Which tracking or mixing comp/limiters are out there that can still be had at a decent price . That have good performance and cool character to them.
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1) The Symetrix 501 is a great compressor that uses an independe
1) The Symetrix 501 is a great compressor that uses an independent peak limiter circuit. This means that the compressor's VCA won't "overshoot" when the box gets driven into limiting. Great headroom, built like a tank. I have EIGHT of these, and I don't think that I paid more than $100 apiece off of e-Bay. A true gem.
2) Valley Audio (formerly Valley People) Dyna-Mite. This is a 2-channel comp/gate, no longer made. It is a very musical, clean piece, easily beats anything else that LOOKS like it hands-down. These don't come easy or cheap. The folks that own one tend to keep them.
3) Smith&Wesson .38 Special. Hold one of these to ANY drummers' head and INSTANTLY get a more consistent snare "crack". Guaranteed !
I did a great rock-and-roll recording for a friend and utilized
I did a great rock-and-roll recording for a friend and utilized almost all DBX166's. Perfectly wonderful. Perfectly adequate. Perfectly affordable. I've got the good stuff myself but I will use whatever is put before me, like his project control room. You can't go wrong with those things. And, it includes a gate! Very handy. You'll love it on drums and other applications. Not a downward expander mind you so it will sound like crap on a vocal because you don't want to gate a vocal. You merely want to duck or add a little bit of preset downward expansion of approximately 6 to 15 DB, instead of cutting the microphone off on a vocal. That sounds just awful. But on a snare drum or bass drum, now you're cooking gas!
I have too much gas.
Ms. Remy Ann David
DOH!! I forgot to mention THAT (is made by the former owner of
DOH!! I forgot to mention THAT (is made by the former owner of DBX) so it should be up to the task. Beringer makes a couple of reasonable sounding DBX like imitation compressors which don't sound bad. They're cheap and easy like I am. If you don't think they're up to the task, maybe you should C Alice?
C Alice's restaurant
Ms. Remy Ann David
moonbaby wrote: 1) The Symetrix 501 is a great compressor that u
moonbaby wrote: 1) The Symetrix 501 is a great compressor that uses an independent peak limiter circuit. This means that the compressor's VCA won't "overshoot" when the box gets driven into limiting. Great headroom, built like a tank. I have EIGHT of these, and I don't think that I paid more than $100 apiece off of e-Bay. A true gem.
2) Valley Audio (formerly Valley People) Dyna-Mite. This is a 2-channel comp/gate, no longer made. It is a very musical, clean piece, easily beats anything else that LOOKS like it hands-down. These don't come easy or cheap. The folks that own one tend to keep them.
3) Smith&Wesson .38 Special. Hold one of these to ANY drummers' head and INSTANTLY get a more consistent snare "crack". Guaranteed !
1. Yes. The 525 isnt that bad either though it isnt a 501......The older ones are the better ones BTW.....I WILL NOT tell you how to identify one of them......so there. :P
2. Its obvious to me that DaMoon and I shop at the same store.
3. The drummer these days are quicker than they used to be. Ya gotta take a moment to draw a bead on em.....
4. Gaff mentioned a couple. The Aphex stuff is outstanding gear. Do not be confused that it doesnt hold its resale. The Compellor is compression for those who really know what they want. The Expressor takes a bit of diddling to get it right, but when it is right, ya got a crapload of high quality gain with so much control you wonder whats wrong with this picture and start looking for a bad cable or something....(JEEZ that works too well!!!)
5. The compressor in your Eureka preamp. Unbelievable aint it.
6. Furman sound. The MadCow wont let me remember that stupid compressors' model name.....Again...high-end VCA's built for jambands in the Bay.
And THEN theres the ultimate vocal compression. A mono 1/4 recorder used as an insert across the vocal track. ( Roberts is a good name to drop here :wink: ) Make sure it has tubes, and an input and output knob. You dont need tape.....just in case you were gonna ask.
No tape?? Where's the beef? I have an E. J. Lesher half track
No tape?? Where's the beef?
I have an E. J. Lesher half track stereo tube machine from 1956. Manufactured in Ann Arbor Michigan. One of those little-known independent recorder manufacturers. I think he was a professor of EE, at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor? That should do the job, if it were for sale. It's a family heirloom. Bias' up just fine to Scotch 206. At least it did last in 1987.
Anyone interested in my Ampex AG 354 stereo germanium transistor machine?
Living in the past
Ms. Remy Ann David
Gaff also mentioned the Ashly SC-50. There are different version
Gaff also mentioned the Ashly SC-50. There are different versions of this puppy, too. Earlier models used a discrete VCA, and are easily identified by the large purple polka-dot in the middle of the control panel :wink:
The 2-channel SC-52 is cool, too, and you can parallel one channel into the other to absolutely CRUSH the program. Kinda like a "poor man's Distressor". BTW, Gaff, thanks for raising the demand for these babies :lol:
Finally...The Shure Level-Loc. This piece of audio processing was designed to keep the level of a podium mic within a selected "window".
It had a mic pre taken from the M67 mixer, run through some sort of gain element (opto, I'm guessing from the lack of speed), and then spit out an XLR mic-level output. But not before it was spanked, pounded, and pumped into submission. I used to use one of these with this hideously gawdy GOLD E-V 666 dynamic mic plugged into it as a room mic. In fact, it was one of my first "pro audio" rigs I had before I could drive. That and a Voice of Music tape recorder with the "magic eye" level meter. I miss them all, RIP.
I have a DBX 106A and 166. They work very well on drum buses.
I have a DBX 106A and 166. They work very well on drum buses. I think I paid about 100 for each on ebay. I also have a 3630 which I modded with a newer version of the THAT VCA and fixed some power supply issues. I think BLack lion used to have mod kit for the 3630, I heard good things about that. I did't use their mod kit, Ijust played until it sounded right. My modded 3630 works well on drums, vocals and bass. To my ear my modded 3630 is simular to the DBX stuff, go figure its got the same VCA's and RMS detectors in it.
I also am a fan on the Aphex line. They make could quality products for a reasonable price. The design is nicely done.
What do you consider decent pricing? I love the Imperical Labs
What do you consider decent pricing?
I love the Imperical Labs Distressor. I think it was around 1700 when I bought mine.