$500 budget to buy Compressor (everyone help)

[MarathonMan]

i have 500 dollars to burn on a compressor, i need it for hiphop/r&b vocals. i have an m-audio 410 firewire , use sonar producer edition, AT4040 mic.

i'd appreciate it if u guys helped me make this 'expensive' decision. i saved up and i'd like to get the best for the price... any suggestions would be nice.

thanx in advance

[Red Sky]

Easy,

FMR RNC. $199US MSRP

http://www.fmraudio.com/RNC1773.htm (read the reviews)

Standard secret weapon of many pro studios.

[XHipHop]

If you do some VERY careful shopping, you might be able to get a used Art Pro VLA, DBX 160x (or 160xt or 160a), and a RNC. All 3 for $500 off ebay or some classifieds.

THAT would be a pretty nice setup to start out with. 3 distinctly different sounds. If the 160x puts you over budget you can possibly try the older DBX 166 (not the a).


Out of curiosity, do you have any mic preamps or do you just use the preamps on the m-audio thingy? Do those pre's have inserts to use outboard compressors with? Or are you going to track first and then run the signal back out into comps and then back into the computer?

[XHipHop]

Oh yeah, if you're mixing native... does the Universal Audio UAD-1 work with sonar? There are some very good comps included for the price.

[six_wax]

what do the LA-22s run? those little things kick ass.

[XHipHop]

Originally Posted by six_wax

what do the LA-22s run? those little things kick ass.

They used to be cheap but now they are $750+.

I used to see them for $450 like 3 years ago. The more crowded the audio industry becomes with hobbyists and people coming fresh out of recording school, the harder it is to score a sweet deal! supply and demand.

[DrDeltaM]

Yeah, LA-22's are just more then $500. Great comp tho

I second the RNC recommendation, great little comp with 2 compression types thanks to the normal and supernice mode.

[theblue1]

A lot of folks love the RNC, for sure. Especially for the money.

Plug-ins are great after the fact -- but for tracking vocals you'll probably want to apply a little compression/limiting going in to keep from crashing out your converters.

[MarathonMan]

Originally Posted by XHipHop

If you do some VERY careful shopping, you might be able to get a used Art Pro VLA, DBX 160x (or 160xt or 160a), and a RNC. All 3 for $500 off ebay or some classifieds.

THAT would be a pretty nice setup to start out with. 3 distinctly different sounds. If the 160x puts you over budget you can possibly try the older DBX 166 (not the a).


Out of curiosity, do you have any mic preamps or do you just use the preamps on the m-audio thingy? Do those pre's have inserts to use outboard compressors with? Or are you going to track first and then run the signal back out into comps and then back into the computer?

i use the one that comes with 'm-audio 410', u suggested a Art VLA DBX which is a preamp, i already use the m-audio preamp, wouldnt that be a waste of money?

and the dbx itself is a compressor right? then why buy another compressor(RNC)?

also guys, is it possible to compress while tracking vocals thru a plugin? i know hardware compressors can, but i didnt know if it was possible with plugins? i use sonar 3 producer edition, would that track thru a plugin? any recording program capable of it?



and is the RNC that great? i hear it blows any compressor under $2000, i mean does that hold weight?

thanx everyone fuuck

[MarathonMan]

also, the LA-2A was suggested as well as the RNC, if it was strictly for hiphop/r&b vocals, and to be more specific, i'm a guy, with a high pitched voice... which would u recommend? and why?

[seriousfun]

Originally Posted by MarathonMan

...
also guys, is it possible to compress while tracking vocals thru a plugin? i know hardware compressors can, but i didnt know if it was possible with plugins? i use sonar 3 producer edition, would that track thru a plugin? any recording program capable of it?



and is the RNC that great? i hear it blows any compressor under $2000, i mean does that hold weight?

thanx everyone fuuck

In S3PE (or S4PE for that matter), you can monitor effects by loading them into the track you are recording, but the effect will not print until you bounce.

You will need to put a hardware compressor between the pre and the A/D if you want to do that. If you are recording 24-bit, you certainly have enough headroom to record low enough not to create any digital overs and add software compression (or re-amped hardware compression if you can work at low-enough latency) on a bounce or mix.

I own an RNC, and I generally do not use it when I am in sufficient control of tracking levels. It is a great value, and a clean no-nonsense compressor.

[Altruist]

I don't want to come in here and be a jackass...But you gotta go back and read what is being written.

