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Post by Martin John Butler on Dec 6, 2022 11:48:25 GMT -6
I can't afford something high end like a Tube Tech CL1b or Heritage Tubepressor right now, but do need a compressor for tracking lead vocals. This just might do the trick. Any thoughts?
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Post by kcatthedog on Dec 6, 2022 12:39:39 GMT -6
Doubt anybody has actually tried it yet, the opto cell will be key.
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Post by bchurch on Dec 6, 2022 12:39:51 GMT -6
Not sure if you’re dead set on an optical comp - I quite like the 1176 sound for tracking. The Black Lion “Seventeen” can be found used for under $500 and does a great job.
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ericn
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Post by ericn on Dec 6, 2022 12:52:33 GMT -6
I can’t for the life of me remember where I was looking the other day but I saw a pair of LA4’s for $850 ea and was thinking at today’s insane prices they were a bargain!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2022 16:33:55 GMT -6
I can’t for the life of me remember where I was looking the other day but I saw a pair of LA4’s for $850 ea and was thinking at today’s insane prices they were a bargain! You can get the DIYRE OLA-5 for 500 |
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Post by thehightenor on Dec 6, 2022 17:27:31 GMT -6
I can't afford something high end like a Tube Tech CL1b or Heritage Tubepressor right now, but do need a compressor for tracking lead vocals. This just might do the trick. Any thoughts? Do you really need a compressor for tracking vocals? With 24bit dynamic range these days and the high quality of many plugins now, I question the value of using budget hardware on the way in. Sure if you have a Retro STA Level, HD BG1, CL1B etc etc then the box tone is great and these units have a unique envelope imparted by their gain reduction elements. Just a thought. |
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Post by Martin John Butler on Dec 6, 2022 18:04:10 GMT -6
I've considered that too hightenor. Back when I had the Warm WA2A and their Pultec copy, my tracks did have a warmth I can't quite get despite having a plethora of compressor and EQ plug-ins. I sold the Warm gear long ago.
bchurch, I was also thinking an 1176 clone might do the job. I actually like the LinAudio LiN76. Of the relatively inexpensive clones it sounded the closest to the original to me. I'd like to have both an 1176 and LA2A style compressors at some point, not sure which to get first though...
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Post by the other mark williams on Dec 6, 2022 18:48:22 GMT -6
I've considered that too hightenor. Back when I had the Warm WA2A and their Pultec copy, my tracks did have a warmth I can't quite get despite having a plethora of compressor and EQ plug-ins. I sold the Warm gear long ago. bchurch, I was also thinking an 1176 clone might do the job. I actually like the LinAudio LiN76. Of the relatively inexpensive clones it sounded the closest to the original to me. I'd like to have both an 1176 and LA2A style compressors at some point, not sure which to get first though... when you’re tracking yourself, it doesn’t get easier than an LA-2/3/4. |
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Post by bchurch on Dec 6, 2022 18:55:58 GMT -6
Really depends if you're trying to capture a little girth in the wild or if you're trying to maximize signal pre a/d. If the latter, yeah, I'd tend to agree with thehightenor, it's not necessary with 120+ db of range. But don't listen to me, I print compression on inputs all the time. Very hard to unbake that cake, however. |
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Post by Martin John Butler on Dec 6, 2022 20:39:57 GMT -6
I'm mostly wanting to smooth vocal peaks out without changing tone too much and get just a little thickening. I like printing compression on bass guitar as well. Just for reference, THIS is what I'm aiming for as a vocal sound:
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Post by drbill on Dec 6, 2022 20:57:54 GMT -6
I'm mostly wanting to smooth vocal peaks out without changing tone too much and get just a little thickening. I like printing compression on bass guitar as well. Just for reference, THIS is what I'm aiming for as a vocal sound: IMO that's a fantastic sound Martin. If I was in the studio and you asked for that I'd reach for a good unmodded U67, and depending on mic pre I'd grab a 3a or maybe 2a if it was a brighter, more transparent pre. A Locomotive or possibly Coil pre might have me leaning towards the 3a. Neve or API would have me leaning towards a 2a. Great sound..... |
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Post by ragan on Dec 6, 2022 21:27:54 GMT -6
I've been using the 3A circuit of the Stam SA-23A+ a ton on vocals since getting it. I think that'd be my desert island comp. I had a pair of the GAP Comp-3A a few years ago and I thought they were really solid. Very affordable too.
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Post by Martin John Butler on Dec 6, 2022 21:39:24 GMT -6
Thanks Dr. Bill. I'd do exactly the same as you said if only I had those choices.
