Symetrix 501's arriving soon.... tips /techniques?

[tyler477]

So I was searching for comps on e-bay and came across a pair today for 150 bucks buy it now!! I quickly snatched them up and now I'm wondering what my next step should be..

I'll be recording vintage synthesizers, 1963 rogers holiday drum kit, guitar bass etc..I'm really interested in the limiting section.

I know there are 501 enthusiasts here on the forums, was wondering if we could have a big thread discussing tecniques/ preamp mic synergy / mods (if any are needed)

can't wait to start turning those knobs! (my first hardware comps )

[T-rex]

$150 for a pair has to get a Hell yes. I used one tonight on a mix as a parallel snare/bd/toms comp just for the limiter. Sounds great. I really haven't had a chance to dig into mine yet but so far its a cool comp.

[losthighway]

A great compressor. I have tried it on most things. I love it the most on snare and bass. It has a "not that clean" sound. It kind of rolls a little highs off, and you can make it pump in this very Symetrix way. Awesome for slammed overheads, or room mic sound.

One thing I've been noticing is huge changes on the release setting, make for relatively subtle changes in the sound. You can hear it switching it's shape a little, but less than some other comps.

Just a cool, gritty compressor. I'll never sell mine. Congrats.

[tyler477]

A great compressor. I have tried it on most things. I love it the most on snare and bass. It has a "not that clean" sound. It kind of rolls a little highs off, and you can make it pump in this very Symetrix way. Awesome for slammed overheads, or room mic sound.

One thing I've been noticing is huge changes on the release setting, make for relatively subtle changes in the sound. You can hear it switching it's shape a little, but less than some other comps.

Just a cool, gritty compressor. I'll never sell mine. Congrats.

Thanks for both of your feedback, I'm really getting ancy to get them in the rack!

Either of you thought of doing any mods?

[getreel]

I agree that the limiter is great on drum parallel and room mics. I have even used it with great results for smashing a hard rock vocal.

[evilaudio]

HELL F'n YEAH!

Since Mr. Hamilton's recommendations a few years back I got a pair and use them on almost every recording session or mix I do. I didn't get them for as cheap as you did, so congrats on the killer deal there! Tracking they're great for smashing room sounds, snare drum, bass guitar, some vocal things... They handle a lot of stuff and do what they do very well. In JH's words: "shit can get explosive!" and I believe he still uses one or two at Studio G. My favorite uses are obliterating drum "room" sounds and smashing and exciting parallel bass guitar (you can get some really nice grit when slamming the diodes into clipping that can bring the bass out of a mix). Aggressive bastards. They can be gentle, but I've got nicer comps for that purpose now. I feel I'll always have a use for them, with nicer much more expensive comps in the rack.

I have a pair of the "toggle switch" types (supposed to be "better"), but one got hit hard in the face in shipping to me and never really worked the same as the "good" one I have. I still need someone to check it out/re-calibrate / and/or fix it, but I gave up searching and just use it in it's "crippled" state (sounds fine, but I always feel nervous when using them in stereo). If ANYONE knows about a person or place I could send mine to for relatively cheap cost, I'd be super appreciative! I have a third unit that's even more beat up, but the guts seem to be okay (was hoping to use as spare parts, but I'm no EE).

(While we're on the subject, you should look into Ashly SC50's, too! The "poor man's 1176".)

[tyler477]

awesome! I'll look into the Ashly also, but I'm not a paid engineer so this pair may just be my all-around workhorses.


so the consensus is they work best on room mics and bass and some vocals... man I can hardly wait to get them and start micing up my rogers!
also gonna throw my ms-20 through it for some amazing bass!!

I'm not sure if these are the toggle or pushbutton, but I have read they are equally as good in many forums (still hoping they will be the toggle!)

thanks to everyone for the invaluable info!

[GLEA]

I've got three of them. I use them all the time. Can't go too far wrong with Symetrix stuff. Nice when you can buy them cheap. I've also got a 150 comp, a 525 stereo comp and a 528 pre/eq/comp. If I had the space, I'd buy more....

Conrad Uno, at Egg turned me on to them. I went out and bought my first 501 as as soon as I was done with the session.