3 compressors for 3 different flavours

The Art Pro VLA is a compressor not a pre-amp

the DBX 160x is another compressor entirely

they were talking about a Urei LA-22 not a LA-2A...



The RNC is a great little budget compressor..Fantastic in fact...but no it doesn't blow away every compressor under 2000....

[hrn]

I have an Aphex Compellor and it's wonderful for voices. It has its own kind of "transparent" sound and the best thing is that you cannot hear it doing its compression.

Bought mine for 200$.

Hans

[XHipHop]

Marathon Man, if you have a few hours to burn, i recommend doing this:

Go up to the search function and then search out all the gear people have mentioned here. You will read 100's of opinions and really get to know what they are and if they are what you might be looking for.

Then go to google and do the same thing.

Then maybe stop buy homerecording.com and check out what they have to say.

After that come back here and let us know what other questions you have!

Good luck!

[poomka]

What about the Summit TLA50 ?

A little more than 500$, but I had a very good feeling when I tried it...

[MarathonMan]

Originally Posted by XHipHop

Marathon Man, if you have a few hours to burn, i recommend doing this:

Go up to the search function and then search out all the gear people have mentioned here. You will read 100's of opinions and really get to know what they are and if they are what you might be looking for.

Then go to google and do the same thing.

Then maybe stop buy homerecording.com and check out what they have to say.

After that come back here and let us know what other questions you have!

Good luck!

i was just doin that and will continue today. thanx alot, but here is a question for you and everyone else.

see, my goal is to work on a demo, i record in a crappy room, i have a high pitch voice when i rap, and that added with the room's reverberation, at times my vocals sound very 'annoying' or 'tiring'. I think i need a hardware compressor that would record my vocals, somewhat upfront, thus decreasing the rooms sound. i hope that was clear.

another reason i need a compressor for is, to track while recording, because i'm sick of digital clipping and it would be much better to have some control over that. btw when u record thru a hardware compressor, when it beings to clip, does it have that 'analog' clipping which people love, or is it plain old digital clipping?

now to sum it up, a vocal compressor, for hiphop, high pitch voice, aggressive emcee, bad room to record in.

also, i thought bout my mic, its an at4040, it generally has a high freq. increase in the midranges, maybe thats the problem with the 'high pitch voice'? my vocals end up coming thin, and i have to use some 'chorus effect' to fatten it up or something,


one more summing it up A SMOOTH, UPFRONT, LESS BACKGROUND Compressor.

ps. my voice is somewhat like 'az' 'life's a bitch' thats what most people tell me i sound like , during his earlier years. maybe that will help better understand?

i know thats alot of info, but 'to help one man is to help a million' that was by....dont know i made it up

Originally Posted by XHipHop

I don't want to come in here and be a jackass...But you gotta go back and read what is being written.

3 compressors for 3 different flavours

The Art Pro VLA is a compressor not a pre-amp

the DBX 160x is another compressor entirely

they were talking about a Urei LA-22 not a LA-2A...



The RNC is a great little budget compressor..Fantastic in fact...but no it doesn't blow away every compressor under 2000....

thanks for clearing it up and ure not coming as a jackass, i needed what you said.

[John The Cut]

A compressor on the vocal will only ADD to the crappy room sound, because you will essentially be raising the volume of the track.

Why not spend half your budget on some decent room treatment - accoustic panels or a new 15 Tog Duvet! and hopefully you should have enough left for an RNC

[hrn]

mogWai,
Was just about to say the same.... You could be to far away from the mic too

It's easy to make some kind of stand around the mic and hang some blankets on it for a tight non-acoustic vocal sound.

Hans

[MarathonMan]

Originally Posted by mogWai

A compressor on the vocal will only ADD to the crappy room sound, because you will essentially be raising the volume of the track.

Why not spend half your budget on some decent room treatment - accoustic panels or a new 15 Tog Duvet! and hopefully you should have enough left for an RNC

sounds like a good idea, but would be nice if u could be specific? what kind of room treatments? i'll be checking out the 15 Tog Duvet right now.

bring on the ideas, thanx

[MarathonMan]

Originally Posted by hrn

mogWai,
Was just about to say the same.... You could be to far away from the mic too

It's easy to make some kind of stand around the mic and hang some blankets on it for a tight non-acoustic vocal sound.

Hans

a blanket surrounding the mic and me inside it? does that really work? i mean does it do the job? or spending some money on treating the room better?

