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Post by jcoutu1 on Mar 12, 2014 14:00:04 GMT -6
Anyone here have experience with these comps? I remember recording at a studio back in the late 90's/early 2k that had a rack full of those 566 comps and we got some decent sounds (for what we were doing). Looks like these go for <$300 these days? I'm also looking at these other more expensive models (all used) that seem to range from $700 to $1400 or so. You guys used these? Any of these worthwhile? I imagine that they're good on kick and snare, but I'm curious about drum buss, master buss, and other tracking/mixing duties because I like some versatility when I'm not mixing drums.
Any thoughts are welcome.
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Post by svart on Mar 12, 2014 14:14:43 GMT -6
I use and like the 160a and early 160xt, but no experience with the others.. Those can be had for fairly cheap and sound pretty good. Usually need to be recapped immediately, unless they've had it done recently.
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Post by gouge on Mar 12, 2014 17:13:23 GMT -6
If the only compressor i had was the 160sl i would be more than ok with that. If i had 2 or 3 it would be a dream
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Post by jcoutu1 on Mar 12, 2014 17:41:19 GMT -6
If the only compressor i had was the 160sl i would be more than ok with that. If i had 2 or 3 it would be a dream Want to go into a bit more detail? |
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Post by gouge on Mar 12, 2014 18:13:36 GMT -6
ok,
it is the box that gets a lot of hate online. it's retail price was 5k or something and now they sell second hand for $1200.
firstly, out of the compressors I have, which is not many, nothing sounds as good. just running audio through the thing makes the audio sound "nicer". it has Jensen transformers on the outputs so maybe that's part of it.
feature wise it's a stereo/mono comp. it almost does the 160vu thing and it pretty much does do the 165 thing. it was designed to be both of those units rolled into one. so it has over easy switch, hard knee mode and auto modes etc. the auto modes are 95% of the time on the money with the timings.
effectively you get 4 compressors rolled into one. each channel has a compressor and a limiter in the form of the peak stop plus circuit. you can make that work in your favour by driving the output and turning down the limit volume to force the unit to distort.
setting a fast attack and release setting gets you compression artifacts similar to but not exactly like an 1176. it will go to 400ms but I never push it over 200ms.
it is my fav comp for acoustic guitar, clean electric guitars, vocals, drums etc etc. it can go from smooth vca type compression to transparent to bitey/dirty vca type compression and everything in between. I would have to say the auto modes are incredibly good. I usually start there. flick between hard and soft knee, then go manual and then flick back to auto and listen to the stereo image and the detail/size of the sound and pick the favourite. in a tracking situation auto reigns supreme because it is so fast to setup and 9 out of 10 times sounds better than I can set it manually in a short time.
when vocal tracking I chain ch1 into ch2, set ch1 as a limiter and ch2 as a compressor in overeasy with about 4:1 and auto timings. normally about 10db of reduction.
for other uses I couldn't really say as it changes depending on source. sometimes overeasy sometimes not, sometimes auto, sometimes manual. usually around 4:1 ratio doing about 3-5db of reduction typically is where it goes.
I wish I had 2 or three. it lives on drum buss for me and I track everything through it. I would very much like another for master buss so I can flick between it and the 1968 or chain both up. if I had 3 I'd just put them across as many busses as I could and move on.
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Post by jcoutu1 on Mar 12, 2014 19:29:02 GMT -6
Thanks man. What other comps are you running? You prefer it to the 1968 on drum buss?
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Post by jcoutu1 on Mar 12, 2014 19:36:47 GMT -6
Hey popmann, any comments on these? I seem to remember you mentioning a DBX unit at one point. |
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Post by popmann on Mar 12, 2014 19:46:35 GMT -6
I never got on well with DBX's "auto" compressors...Urei just did that better for me. But, what I'd mentioned was the full control 165a. Thinking that I would actually print that for bass...they're getting up there in price...I think Vintage King wants like $1200 or something for a completely worked over one...someone locally was selling a NOS one (still in the box!!) last year for $700 or something...I shoulda snatched it up. Oh well...
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Post by gouge on Mar 12, 2014 19:48:53 GMT -6
I prefer the dbx on drum buss over the drawmer. the drawmer sound harsh in the top end compared to the dbx. also the drawmer moves things forward, adds some bite and brighttens things up. the dbx keeps the soundstage the same and adds punch while smoothing out cymbals. the drawmer bugs me a little because it has barely any controls and I find it hit and miss. some things it sounds stellar and others not so much.
other comps are
VCA
dbx 118 modified - insane on bass.
dbx 163a - guitar buss
symetrix 501 - vocal limiter for some mild dirt.
valley dynamite - drum crush haven't used the expander function yet.
la12 - excellent tool and sounds real smooth. my got to bass and utility piece. sounds awesome on vox as well. if the dbx is busy I use this.
FET
purple action - jury is out for me. finicky things. sound good on snare.
Alison gain brains - drums
drawmer 1968 - see above. pretty good on vox but will most likely park it on guitar buss moving forward.
I would love a 1178
OPTO
art vla - parallel comp on vox. 1968 kicks the snot out of the art.
I think that's everything.
I'd love a vintage 160 or 165 at some point plus the daking comp is calling my name. no budget though.
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