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Post by wiz on Oct 7, 2019 16:32:48 GMT -6
Something that has drastically changed for me over the years as I get more experienced....
I really don't think of compressors as dynamic devices per se.....
I think of them as Tone/EQ/Vibe boxes....
I mean that I use my outboard comps, LA2A, 1176, LA3A, Sta level, DBX 160.... on individual instruments, thinking more about the tone, than the dynamic control they end up giving me.....
Each will do gain control, to varying amounts, but enough really to get the "compressing" side of the job done, but each gives the track a significantly different character, tonal identity, and will sit in the mix really way more different, than say the difference in level control makes to me.
I am talking about hardware.....
I don't find this to be the case so much with plug ins.
Anyone else thinking along these lines.....?
Cheers
Wiz
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Post by EmRR on Oct 7, 2019 16:41:30 GMT -6
Sure, the time constants of the compressor type will affect the 'tone'. You can look at that from either direction. A compressor with great control can be pushed very far into compression to maximize the 'tone' shaping caused by the timing. Or you can think of it as timing controls to get to the tone you want. Some people with very vintage hardware may not compress much or any, and are using the box as a 'tone' filter.
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Post by svart on Oct 7, 2019 17:28:12 GMT -6
Yes. I stopped thinking about them as level controls a very long time ago and now think about them as envelope controls. The relationship of the shape of the attack to the decay is where the real magic happens and it's where the most difference between compressors is evident.
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Post by drbill on Oct 7, 2019 17:34:28 GMT -6
I really don't think of compressors as dynamic devices per se..... I think of them as Tone/EQ/Vibe boxes.... Yes. Absolutely.
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Post by gwlee7 on Oct 7, 2019 17:54:59 GMT -6
I am hoping that adding the outboard compressors that I have been diligently researching and slowly acquiring will do this for me. I have obtained Audioscape’s buss and 76A compressor with the intention of gettting their Opto compressor in the future. Then a Silver Bullet for some tracking and mixing vibe and my little piece of the universe should be set.
Well, except for some different mics, and maybe a Gibson acoustic to round out my guitar collection and..........
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Post by chessparov on Oct 7, 2019 20:38:19 GMT -6
"Always Something There To Remind Me", would be a great theme song for the most popular compressor of all time, AKA the 3630. BTW I have its cut down Corsican Cousin, the NanoCompressor.
Both sound as good as a pristine 1176 (when all three are turned off). Chris
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Post by Blackdawg on Oct 7, 2019 20:55:12 GMT -6
yep. That really what they are.
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Post by chessparov on Oct 7, 2019 21:30:48 GMT -6
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Post by geoff738 on Oct 7, 2019 21:46:24 GMT -6
I think I like the term attitude better than tone. But, yeah.
Cheers, Geoff
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Post by chessparov on Oct 7, 2019 23:50:09 GMT -6
Now my Bellari LA-120 tube compressor has "attitude" in spades. Even has "LA" in the name. I'm looking forward to A/Bing this "Poor Man's LA-2A" with the UA Plugin sometime. Chris P.S. Anyone try the Fmr. Audio RNLA, and/or the Joe Meek boxes?
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Post by soundintheround on Oct 8, 2019 8:04:14 GMT -6
Tone and Distortion boxes. Basically really expensive guitar pedals.
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Post by svart on Oct 8, 2019 8:28:26 GMT -6
Now my Bellari LA-120 tube compressor has "attitude" in spades. Even has "LA" in the name. I'm looking forward to A/Bing this "Poor Man's LA-2A" with the UA Plugin sometime. Chris P.S. Anyone try the Fmr. Audio RNLA, and/or the Joe Meek boxes? back in the day when the RNLA and RNC were the new rage, I tried them and honestly couldn't really tell them apart from other VCA based comps like the 3630. They did the thing they were designed to do but I never felt they were special either.
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Post by EmRR on Oct 8, 2019 8:38:44 GMT -6
P.S. Anyone try the Fmr. Audio RNLA, back in the day when the RNLA and RNC were the new rage, I tried them and honestly couldn't really tell them apart from other VCA based comps like the 3630. They did the thing they were designed to do but I never felt they were special either. The RNC's did a couple of things ok, but I eventually realized they always sounded smaller than the untouched source. Bye Bye....