[hrn]

MarathonMan,
Yes, it works, just try it. You'll get a tight sound with no room acoustics bothering you.

[tINY]

You could get a second hand SM58 and get up close on it....

You might want to play with the EQ a bit too.



-tINY

[XHipHop]

Originally Posted by MarathonMan

a blanket surrounding the mic and me inside it? does that really work? i mean does it do the job? or spending some money on treating the room better?

Check out Jay Z's new dvd "Fade to Black". This is exactly how they record the vocals to "99 Problems" in Rick Rubin's studio. Check out that scene to get an idea of how you can set up the blanket.

[drmmrboy]

Originally Posted by hrn

It's easy to make some kind of stand around the mic and hang some blankets on it for a tight non-acoustic vocal sound.
Hans

I did someting similar the other day.
In a corner of the room I hung a 7 foot carpet off a mic stand, against 1 wall. Curtains were on the other wall. Singer stood with his back to the corner....
Took the room right out of the vocal.

Andrew

[drmmrboy]

Oh yeah. Almost forgot...
I don't have the lettuce for a high end compressor right now.
So I have a RNC, and a DBX 160.
Both get used all the time, and they come in at well under $500... for both.

Andrew

[hrn]

MarathonMan,

"also, i thought bout my mic, its an at4040, it generally has a high freq. increase in the midranges, maybe thats the problem with the 'high pitch voice'? my vocals end up coming thin, and i have to use some 'chorus effect' to fatten it up or something"

If we continue talking tricks you could try to but a sock or two on the mic to get a "smoother" sound. I've used it before and it worked for me when I was after a more "expensive" sound

[John The Cut]

Originally Posted by hrn

MarathonMan,

"also, i thought bout my mic, its an at4040, it generally has a high freq. increase in the midranges, maybe thats the problem with the 'high pitch voice'? my vocals end up coming thin, and i have to use some 'chorus effect' to fatten it up or something"

If we continue talking tricks you could try to but a sock or two on the mic to get a "smoother" sound. I've used it before and it worked for me when I was after a more "expensive" sound

Thats great

Any suggestions for which socks work best - cotton socks Vs. football socks, hiking socks Vs Trainer socks ?

MarathonMan: These are all good suggestions to cure your room ambience problem - and it DOES make a difference

Personally I have 3 of these http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/st...clickfrom=name

On which I hang blankets and heavy duvets - feathers are best. The easiest thing to do right now is try it out - grab your duvet off the bed and hold it over your head, while you rap around the mic.

For some proper accoustic panels I have found these to be the cheapest http://www.studiospares.com/productd...IC%20TILES&p=2

A few of these would be good to stick to the ceiling above your head in the vocal position. Or if space is tight, plaster these on the walls behind your vocal position and use the blankets/duvets behind the mic (in front of you)

Good luck

[MarathonMan]

Originally Posted by hrn

MarathonMan,

"also, i thought bout my mic, its an at4040, it generally has a high freq. increase in the midranges, maybe thats the problem with the 'high pitch voice'? my vocals end up coming thin, and i have to use some 'chorus effect' to fatten it up or something"

If we continue talking tricks you could try to but a sock or two on the mic to get a "smoother" sound. I've used it before and it worked for me when I was after a more "expensive" sound

so like take off my shoes, take out my socks and put the socks on the mic? literally that?

[hrn]

MarathonMan,
Yes, and again just try it.

It should be kind of thick textile so take off both your shoes or use your grand mothers home made winter socks, that's better.

[MarathonMan]

Originally Posted by mogWai

Thats great

Any suggestions for which socks work best - cotton socks Vs. football socks, hiking socks Vs Trainer socks ?

MarathonMan: These are all good suggestions to cure your room ambience problem - and it DOES make a difference

Personally I have 3 of these http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/st...clickfrom=name

On which I hang blankets and heavy duvets - feathers are best. The easiest thing to do right now is try it out - grab your duvet off the bed and hold it over your head, while you rap around the mic.

For some proper accoustic panels I have found these to be the cheapest http://www.studiospares.com/productd...IC%20TILES&p=2

A few of these would be good to stick to the ceiling above your head in the vocal position.

Good luck

thanx, i think we got the room issue somewhat resolved as soon as i apply the tips...


now lets go back to the compressor

which would u recommend, RNC OR DBX 160x OR LA-22'?

from reading everything i've said.... which would be the best choice?