Sony oxford Dynamics ?

[Beermaster]

I'm looking for a good all round Compressor to use with Logic 8 and I already Have the Sonox Limiter and Inflator but I need a compressor. ( the logic inbuilt one is driving me mad ! )

Any other recommendations ? ( without having to pay out for hardware )

[Shaolin]

Sonnox is great. I recommend Sonalksis or a cheapie but goodie - Stillwell audio's Major Tom - lits of character. Voxengo is also obsessed with compressors for some reason.

No need to go to Waves these days, but their emulations are well liked by many - API, SSL and (ne)V(e) series. What's so bad about logic's comp. I used it a few years ago and it seemed fine to me.

[AntillesSound]

The sonnox one is great man. Its pretty clean and really effective. I find it really easy to get good sounds happening pretty quickly. And if you get the full Dynamics package, I'm pretty sure it comes with the "Warmth" feature which will add any extra color you may be looking for.

Just as a disclaimer, I'm speaking from familiarity with the PT TDM version. Im assuming they sound the same. : )

[macleodgrant]

Originally Posted by Beermaster

I'm looking for a good all round Compressor to use with Logic 8 and I already Have the Sonox Limiter and Inflator but I need a compressor. ( the logic inbuilt one is driving me mad ! )

Any other recommendations ? ( without having to pay out for hardware )

so what's wrong with the sonnox comp? it's brilliant and is all you really need imo

the logic compressor is actually quite decent too

the sonalksis is good too but it has a lot in common with the sonnox regarding transparency

i love rcomp which is a nice flavour and can be got in the Musician's Bundle II very cheaply and is worth it. with sonnoc, logic's & rcomp you're well covered. many other on here may disagree

[Alxi]

+1 For MajorTom at about 65$ i think , wich sound a lot like the Sonnox dynamique in classic mode but with a few more option compressor wise.

Also take a look at the D-1 from Rndigitals at about 130$ for upward and downward compression. Very nice on vocals and snares and a good allarounder.

And my personnal favorite the URS 1970 compfor about 250$. Also a good allarounder if you ask me

Hope it helps

-Alxi-

[Tranny-Cap-Tube]

Try the Fab Filter Pro -C. Great gui and sounds as smooth as silk. All the features you need, m/s, sidchain, opto and classic, and auto-makeup gain that works properly...sonalksis dosn't.

[Shaolin]

Hey Tranny-cap can you elaborate on the auto makeup failure of sonalksis. Am I missing something?

[adoucette]

I agree with above, the URS 1970 comp is a personal favorite, I often reach for it over my waves comps, something about the way it slams drums and acoustic guitars that I like. I also agree with RComp by waves, great deal with the musicians pack. Ive also had alot of good luck with the PSP mixpressor, very transparent and all-around great comp.

Ive tried the sonnox, although I liked it, I wasnt blown away, sounds good though dont get me wrong, but I just wasnt vibing with it.. waves API2500 is awesome! if you can afford it.. Its my go-to for snares, kicks and vocals

[adoucette]

I should note, I dont "get" sonalksis, or voxengo, neither of these sound like quality designs to me and ive never been too impressed by any of their products.. voxengo analog flux suite has a cool delay and chorus but thats about it

[Beermaster]

Thanks a million guys for your responses.

I'm looking at the web page for the URS1970 and it doesn't mention Logic 8 on Intel Macs ? does anyone here use this plug on this type of set up ?

[Beechwood]

Originally Posted by Beermaster

I'm looking for a good all round Compressor to use with Logic 8 and I already Have the Sonox Limiter and Inflator but I need a compressor. ( the logic inbuilt one is driving me mad ! )

Any other recommendations ? ( without having to pay out for hardware )

What is it you dont like about the logic compressor? I'm sure if that thing wasn't free (and ugly) quite a few people would pay good money for it. 6 compressor models with additional limiter, side chain filter, inbuilt parallel processing... and it doesn't sound bad at all!

I often start with it and then move on to UAD comps, which do sound awesome, but I do wonder if I'm also being plug-notized by the pretty interfaces! Every now and then I turn off the graphic displays... it doesn't last long :)

[MarkRB]

Originally Posted by Beechwood

What is it you dont like about the logic compressor? I'm sure if that thing wasn't free (and ugly) quite a few people would pay good money for it. 6 compressor models with additional limiter, side chain filter, inbuilt parallel processing... and it doesn't sound bad at all!