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Post by svart on Oct 8, 2019 8:58:12 GMT -6
back in the day when the RNLA and RNC were the new rage, I tried them and honestly couldn't really tell them apart from other VCA based comps like the 3630. They did the thing they were designed to do but I never felt they were special either. The RNC's did a couple of things ok, but I eventually realized they always sounded smaller than the untouched source. Bye Bye.... I think back in those days I was still pussyfooting around a lot of gear because I had bought into the whole "you should do the least amount of compression and EQ" thing, so it might have been a case of not really *trying* to get any kind of tone out of them, but then again they were essentially marketed as being "transparent" too, which I had also bought into that whole "every piece of gear must have DC-to-light clean bandwidth" at the time.. But now I know that most of those "rules" I read on GS (and other places) in the early 2000's were pure horseshit but I'm certainly not going back to try all that gear I went through once again..
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Post by EmRR on Oct 8, 2019 9:17:26 GMT -6
Yep, old stuff used to be too 'dirty'. Then overnight it became too 'clean' and we 'need' additional boxes in series or special distortion units to get things where they should 'be'. It'll turn again.....
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Post by mrholmes on Oct 8, 2019 9:28:20 GMT -6
I am talking about hardware.....
Tone is for me a chain of different tools. Yes it can be hardware but in 2019 there are also plug ins with tone.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 8, 2019 9:30:29 GMT -6
Being introduced to the concept of envelope shaping vs. just simple volume control is the thing that made me actually understand how to properly use a compressor. Obviously, you want that volume control, but being cognizant of the way you can shape the tone of something with the att/rel settings is infinitely more useful.
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Post by notneeson on Oct 8, 2019 9:47:36 GMT -6
Never got a long with the RNC and the unbalanced io was a bummer with our setup at that time.
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Post by chessparov on Oct 8, 2019 18:30:01 GMT -6
How about the Meek stuff then? Chris
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Post by geoff738 on Oct 8, 2019 18:44:39 GMT -6
The rnc does seem to if not make things sound smaller, at least not bigger. I still have mine because I only have one other stereo unit and it stays in the 2 buss.
It does a decent job at envelope control. Not in a real character way, but it’s not really sold as that. I’ve used it to add some punch on some anemic drums in parallel. And yeah, I was the guy who recorded said anemic drums.
So, not used a lot, but for some get in and out without adding much if anything in the way of a sonic signature it works. I don’t know how different it would be to the clean Aphex units?
Cheers, Geoff
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Post by Guitar on Oct 9, 2019 8:26:22 GMT -6
Compressors as tone boxes, a resounding yes!! However, to the OP, I still feel the same way about plugins as I do with hardware. That's my addition to the thread.
RNC should be Really Nutty Compressor. I can't stand those kind of "quirks." They sound "fine." I will never buy another one.
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Post by adamjbrass on Oct 9, 2019 13:06:48 GMT -6
DW Fearn VT-7
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Post by chessparov on Oct 9, 2019 13:33:18 GMT -6
Compressors as tone boxes, a resounding yes!! However, to the OP, I still feel the same way about plugins as I do with hardware. That's my addition to the thread. RNC should be Really Nutty Compressor. I can't stand those kind of "quirks." They sound "fine." I will never buy another one. IMHO the RNC was a nice and handy compressor, back when we tracking to 16 bit... Chris
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Post by shoe on Oct 10, 2019 13:04:53 GMT -6
Yeah, for sure. I've tried and ended up selling a few compressors that were meant to be super clean because I just didn't find them inspiring.
Still interested in a Dangerous Compressor though, to pair with others for pure levelling. The specs seem a little on the slow attack side, though.
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Post by gwlee7 on Oct 16, 2019 19:25:57 GMT -6
I am hoping that adding the outboard compressors that I have been diligently researching and slowly acquiring will do this for me. I have obtained Audioscape’s buss and 76A compressor with the intention of gettting their Opto compressor in the future. Then a Silver Bullet for some tracking and mixing vibe and my little piece of the universe should be set. Well, except for some different mics, and maybe a Gibson acoustic to round out my guitar collection and.......... Just ordered the Optocomp. What the hell is wrong with me?
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