I have the Stam SA67, and it's pretty damn good, but I think I'd need a real API or Neve to make it really sing. Closest I've gotten to that sound was a real unmodded vintage 67 through an SSL 9000 with a hardware Lexicon 480L reverb. Closest I've gotten at home was the Chandler Redd with the preamp built in. I'd just buy the Chandler if I could afford it.
This is me at home with the Chandler Redd:
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Post by Johnkenn on Dec 6, 2022 22:02:12 GMT -6
How much is it? Hard to mess up with something like a chandler Opto
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Post by Johnkenn on Dec 6, 2022 22:02:45 GMT -6
Or Inwards Connection Brute.
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Post by Martin John Butler on Dec 6, 2022 22:11:14 GMT -6
$699 for the LiN2A.
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Post by notneeson on Dec 6, 2022 23:06:02 GMT -6
Or Inwards Connection Brute. The Brute is very forgiving, as I recall. But it’s been a minute. You can definitely mess up a vocal with an LA4A. They don’t sound good clipping on vocals and the release is slow enough that if you over compress a line of a vocal it may not recover fully by the next one, adding a weird envelope. (Guess who learned on one? This guy.) |
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Post by copperx on Dec 6, 2022 23:12:27 GMT -6
Huh, I think I like the box tone of the KT-2A more than the LIN2A and the Warm. IMHO, none of the clones match the compression behavior of the original. The LIN2A sounds harsh on the guitars.
The tone of the KT-2A sounds different than the 2A, but it is still a very nice tone.
The ideal situation (for me) would be the tone of the KT-2A with the action of the LIN2A. Perhaps replacing the opto cell?
In any case, I think I would be a happy camper with the KT-2A if I had to pick one clone (colors the source, compresses lightly with no artifacts, but obviously very different from an LA2A).
That's assuming, of course, that the tone is consistent between the units and I haven't gone deaf.
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Post by Johnkenn on Dec 6, 2022 23:48:07 GMT -6
Or Inwards Connection Brute. The Brute is very forgiving, as I recall. But it’s been a minute. You can definitely mess up a vocal with an LA4A. They don’t sound good clipping on vocals and the release is slow enough that if you over compress a line of a vocal it may not recover fully by the next one, adding a weird envelope. (Guess who learned on one? This guy.) Yeah - a vocal tracking comp IMO should be hard to eff up. And two knobs and a slower attack is a good start. I think the brute is called something else these days. |
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Post by theshea on Dec 7, 2022 0:16:45 GMT -6
does it have to be a la2a? i am ALWAYS recording vocals with my stam 76adg in the a setting with the pepper setting and 3-5db GR. i often compared with and without the 76adg and it ALWAYS sounds better and more even levelled with the 76adg. and i can‘t replicate it later with plugin. close yeah, but „something“ is always missing.
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Post by seawell on Dec 7, 2022 0:25:34 GMT -6
In that price range, I'd pick up a used Buzz Audio Essence.
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Post by drumsound on Dec 7, 2022 1:25:25 GMT -6
I'm mostly wanting to smooth vocal peaks out without changing tone too much and get just a little thickening. I like printing compression on bass guitar as well. Just for reference, THIS is what I'm aiming for as a vocal sound: I've never heard this. It's really great. The compression is pretty smooth, and I think they were careful to not go too far into gain reduction, which keeps it for holding too long and killing the ends of phrases. Thanks Dr. Bill. I'd do exactly the same as you said if only I had those choices. I have the Stam SA67, and it's pretty damn good, but I think I'd need a real API or Neve to make it really sing. Closest I've gotten to that sound was a real unmodded vintage 67 through an SSL 9000 with a hardware Lexicon 480L reverb. Closest I've gotten at home was the Chandler Redd with the preamp built in. I'd just buy the Chandler if I could afford it. This is me at home with the Chandler Redd: Sounds good. Is that the compressor on the 9000 on your voice? |
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Post by Martin John Butler on Dec 7, 2022 2:23:33 GMT -6
Because it was a test, I didn't EQ or compress. To be clear, I mentioned I had gotten a great sound using a vintage 67 through an SSL 9000, but this track was done at home, with the Chandler REDD to my Dizengoff D4 pre to my UAD Apollo. No effects other than some reverb.
I used ARIA to master, so there might be some compression there. This was a demo. I was asked if I had any Christmas songs by a producer I know. I wrote and tracked this in two days hoping to get a cut placed. Turned out he needed cheerful Christmas songs, not my working class dirge, ha!
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Post by antipodesjosh on Dec 7, 2022 3:02:41 GMT -6
In that price range, I'd pick up a used Buzz Audio Essence. I commend your taste in South Pacific audio equipment! 🥝 |
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Post by kcatthedog on Dec 7, 2022 4:20:22 GMT -6
2nd honourable mention for the stam 76 a circuit, I have the adf.
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