Which tracking compressor

Klauth · 1st July 2009

If someone were to give you a dozen tracking compressors of all the same make & model... what would you get... and why?

Fixinthemix · 1st July 2009

the most expensive one... Its usually the best. Me personally I like 1176s

Daedalus77 · 1st July 2009

Well, I hate to be cheeky, but I'd probably get a bunch of Trakkers.

personpitch · 1st July 2009

Because I am cheap, I bought a bunch of RNC's. No complaints thus far.

Mike Brown · 1st July 2009

Distressors. Lots of different sounds. High quality box... wont break the wallet.

Indigital · 1st July 2009

Plus 1 for 1176

nonamesleft · 1st July 2009

Probably trakkers...though I've never used them...of the ones I have used I'd say distressors. You would need versitility and quality which the distressors most certainly are.

3rd world order · 1st July 2009

chandler TG1

or the germ, since it has so many different settings.

trashman · 1st July 2009

API 2500
Because you can use for EVERYTHING:
Drums, instruments, voice ...
It is also stereo for stereo sources.
You can also use it for your mixdown.

Just a great all arounder.

And the sound! wow. Just pure console goodness in a box.

Protools Guy · 1st July 2009

Tubetech CL-1B

deuce42 · 1st July 2009

La2a if you are tracking vocals or are a bit unfamiliar with the material you are tracking

1176 is every other operation.

This is because the LA2a has the "set and forget" easy operation which for tracking is very useful and for vocals it's know to be very sweet and gooey.

The 1176 requires you to get it more "right" in terms of your ratio/attack/release settings.

RNC if you have 1/10th of the money for the above. It won't sound like the two units mentioned above but will still allow you to track without too much trouble and is pretty transparent.

Dean Roddey · 1st July 2009

The Distressor is clearly the Swiss Army Knife, if you can't afford $10K of specialized ones. The Trakker I guess is the Grey Poupon version of the Distressor, though I've never used one of those myself.

On the FMR front, they also now have the PBC one. I've not used that one either, but it seems to be a very high bang for the buck and flexible compressor, that would be worth evaluating as well. Way more color available than with the RNC I would think.

Bassmankr · 1st July 2009

I think you need to narrow down your question. Clean or colored? For what sources, as I find comps to be very source dependant? If you just need a bunch of clean comps during tracking to slightly even out performances look into the Aphex 651's or better yet the module version, the 9651 where you can get 11 of them in a rack unit. Not much money and they do that specific job well. If you want colored it's better IMHO to have one or two of each kind for variety and with a patchbay you can quickly audition them for the source.

audionickw · 1st July 2009

if someone were to GIVE me 12 of the same comps? Fairchild. I would probably sell half of them and then buy some 1176s and pay off some of the mortgage

1st July 2009	#1
Klauth Gear addict Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 399 Thread Starter	Which tracking compressor If someone were to give you a dozen tracking compressors of all the same make & model... what would you get... and why?

1st July 2009	#7
nonamesleft Gear maniac Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Houston TX Posts: 264	Probably trakkers...though I've never used them...of the ones I have used I'd say distressors. You would need versitility and quality which the distressors most certainly are. __________________ [U]http://www.fc3studios.org

1st July 2009	#12
Dean Roddey Gear Guru Join Date: May 2008 Location: Mountain View, CA Posts: 10,907 2 Reviews written	The Distressor is clearly the Swiss Army Knife, if you can't afford $10K of specialized ones. The Trakker I guess is the Grey Poupon version of the Distressor, though I've never used one of those myself. On the FMR front, they also now have the PBC one. I've not used that one either, but it seems to be a very high bang for the buck and flexible compressor, that would be worth evaluating as well. Way more color available than with the RNC I would think. __________________ Dean Roddey Chairman/CTO Charmed Quark Systems, Ltd www.charmedquark.com Be a control freak!

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1st July 2009	#2
Fixinthemix Gear interested Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 5	the most expensive one... Its usually the best. Me personally I like 1176s

1st July 2009	#3
Daedalus77 Banned Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 1,645	Well, I hate to be cheeky, but I'd probably get a bunch of Trakkers.

1st July 2009	#4
personpitch Gear maniac Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 173	Because I am cheap, I bought a bunch of RNC's. No complaints thus far.

1st July 2009	#5
Mike Brown Lives for gear Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Minneapolis MN Posts: 3,188	Distressors. Lots of different sounds. High quality box... wont break the wallet.

1st July 2009	#6
Indigital Gear Head Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 43	Plus 1 for 1176

1st July 2009	#8
3rd world order Lives for gear Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: hell, michigan Posts: 2,790	chandler TG1 or the germ, since it has so many different settings.

1st July 2009	#9
trashman Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Williamsburg, NYC Posts: 1,439	API 2500 Because you can use for EVERYTHING: Drums, instruments, voice ... It is also stereo for stereo sources. You can also use it for your mixdown. Just a great all arounder. And the sound! wow. Just pure console goodness in a box.

1st July 2009	#10
Protools Guy Lives for gear Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: US of A Posts: 1,261	Tubetech CL-1B

1st July 2009	#11
deuce42 Gear nut Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 122	La2a if you are tracking vocals or are a bit unfamiliar with the material you are tracking 1176 is every other operation. This is because the LA2a has the "set and forget" easy operation which for tracking is very useful and for vocals it's know to be very sweet and gooey. The 1176 requires you to get it more "right" in terms of your ratio/attack/release settings. RNC if you have 1/10th of the money for the above. It won't sound like the two units mentioned above but will still allow you to track without too much trouble and is pretty transparent.

1st July 2009	#13
Bassmankr Lives for gear Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,646	I think you need to narrow down your question. Clean or colored? For what sources, as I find comps to be very source dependant? If you just need a bunch of clean comps during tracking to slightly even out performances look into the Aphex 651's or better yet the module version, the 9651 where you can get 11 of them in a rack unit. Not much money and they do that specific job well. If you want colored it's better IMHO to have one or two of each kind for variety and with a patchbay you can quickly audition them for the source.

1st July 2009	#14
audionickw Gear maniac Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 261	if someone were to GIVE me 12 of the same comps? Fairchild. I would probably sell half of them and then buy some 1176s and pay off some of the mortgage