay for a total of $275.00 Canadian dollars.
They have served me well for close to 6 months with no problems whatsoever.

I also have 2 Presonus BlueTubes, an older and the newer model.
Both work just fine.
They aren't noisy in the least.

As with the ART tube pac comps. it appears that quality control as well as, luck of the draw plays a huge role in becoming the owner of a decent unit or a piece of gear that isn't worth it's weight in crap.
An expensive door-stop, so to speak.

The Bellari if modded should be just fine, it's okay on the low-end scale.

But I'd still keep the Phonic for certain applications.
Just have it serivced and maybe modded.

Good luck!

[Kubilay]

My ART PRO VLA survived a nasty "kick out everything that doesn't measure up" purge... retubed it as I was retubing an old tube mic pre, and it is really quite nice and gets used regularly.

[macmod]

the bellari costs a E1000,- in Europe...

best regards,
Macmod

[Stitch333]

Originally Posted by macmod

the bellari costs a E1000,- in Europe...

best regards,
Macmod

the 583? naaaaaaw. Evilbay for under 500 e z

[frankie c]

Go on Ebay and get a used PRESONUS BLUE TUBE 2 ch tube preamp....

about 150.00

and add a TELEFUNKEN ECC83/12ax7 tube....
(40-50.00)
Nice combo!

Works 4 me!

[roxxon]

With Blue Tubes it's the luck if the draw.
Most people with good models, keep them.
The new models don't have as many "lemons."

I have a new and an older Blue Tube...
Luckily for me...Both sound decent.

I also have a Presonus, "Smart Compressor."
It's not bad either.
It puts my Alesis to shame.

[uncle duncan]

I did a shootout file with my compressors, (most of them are crap) and liked the Bellari 538 over the RNC. My notes say 'thin and glossy' for the 538, 'less detail - yellow rich sound' for the RNC (yellow indicating midrange), 'thin cardboard' for the focusrite trakmaster, and varying degrees of thinness for the rest of the bunch. The only one that seemed to fatten up the sound was the focusrite platinum in 'fake tube' mode. But with that unit you lose detail, so it's kind of a trade off. Plus it's mono or stereo linked only on the input.
I use the 538 on kick and snare, because it seems to let the sound through without losing presence. For vocals I use a Safesound P1, which I did not yet own when I did the shootout, but the minute I plugged it in I knew it sounded great - clean and transparent - but probably too slow for drums. The 538 isn't exactly fast, but it seems like kick and snare sound better with at least 10ms attack, and the 538 is rated down to 5ms.