I often start with it and then move on to UAD comps, which do sound awesome, but I do wonder if I'm also being plug-notized by the pretty interfaces! Every now and then I turn off the graphic displays... it doesn't last long :)

Yes man ! I think the compressor in Logic 7 & 8 (particularly 8, I don't know if they changed it?), sounds very good.
In fact all the native plugs in Logic are really good.
Better than the PT stock plugs IMHO, even the new digi 3 ones.

Maybe the OP needs a bit more colour? Get some waves I'd suggest. They sound good and even look pretty! API & Mercury collection is very good.

[Sk106]

I'm this kind of nuthead who really puts the stuff up to the test, so I've put tons of software compressors into real calculated and awkward stuff to do and compared the results both with technical means and straight up listening.

The URS 1970-75 and 80 comps holds upp amazingly well, as does the channel strip, the Pro-C stands the test real well but it more suited as a mastering compressor than a tracking one, waves Rcomp, Raxx and C1/C4 is fair but easy to get wobbling and adding a bit staleness and grainyness, Wavearts I don't like since it's even more stale and almost plastic, waves api 2600 is amazing warm and adds almost a bit of golden glitter to the top, nomad factory is fluffy and warm but can't compress low freqs hard without artefacts, waves vcomp is biting and punchy but far from transparent, sonalksis is great but doesn't cut it all the way up, same with voxengo, but the winners for me in all categories were the sonnox and Roger Nichols dynamizer.

I know Roger Nichols ain't too popular around here, but I found his Dynamizer be my best choice. It matches the Sonnox dymamic suite in quality and efficientness of handling the dynamics. With the Sonnox, which essentially is a multieffect suite, you get stuff that the dynamizer don't have - like a gate, expander, a fuzzy warmth control, dithering and the compressor has a soft knee function. The Dynamizer got other stuff over sonnox though - like 4 layers of compression which can be adjusted virtually separate, peak/rms switch, great visual metering, lookahead, native 32-bit floating point compatibility, auto makeup gain, and a great internal sidechain key filter area.

Both sonnox and the dynamizer belongs in the category of iron solid "in your face" compression that has virtually no roundness or added warmth or softness to them - zero analog feel. They don't fuzz up the attack or stale up the treble, 100% transparent, and once you set it nothing gets passed it or even makes the compression wobble or stretch the slightest bit.

[Pfraser]

Sonnox is great! for an alternative...
Take a look at WaveArts... really great stuff from those guys - more specifically look at the Track Pug - that plug in alone contains a 10band EQ with many many band options, two brickwalls filters, a gate, two compressors, and a limiter.
The plugin features and internal side-chain function so you can use one of the compressors as a side chain. Download the demo for a full 30-day trial.

Wave Arts | Professional audio plug-ins for Macintosh and Windows

[dhiltonlittle]

the sonnex is great. the waves rcomp is usually my go to.

[macleodgrant]

Originally Posted by adoucette

Ive tried the sonnox, although I liked it, I wasnt blown away, sounds good though dont get me wrong, but I just wasnt vibing with it.. waves API2500 is awesome! if you can afford it.. Its my go-to for snares, kicks and vocals

the way you say that you weren't "vibing" states the answer clearly. it's a very clean and quite transparent - in the modes i use anyways. you wouldn't use the sonnox for flavour though in that case i would use the rcomp.

i just don't like VCOMP at all. the EQ's are amazing but that comp just pumps too much and i can't get it sounding nice on anything and it also affects the spectral content too much but it varies so it's hard to compensate - is it just me?

[Sk106]

Originally Posted by macleodgrant

i just don't like VCOMP at all .. just pumps too much and i can't get it sounding nice on anything and it also affects the spectral content too much but it varies so it's hard to compensate - is it just me?

I feel the same. It's nice on heavy rock but it's indeed a pumping, coloring comp.

[macleodgrant]

Originally Posted by Sk106

I feel the same. It's nice on rock but it's indeed a pumping, coloring comp.

it must be why they've offered specials on it. i bought it for $250 so i don't feel like i lost anything - the eq's really are good though