Tony,

Sounds like you are on the right track. I never find myself hitting a two bus compressor very hard, things can get weird very fast in this application. Don't try to take the place of the mastering engineer (ie trying to get it to sound like the radio or what have you). I personally think compression should be done in small steps. I usually get it to where I can hear it working and then back it off just a little. Remember, you can never go back with compression. Best Of Luck.

Nathan's right, don't try to take the place of the mastering engineer...there are damn few really qualified for that particular piece of 'zen audio'.

That said...from the way you were describing using the unit, I'd suggest a couple of different settings to give a try in 2-bus applications.

The 'big' switch engaged to be sure...that's drive your 2-bus compression off the vocals instead of the kick drum.

The first of the "Program Dependant" release settings is setting "5". That's "Program Dependant, Short". "6" is "Program Dependant, Long". 4 is just a relatively long release time.

The two settings I find myself ending up with for 2-bus work most often are: Attack 4, Release 1. That's a relatively slow attack (let's the drums slam through in a very nice way, get's the beginning of the vocals a tad more explosive, not alot, but enough), and a pretty damn quick release (it does what it needs to do, and gets the hell out of the way), with short release times one of the artifacts is increased 3rd harmonic distortion, not alot, just an "RCH" worth...which will add a little 'szizge' to the whole thing.

Often swapping release "1" with release "5" give you a tad less of that 'szizge' if you don't really find it necessary. [No, I have absofuckinglutely no idea how to define 'szizge', just sorta take it for what it ought to kinda sound like...

With the Attack 4, Release 1 or 5 setting, I've done like 5-7 db of gain reduction [AKA an obscene amount of 2-bus compression] without bumming out the mastering engineer (most of the mastering engineers my product gets sent to have known me long enough, and we have a good enough relationship where they feel comfortable yelling at me when I do something goofy...it was Masterdisk's Howie Weinberg that got me off "the good button" on SSL desks...).

My other favorite setting is "2" & "2". This, for the most part, gives you something similar in character of a 670 on 'time constant 2' (I'll be abbreviating "time constant" as "T-C" from here on out). "T-C 2" on a 670 is one of my favorites for program stuff, though it seems the favorite 'T-C' I see (or have heard of) for alot of the 'West Coast' engineers is "T-C 4". I like things a bit more aggressive than many of my 'West Coast bretheren'.

Drumsound, you're on the right track with it, play around some more. I really find myself getting way aggressive with the box, less so when in normal stereo lock, but that's why the internal side chain switch was put on the front...save me about 5-10 minutes per use not having to patch in 'outboard side chain' shit.

If you have any other questions, feel free to post them, or call the office...that's what it's there for, call and ask us questions to your heart's desire.

Ciao for now.

The first of the "Program Dependant" release settings is setting "5". That's "Program Dependant, Short". "6" is "Program Dependant, Long". 4 is just a relatively long release time.

Fletcher, I've got my 1969 manual open right now. Manual sez there are THREE program dependent release settings. What gives?

Thanks for a very informative post, by the way.

-e

Thanks for the tips!

Nathan, I'm with you all the way on not compressing the 2-mix too much. I was kind of wondering if there were some cool "this shouldn't work but does" type thing people have learned with the 1969.

Fletcher, I'm also digging the 2-2 scenario. I also like using attack 1 and release 1. I tend to do fast attack and release a lot on most of my compressors. Though I don't like the fastest setting on the VoxBox much at all. I posted here instead of calling the shop because I thought more people could 1. Add their thoughts and 2. Possibly get something out of it. Jay spent about a half-hour with me on the phone discussing options. I will definitely buy from your shop and Jay in particular again. (I must admit I was kind of bummed to not talk to you live and in person, buy Jay rocks so all is good!)

Thanks again

Originally posted by EJolson:
I've got my 1969 manual open right now. Manual sez there are THREE program dependent release settings. What gives?

Almost every winter we get everybody a "staff sweatshirt" (then keep the place at like 65 degrees...with 15 foot ceilings, the place is murder to heat in the winter).

Every year the "staff" sweatshirts say something different...the first was: "STAFF-Get the fuck out of my way", one of them said: "STAFF-Kennedy Ski Team", there was talk about doing "STAFF-Kennedy Aviation", but somehow it never got printed.

These sweatshirts are usually black, and range from hooded with a zipper in front, to hooded with that sort of 'marsupial pouch pocket'...the one that goes straight across.

The one that we did that wasn't black (it's gray, hooded, zip up style) has the Mercenary logo about 4 inches high on the left breast with the word 'STAFF' underneath the logo. On the back, in huge letters, like 4" letters it says: RTFM.

This is advice I should learn to heed...as I just learned something about the '69 I didn't know before (because I didn't "Read The Furnished Materials"). See if I had "Read The Fucking Manual", I wouldn't have put my foot in my mouth.

Indeed, there are three 'program dependant release' settings. "4" is short; "5" is medium, "6" is long.

My bad.