The lure of 2-buss compression

[Recycled_Brains]

The massey compressor is like 65 dollars.
It is absolutely, without a doubt, my #1 favorite plug in compressor for general use.
Considering i have a ton of outboard stuff, and I STILL throw a massey CT4 on the main vocal chain ITB before it comes screeching out in to a hardware chain, says something.

I know the chandler is expensive, but the massey is not.

Worth it.

Nobody ever said this whole craft was going to be cheap, simple, easy, or profitable.....

Are you talking stereo compressor? NOT- REAL- COOL. Average to semi-average at best. No personality. Nearly invisible. If anything, too upright without any personality. I'd avoid this. It's a weak version of the L1-style.

I am talking about the CT4 which is not the limiter thingy, it is the compressor thingy.

+1 on the Massey. It's the only comp plug in that I have, besides the BF76 and the Digi comp. I don't ever touch the other 2 anymore, and I never feel the need to buy something else (would like to get the Chandler TG limiter plug though).

Try it on the mix buss. it works well, and adds something nice, even when the meter isn't moving.

The limiter is great too. I just use it to boost rough mixes a few dB, and maybe a tiny bit of peak limiting. It's the invisibility that Jeff cites, that I like about it. I don't want to hear that. I get the character I want from the compressor, then use the limiter to give things a little boost.

Joel,

Do you find that just putting it on a track does something to make the midrange sound cooler.

I know I'm being vague, but it's because I can't quite put my finger on what I'm hearing. I just know that on things like el. guitar and drums, it adds "something" that I really like.

Just want to make sure it's not a placebo effect thing.

[firby]

I always mix with a compressor on the 2-mix. I patch it in and mix into it. When I tried to bring it in later I just freaked me out and made me start chasing my tail. I almost always use the same compressor, though I've auditioned and reviewed other things I keep going back to the one I love. ON the rare occasions I mix hip hop I have a different one that I like...

I've found when I think I need to mix something with out the comp, because I fear it's a crutch the results are quite interesting. I always like the mix, especially when I'm in the studio, but after a day or two taking a listen elsewhere the mixes always seem a little lacking. Even if I turn up my listening system the mix won't kick my in the ass the way I want a mix to. When I play mixes I've done with the 2-mix comp, They aren't as loud as a mastered record, but if I turn up the volume, they sound pretty damn close.

2-mix compression helps my mixes sound like a record!

Drumsound.

Name names. What compressor are you liking on the 2 buss for rock and what for Hip Hop ?

Come on man. Is it that much of a secret ?

Regards.

[MoreSpaceEcho]

don't tell him i told you, but tony's special 2 buss sauce is a stock 3630. he insists it's "one of the good ones".

[drumsound]

don't tell him i told you, but tony's special 2 buss sauce is a stock 3630. he insists it's "one of the good ones".

DAMN YOU!

It is one of the good ones. Made and bought well before the Numark buyout. I've modded it with diamond encrusted knobs, but the guts are still totally 100% stock.









In all seriousness my Drawmer 1969 lives on the mix bus. BIG switch engaged, threshold and output at 0. Usually attack at 2 and release usually starts at 4. At a couple different points in the mix I'll try different attack and release settings to see if it gets any better.

On Hip Hop the Mindprint T-Comp just sounds cool for some reason. It also has a HiPass detector...

[MoreSpaceEcho]

fwiw i like the 1969 as well, with similar settings to tony's except i like a longer attack, usually 4 or 5 here. attack 1 release 4 rules on drum room mics though...

[Rick Slater]

I've used a lot of different 2-buss compressors but lately I really enjoy using multi buss compression. I'll have a stereo send for light stuff usually a Neve 33609 at 1.5:1. Next up I'm pumping up drums and bass usually with a pair of Distressors. Guitars and percussive keys go into the third buss which I like to use a Pendulum Audio ES 8. I was really working this out in my mind and originally used more Distressors but I got the idea of trying the ES 8 after discussing it with Michael Brauer who as it turns out had already been doing multi buss compression for a while.

When I'm working out of the box but with less gear I like a 33609 or API 2500 although the studio I do most of my lower budget mixes at has a nice Avalon 747.

[firby]

Thank you brother.

For a long time a drawmer compressor has been on my list. I was thinking 1968 for a while then 1969. I think that compressor is an especially versatile compressor and not that expensive. Anyways, thank you Drumsound. Enjoy your posts, I am a drummer after all.

Regards.

[MoreSpaceEcho]

hey rick slater, are you sending all the drums to the distressor buss? or mainly the close mics or? do you have everything going to the main buss, and the compressed busses are all in parallel or does some stuff just go to the compressors? i am just curious.

[firby]

Has anyone tried a Compellor on this ? I use buss compression all the time here as I have a big ass board but no patch bay yet. The compellor is currently my most invisible compressor. Unless you want me to put the dynamite on the master buss. HA.

Also there is a MXR dual limiter here. I really like that one but I don't know if it would work on the L R buss.

Regards.

[Blade]

Buss compressor is always on from the start!

Attack quicker than slower and a semi fast release.
4 to 1 ratio.

It's mostly receiving it's db reduction from the kick and snare.
I never go under -4 db in general. Transients will push it to -5 or -6 rarely.

No drum buss compression. Sometimes a little comp on bass,
and obviously more on vocal tracks. None on guitars or other various.

I will turn it off sometimes just to see if the mix still sounds good.
After 15 years of recording, it's still....so good so far, just in case I'm not mastering it.

[drumsound]

Thank you brother.

For a long time a drawmer compressor has been on my list. I was thinking 1968 for a while then 1969. I think that compressor is an especially versatile compressor and not that expensive. Anyways, thank you Drumsound. Enjoy your posts, I am a drummer after all.

Regards.

Thank you soooooo much for the kind words!

The '69 and '68 are great compressors. Can be used on a ton of things. I got my '69 the first year they were available. I don't remember when the last time I used the pre was. Sometimes I use the DI. If the '68 had been around I'd have bought one instead.

[Rick Slater]

hey rick slater, are you sending all the drums to the distressor buss? or mainly the close mics or? do you have everything going to the main buss, and the compressed busses are all in parallel or does some stuff just go to the compressors? i am just curious.

There really is no main compressed buss just three stereo busses feeding L/R out from the console. On a K9000 I use the A,B, and C busses but you can use auxes in the box.

I send all the drum mics to the Distressor buss along with the bass most of the time. Sometimes the bass goes elsewhere depending on how hard I want to hit it. Parallel compression takes place on the drums before all that with a pair of Distressors.

[joel hamilton]

I also do the multi-buss situation, but speaking of Brauer, I have my ADL670 across the main insert after all the multi buss stuff happens including the parallel buss's and aux's and stuff.

[Rick Slater]

I also do the multi-buss situation, but speaking of Brauer, I have my ADL670 across the main insert after all the multi buss stuff happens including the parallel buss's and aux's and stuff.

I hear it's great. Anthony tried to get me to buy one. LOL I'm not sure how much Michael is actually using that piece though.

[joel hamilton]

I also do the multi-buss situation, but speaking of Brauer, I have my ADL670 across the main insert after all the multi buss stuff happens including the parallel buss's and aux's and stuff.

I hear it's great. Anthony tried to get me to buy one. LOL I'm not sure how much Michael is actually using that piece though.

Michael is the one that introduced me to Anthony, and I got mine then.

Anyway, I am digging it.