Good bang-for-buck outboard compressor?

davidhoffmanmusic · Post by **davidhoffmanmusic** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 3:58 pm

I am, for budgetary reasons, a software-centric recordist at the moment, but I'm thinking of branching out into some more actual hardware - thinking that a nice warm compressor would be a good place to start. Any recommendations of a model I should be looking around for second-hand?

drumsound · Post by **drumsound** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 4:14 pm

FMR audio has a few nice options.

A.David.MacKinnon · Post by **A.David.MacKinnon** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 4:35 pm

Someone else is bound to chime in with this so I may as well do it first -
ART Pro VLA. It's probably under $300 used, stereo, sounds good on lots of sources and will stay useful even long after you've bought lots of high end comps. Mine gets used somewhere on just about every mix.

A.David.MacKinnon · Post by **A.David.MacKinnon** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 5:03 pm

Also, if you're like me you'll end up not giving a shit about swiss army knife comps and lust after lots of cool one trick pony type boxes. If that's the case may I humbly suggest the DBX 163, DBX 163x, Alesis Microlimiter, EH Black Finger, anything green faced by Altec, Gates broadcast limiters, and Allison Research Gain Brains. Almost all of these can be had for $100-600 used and do one or two (and sometimes more) things amazingly well.

ott0bot · Post by **ott0bot** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 5:08 pm

If you go with FMR, I highly recomend the RNLA. Great on vox, bass, syths, and more. Very versitle on instruments, but a big 'meh' on mixes. The RNC is decent...but the attack is a little too fast to be really versitile IMO.

Also, check out the Summit Audio TLA-50. Really nice and simple compressor. Really magical on vocals and guitars. Definatley a bit bright on the tone side with stock tubes, but NOS can be added for variety. I own a pair, and use them every time I track and mix. Email Summit directly and see if they have any b-stock, as I picked both mine up that way for around $450.

Also...the DBX 160a is a classic sounding versitle unit. Works on nearly everything with good results.

I don't thinik you'd outgrow any of these units.

losthighway · Post by **losthighway** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 5:16 pm

+1 on dbx

weatherbox · Post by **weatherbox** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 6:17 pm

Mono units, the 160a and Symetrix 501 are pretty useful. The VLA-II is a pretty good bet - good compressor with all the basic controls you need, the output section can be driven hard to put some fur on softsynths etc, and it's stereo. I'd avoid the RNC.

Recycled_Brains · Post by **Recycled_Brains** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 6:25 am

weatherbox wrote:Mono units, the 160a and Symetrix 501 are pretty useful.

or, 160X, but yes... these are good.

davidhoffmanmusic · Post by **davidhoffmanmusic** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 8:01 am

I should have specified that I'd like something that works particularly well for mixing, particularly something I can run the whole mix through for on-the-spot "mastering".

davidhoffmanmusic · Post by **davidhoffmanmusic** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 8:02 am

And that I prefer a warm tube-y vintage sound

Thanks for all the posts! Keep 'em coming, please!

Jim Williams · Post by **Jim Williams** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 8:09 am

Aphex Expressor 651.

fuzz · Post by **fuzz** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 9:44 am

I would steer clear of running your mixes through any "budget" comp. If you're just wanting to gain it up for a clients ref, then I suppose you could do it, but if you're already ITB an L2 is gonna do this task much better.
Also, FWIW, there is something to be said for holding out for something you'll still be patching into years later. I own 2 FMR RNCs and they are a good utility comp but they don't do any one thing so well that I'd grab it first. Mine now always seen to wind up on BVs or somewhere in an effect chain if anywhere. My sincere recommendation would be to sit on it and buy a distressor or an 1176/mc77. Both those do several things REALLY well. I would print (comp in moderation) the unit. This is still what I do with my EQP-1a cause when mixing I'll want it on snare but vox are going to win out.
If you can't wait, I'd second a 160X. The 160 xt doesn't have the transformer and the 160a was marketed as more of a consumer oriented version of the 160. Also, I prefer the 160x from MA, USA over the Japan makes. You should be able to find a 160x for less than $150 and it will always be an option for your electric bass tracks.

Bro Shark · Post by **Bro Shark** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 10:32 am

davidhoffmanmusic wrote:I should have specified that I'd like something that works particularly well for mixing, particularly something I can run the whole mix through for on-the-spot "mastering".

I'm no professional, but I disagree with the assumption or given in this statement. Mixing into a buss compressor can be an awesome way to glue a mix - to make it sound like "a record" - but "mastering" has nothing to do with that. And furthermore, if you're not mixing into a really nice buss compressor, it's gonna be pretty obvious; it's rarely gonna sound great.

IMO.

As far as faux "mastering." A lot of people use a brickwall limiter just to bring a mix to "reference level" so a client doesn't wonder why it's 10db quieter than all their CDs. I usually use the Massey L2007 (free) for this, and keep it from doing anything more severe than brickwalling snares and other such transients <2db. Anything beyond that and I think you're getting into the territory of changing the fundamental nature of the mix, thus defeating the purpose of printing it for evaluation purposes.

casey campbell · Post by **casey campbell** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 11:13 am

Bro Shark wrote:
davidhoffmanmusic wrote:I should have specified that I'd like something that works particularly well for mixing, particularly something I can run the whole mix through for on-the-spot "mastering".
I'm no professional, but I disagree with the assumption or given in this statement. Mixing into a buss compressor can be an awesome way to glue a mix - to make it sound like "a record" - but "mastering" has nothing to do with that. And furthermore, if you're not mixing into a really nice buss compressor, it's gonna be pretty obvious; it's rarely gonna sound great.

IMO.

As far as faux "mastering." A lot of people use a brickwall limiter just to bring a mix to "reference level" so a client doesn't wonder why it's 10db quieter than all their CDs. I usually use the Massey L2007 (free) for this, and keep it from doing anything more severe than brickwalling snares and other such transients <2db. Anything beyond that and I think you're getting into the territory of changing the fundamental nature of the mix, thus defeating the purpose of printing it for evaluation purposes.

well, it could sound great.... this is very big blanket statement....too many variables to say really.

drumsound · Post by **drumsound** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 1:20 pm

ott0bot wrote:If you go with FMR, I highly recomend the RNLA. Great on vox, bass, syths, and more. Very versitle on instruments, but a big 'meh' on mixes. The RNC is decent...but the attack is a little too fast to be really versitile IMO.
.

The fast attack option is part of why I consider the RNC versitile.

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Good bang-for-buck outboard compressor?

Good bang-for-buck outboard compressor?

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