Stereo Bus Compressor (maybe Chameleon Labs 7720?)
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Stereo Bus Compressor (maybe Chameleon Labs 7720?)
Anybody got recommendations? I mix primarily out of the box, and I'm looking for something clean-sounding, mostly transparent, and versatile that I can use on my final mixes as well as the occasional "budget-mastering" job.
-Below $600 new (but I'd be willing to hunt for a fancier unit at a used price)
-Don't need any gates/expanders
-A hard limiter in addition to the compressor would be nice, but not necessary
-Permanently linked channels is fine
The Chameleon Labs 7720 is in the ballpark of what I'm looking for. If anybody has experience with that unit please tell me about it, or the quality of the company in general.
Thanks!
-Below $600 new (but I'd be willing to hunt for a fancier unit at a used price)
-Don't need any gates/expanders
-A hard limiter in addition to the compressor would be nice, but not necessary
-Permanently linked channels is fine
The Chameleon Labs 7720 is in the ballpark of what I'm looking for. If anybody has experience with that unit please tell me about it, or the quality of the company in general.
Thanks!
- losthighway
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I hate to be Mr. Poopy Pants on this one, but someone has to do it. I don't see the appeal of buying a box for less than $600 and then running everything I've recorded through it all at once. I don't have any box in my collection that I want to run everything through.
I guess I like mastering engineers is what I'm saying.
I guess I like mastering engineers is what I'm saying.
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Lol I dunno where you'd get that idea...what with that Autotune box I have with a tube pre courtesy of ART...Magnetic Services wrote:I will look into the ART box. I got a cheap ART tube DI/preamp and have barely used it since getting it... I guess they just stuck in my mind as one of those companies that sticks tubes in stuff and uses vintage lust to sell gear.
But never say never!
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- Wagz
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So, I recently had a buddy loan me an ART from his studio. I threw it on a buss mix and was not terribly happy. On a bus I was having headroom issues. It just topped out super easy, and I mix with a fair bit of headroom, usually have to bring it up in my 2 bus a bit to hit -6db.
It also sounded a bit thinner than I wanted. I get better results from a couple plug-ins I have.
The thing just lacked a bit for me. It wasn't bad, especially for the price. But I personally wouldn't use it on a two buss.
On another hand, I see these on sale fairly regularly. And they claim to have fixed the headroom issue.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/REVIVE-AUDIO-MO ... 4193b3f153
Haven't played with the chameleon labs stuff, but have always heard nice things about them.
It also sounded a bit thinner than I wanted. I get better results from a couple plug-ins I have.
The thing just lacked a bit for me. It wasn't bad, especially for the price. But I personally wouldn't use it on a two buss.
On another hand, I see these on sale fairly regularly. And they claim to have fixed the headroom issue.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/REVIVE-AUDIO-MO ... 4193b3f153
Haven't played with the chameleon labs stuff, but have always heard nice things about them.
Snoring Hound Studio
Kalisepll, MT
Kalisepll, MT
- joninc
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The vlas have tubes and sounds like the unit you used needs new ones as neither of mine (have an original and the Vla 2) thin out the sound.
I know that art gear is not cool. I get it. But this is a surprisingly great
Product. Mine lives on the mix buss as a first stage of compression to bring down some peaks and help level things off a bit. Don't take my word for it though, dave fridmann, Craig Schumacher, thom monahan and many others profess their love of it too.
I know that art gear is not cool. I get it. But this is a surprisingly great
Product. Mine lives on the mix buss as a first stage of compression to bring down some peaks and help level things off a bit. Don't take my word for it though, dave fridmann, Craig Schumacher, thom monahan and many others profess their love of it too.
the new rules : there are no rules
- Sean Sullivan
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The Chameleon doesn't look poorly made, uses through hole components, so I think it would be a great candidate to send to Jim Williams for an upgrade. It probably doesn't use the best VCA's (those a pretty expensive) but I bet it wouldn't take much $$$ to really improve it
Still waiting for a Luna reunion
- Wagz
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As I said, only played with it for an hour or so.
I always thought they were very cool units... I've known many people who have said its always nice to have a couple in the rack.
I'll play around with it a bit more. See if I can get a feel for it.
Also, isn't the FMR RNC supposed to be pretty nice?
I always thought they were very cool units... I've known many people who have said its always nice to have a couple in the rack.
I'll play around with it a bit more. See if I can get a feel for it.
Also, isn't the FMR RNC supposed to be pretty nice?
Snoring Hound Studio
Kalisepll, MT
Kalisepll, MT
I don't use 'em on the mix-buss (I record with 'em) but I have both the VLA and the FMR RNC.
The VLA is cool, but can be a touch noisy depending on settings; the tube is for output make-up level. (I use on vocals, bass.)
The FMR RNC is very clean, very transparent and I suspect would be great for mix-buss. (I use on vocals.)
I also like the RNLA from FMR, but it is more colored and would probably give you a "sound". (I use on vocals, guitars.)
I have a Symetrix 522 that's really nice on vocals, guitars, bass and I think would be similar to a dbx, with a bit of color that's pleasing.
FWIW, if I ever get my analog act together, I have a couple of Meek compressors (MC2 and C2) that I really want to try on a two-buss; they are great on stereo keys, highly colored.
Finally, and I only mention because all of these are inexpensive (sub-US$300 used) stereo compressors, the dbx160A might be cool also, and is also good on stereo keys and guitar mic's.
The VLA is cool, but can be a touch noisy depending on settings; the tube is for output make-up level. (I use on vocals, bass.)
The FMR RNC is very clean, very transparent and I suspect would be great for mix-buss. (I use on vocals.)
I also like the RNLA from FMR, but it is more colored and would probably give you a "sound". (I use on vocals, guitars.)
I have a Symetrix 522 that's really nice on vocals, guitars, bass and I think would be similar to a dbx, with a bit of color that's pleasing.
FWIW, if I ever get my analog act together, I have a couple of Meek compressors (MC2 and C2) that I really want to try on a two-buss; they are great on stereo keys, highly colored.
Finally, and I only mention because all of these are inexpensive (sub-US$300 used) stereo compressors, the dbx160A might be cool also, and is also good on stereo keys and guitar mic's.
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