D&R Compressors

[XHipHop]

Anyone use these? Does D&R sell racks for them?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...category=23793

[Dave Martin]

My understanding is that they're pretty much the same as those built into the console - VCA based, clean and useable but not all that exciting.

[XHipHop]

Thanks for the response...i'm gonna pass on those.

[Kent]

I have a friend over here in France that really likes them. I, on the other hand, find them to be "VCA based, clean and useable but not all that exciting" to quote Mr. Martin. They do a serviceable job.

The nice thing about them is that they do not require a rack at all. The power supplies are built right into the modules and you can plug them straight into the wall. I don't recall if they do 110/120V without necessitating the use of a step-down transformer.

They went for $100 and that was have been a pretty good deal.

[Naptalene]

We had a D&R Merlin about 6 years ago, great looking desk but stupid layout, stupid routing and the thing just started dying after 2 years. We moved to a studio based around Pro-Tools then( PT 24) and was ecstatic. One session we had a brass section in and couldnt get any audio through except snap crackle pop! Not nice. And when our engineer opened it up to repair, the layout was hell. Not to mention crackley pots that you had to flick to get rid of the noise!!!! I dunno, maybe just bad experience, but our sister company bought one too and had the same hassles.
They could be putting out good gear now, but its funny how a bad experience can put one off a brand!!!!

Cheers

PS If you do get one, hit the pots immediatley (and if the salesman bitches, hit him too

[Dave Martin]

Originally posted by Naptalene
We had a D&R Merlin about 6 years ago, great looking desk but stupid layout, stupid routing and the thing just started dying after 2 years.

That's bad luck - I've had my Cinemix for almost 7 years, and it's still a workhorse.

[Jay Kahrs]

Yeah, I know another guy in VT with a Cinemix and he's never had a problem with it either, plus countless people with Orion's and other D&R desks. I've never heard a D&R horror story until now. Did you buy that desk used or new?

[Dave Martin]

Originally posted by Jay Kahrs
Yeah, I know another guy in VT with a Cinemix and he's never had a problem with it either,

Yeah, Joe and I both think the console is pretty much bulletproof.

[Naptalene]

Theres my point about judging a make by one bad experience.....
It was new (And so was the second one our sister company had)
Look, it was really good value for money while it worked, and after talking to our techie, apparantley the Merlin was their first large format attempt, so that could also be it, however, I would strongly recomend anyone looking at a Merlin to give it a serious run-through. The physical layout made repairs hell and the Bantam bays snapped regularly and the snap crackle pop thing (on 2 seperate desks)

And we're in Africa so you must know what its like repairing stuff.....888 has to be sent to the states to get fixed.....stuff that!!! Our techie is God......umm...not quite.....getting side tracked...

Bye