We've looked at a few different options, dbx 166xl, tc elec c300, drawmer. We need a IU (due to rack limitations) and 2 ch. Less than $1000 preferably. Any suggestions?
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Yeah... This is for live sound (travel actually). I would proba
Yeah...
This is for live sound (travel actually). I would probably just use a dbx 160a if we didn't need a 2 channel. We were looking at a couple focusrites, but they are 2u.
Would setting the gate on the 241 be equal to shutting it off? We were told to not get a gate.
We're already using a couple 166's (non-xl) in our installed setup, for instruments, but this will be for speaking. I'm not sure if selection would be different for that.
JJ
The DL241's "gate" is an expander, and it is adjustable to be ou
The DL241's "gate" is an expander, and it is adjustable to be out of the circuit. A downward expander can be very good to use on live spoken word material, as it acts more like a very fast fader pulling down the gain a bit between words/phrases. Not so much of an "on/off" action (which is what a gate tends to do). That downward expansion can keep the mic from "coupling with" the room, and this can aid in controlling feedback. I don't know who told you not to get a gate, there are good ones and bad ones out there. Drawmer makes some of the best.
BTW, the Focusrite line in your price range is the "Platinum Series"....stay away from that crap, it doesn't do the name justice, especially for live sound.
What application will this be for? Since you are in Branson, MO,
What application will this be for? Since you are in Branson, MO, I would first guess live sound. Then I would go with the dbx or Drawmer, as they are analog pieces and they will "attack" in real time, zero latency. In the case of the Drawmer, in your price range, that would be the MX series. This line is really no better quality than the 1066XL would be, and the dbx would be a bit less expensive. The MX30 is a nice unit, and features some type of "spectral enhancer", but it is doesn't have the fully variable parameters that the 1066 has. Now, if you can foot it, the Drawmer DL241/DL251 are really nice units, and they've been in tour systems for a while now.
Also, the Valley Audio Dynamight is an awesome live unit. It is no longer manufactured, but once in a while they are on e-Bay and VERY well worth the $$.
My personal experiences with the TC digital compressors is with the predecessor of their new one. I think that it was called the C2 (?), and I hated it for anything, mainly due to its' latency issues, but also the user interface was a real pain.