So far so good with the Drawner 1968ME !

Over the past 15 year my 2 bus comp has gone from:

SSL (worked at big studio)
Drawmer 251 (started my own studio)
Summit DCL 200 (I was still young!)
STC-8 (I was one of the very first in 1996)
Neve 83065
SSL
SSL
SSL
Focusrite Red
Daking
Neve 83065
Manely Slam
and yes, back to the SSL
(but I've got a API 2500 on order .......)

Pair of EAR 660's, sometimes going into a C2. Works wonders for me

I just ordered a Drawmer 1968 ME for my 2-bus.
Can't wait to get it in here.

Got a great deal, and I love the "big" function... I've used that technique with luck in the past, and having it ready at the push of a button is awesome.

Requisite L2M -Big Power supply though.

Sounds great-even if you arent limiting.

no one for 33609?

these days i strapped a pair of avalon L44s on the stereo bus. not minding them at all. they have the 'mix' deal happening, so it's parallel compression without the patching, xtra channels, etc. - can make it very noticeable or not - but i'm thinking of selling the whole avalon rig 'cause it's so f#$%! HUGE physically - pair of M22, E55, and L44 + PSU = 8 spaces , but i dunno... guess clean and transparent is cool... kinda.

Never heard of these -- do you have a pic?

will try to post a pic soon.

Its the original Avalon rack and modules.

When they were making the good stuff.

id chime in with a vote for the thermionic culture phoenix and also for the SSL 384.

the pendulum ES-8 was very nice though not as strong as the phoenix for my money but theres a ton more as you have seen. STC8, trakker and distressor are all highly in favour at the moment too.

yeah... wynton morro - i think he originally made the stuff in australia. very nice guy. bought the units several years back, so i guess they're almost 'vintage'! took a pic w/my cellphone - now if i can just figure out how to email it to myself!!!

TFPro P38 - clean and versatile (smoothe or grabby/fast)

SSL/Smart - forward and squeaky/grabby. touchy.

STC-8 - warm clean ... good glue. forgiving - can be hit hard or barely touched

Requisite L2M - heavy tranny weight to the low end and big tube size overall. Big warm sweet sound, not fast.

Vin 609CA - non-tube Tranny weight (less thick than L2M)... mid and high push/plenty of distortion. Openness. Sounds like rock.

API 2500. that api sound in a comp, and another sound. versatile controls. punch circuit

1968, darkish tubey thing. FET grab (not SSL). a different punch circuit

LTD-2s beefy thickness with some tranny weight. Narrow, focused, low mid thing. Sounds like Marino.

HOLLA!!

I like the quad compressor on our SSL.

Neve 33609 link

http://www.ams-neve.com/prod/33609.htm

Very useful.....

Thanks Brian,

your characterization is really helpful as a starting point.

Andreas

you made me go buy a f#$%! camera!

whoa they look hella cool ... thumbsup

Avalon rack set-up looks really good..almost a thing of beauty!!

The P38 Kicks Serious Ass!

I will taste this soon Hand made spanish valve comps take a look : www.mattaudio.com

That Avalon looks super sexy....

Very versatile duo I start to prefer more and more over STC-8 (similarly priced)

P38 to C2

from clean, subtle to warm and aggresive.

All of the compressors that you guys mention are great pieces, but the choice is really determined by the amterial that you are compressing.

I recently mastered a CD project that was recorded on black face ADATs (this was out of neccesity and not desire) and although we were able to use very nice mic pres (Neve 1073s, Spheres, UA 2610 and a Manley Voxbox) and very nice mics the final mix still had "ADAT" high end with "edgy" cymbals and high end. It was rock stuff that went from hard to soft ballads.

The signal chain that we used was a Neve 1073 for a low end boost (I mixed on Genelec 1029s and missed on the low end) and a mid boost on a few songs, a GML 8200 for a specific 200 hz cut and 26K "air" on top. We ended up using versions with only a small amount of "air" because it emphasized the ADAT sound, but it was a nice touch that added greatly to the mixes.

Once we had a good EQ going we tried different compressors.
We tried a Manley Variable Mu (serial #2) an Alan Smart C2 and settled on an original issue Neve 33609.
The Variable Mu was too "edgy" or "quick" for the already "edgy" ADAT recordings and the C2 was just too severe. We were hitting the 33609 with a 2:1 ratio and digging in with about 3 dbs of reduction at most. The end result sounds like a "record."

Interestingly enough I experimented with finding an overall EQ by using my Sphere 920s (all discreet) and running several versions over a few weeks and evaluating the results. I had a TC Electronics Finalizer in a borrowed rack of gear and even played with it. Although those versions sound pretty damn good, the 1073, GML 8200, 33609 versions are in a whole different universe. We almost used the Spheres instead of the Neve 1073s, but felt the Neves would add "magic."

If I had to buy one do-all piece it would have to be the 33609 because it yields a comfortable result in most instances.

Danny Brown