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Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2022 15:45:31 GMT -6
Looking to replace my 2A clone.. On the menu thus far is:
Retro Sta-Level
Highland BG2
Buzz Essence
Chandler RS124
Thoughts?
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Post by OtisGreying on Jun 11, 2022 15:49:28 GMT -6
Highland Bg2 is about a year wait according to VK.
I like the buzz essence alot
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Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2022 15:50:47 GMT -6
Highland Bg2 is about a year wait according to VK. I like the buzz essence alot It's certainly the cheapest option and I've two on order already, also added the Chandler RS124 to the mix. |
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Post by bricejchandler on Jun 11, 2022 15:56:20 GMT -6
Tracking or mixing?
Tracking sta level and 124 are awesome
I love the 124
For mixing the bluey is cheap and amazing
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Post by Johnkenn on Jun 11, 2022 15:56:54 GMT -6
Retro sta or 176. V-Comp next. I’m really digging the AS 76F
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Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2022 15:57:44 GMT -6
Tracking or mixing? Tracking sta level and 124 are awesome I love the 124 For mixing the bluey is cheap and amazing Tracking.. |
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Post by jacobamerritt on Jun 11, 2022 15:59:35 GMT -6
Spectra Sonics 610?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2022 16:02:50 GMT -6
Are they subjectively as good or better than a Sta-Level or RS124? Johnkenn, seen as you've had a few the only complaints I've come across in regards to the Sta-level is noise. Did you notice the same? |
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Post by Johnkenn on Jun 11, 2022 16:14:27 GMT -6
Are they subjectively as good or better than a Sta-Level or RS124? Johnkenn, seen as you've had a few the only complaints I've come across in regards to the Sta-level is noise. Did you notice the same? I’ve had ones with less noise than others, but nothing that was ever an issue. Maybe people are hearing the results of knocking of -20 without noticing. Lol. It’s easy to over compress with one. |
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Post by sean on Jun 11, 2022 22:46:57 GMT -6
Definitely check out Spectra STX600, it’s a really special unit. While not cheap I think they are well worth it. There’s definitely been times that I’ve been tempted to sell most of my outboard preamps and get a bunch of them. Taming those peaks, while especially useful for drums and percussion, also works great for vocals.
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Post by seawell on Jun 11, 2022 23:36:48 GMT -6
Retro 176….all the sweet tone of a great vari mu comp but much more control/versatility than a Sta Level or RS124 👍🏻 From your list I also really like the Buzz Audio Essence for a more modern/clear/up front sound.
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Post by drbill on Jun 12, 2022 0:11:35 GMT -6
Add the 14B to your list. Great vocal comp among other things. |
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Post by drumsound on Jun 12, 2022 2:35:33 GMT -6
I've been digging the RND 5424 quite a bit lately.
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Post by thehightenor on Jun 12, 2022 3:14:35 GMT -6
ShadowkIs it specially for your voice, or something to cover a range of different voices, genres and genders?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2022 5:16:25 GMT -6
ShadowkIs it specially for your voice, or something to cover a range of different voices, genres and genders? It's for my voice specifically and an LA-2A seems to work best so far. Although I've never tried any of these comps so I wouldn't know  .. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2022 5:26:18 GMT -6
Retro 176….all the sweet tone of a great vari mu comp but much more control/versatility than a Sta Level or RS124 👍🏻 From your list I also really like the Buzz Audio Essence for a more modern/clear/up front sound. All it really has to do is sweeten / round off the highs, 2A does that perfectly but if you push it an inch too far it makes everything sound a bit flat and boring. I know heightenor mentioned their Sta-Level does that but I do like the sound of up front as well. |
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Post by srb on Jun 12, 2022 8:21:04 GMT -6
For tracking I like the Crane Song Falcon and the Locomotive 14B.
I use the 14B in mixing a lot as well.
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Post by thehightenor on Jun 12, 2022 9:19:52 GMT -6
ShadowkIs it specially for your voice, or something to cover a range of different voices, genres and genders? It's for my voice specifically and an LA-2A seems to work best so far. Although I've never tried any of these comps so I wouldn't know  .. My biggest frustration with all things pro audio is not what I know about the gear I have .... it's everything I don't know about the gear I haven't had. It's taken me literally years of saving and organising hard to get demos to end up with a Wunder CM7, Coil CA 70 (or BEA 1073) and a Retro STA Level. I've demoed an UA LA2A and decided it was too vanilla for my voice and an AMS 1073 to decide it was also a touch too vanilla and flat for my taste. I've demoed a CL1B and it was too bright, my Millennia STT-1 is great on classical guitar and DI bass and boring as heck on my vocals - I've dismissed other stuff too of course but only a small percentage of what's available. But in truth I'm sat here thinking I have the perfect vocal chain yet I might not! Perhaps a U67 into an Atomic Squeeze box would be stunning. Or a vintage 87 into a Shelford channel might be just the ticket and blow me away. .... on ... and on it goes!! I'm come to except I'll probably never know what the perfect vocal chain for me is - unlike say Peter Gabriel or Dave Gilmour who have 5 of everything ever made to work their way through and find the gold at the end of the rainbow - so to speak. So I get where your coming from .... it's always a case of "X,X and X" has worked best .... so far (and as a disclaimer I realise I'm lucky to have what I've got and it's more than enough to make great recordings - but still I do get frustrated thinking I might be missing out on something truly brilliant - silly I know) By the way, out of your list, the one unit I'd like to demo and I've heard nothing but solid consistent praise for is the Buzz Essence. It's on my wish list .... after filling up the car with petrol!!!! |
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Post by chessparov on Jun 12, 2022 11:42:33 GMT -6
Here's a clip going through my Buddy's Squeezebox below. I happen to be on Lead, in this portion of the song. Had to really work back then for the "Streeeaaam On" high notes! (Vincent and Kenny Bronowski on BGV'S here) Chris I loved the Squeezebox. Best tone achieved on my $100 sleeper condenser.Glad to have access to that compressor. Chris P.S. Tony "Drumsound"/Drums. Kenny/Guitars. |
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Post by smashlord on Jun 12, 2022 19:24:13 GMT -6
Is this for tracking, mixing, or both?
The Chandler RS124 is really special on a vocal when it works, but I don't personally find it to be something you can use on everything, unless maybe in parallel during mixing. It likes to be hit hard, but because of the slow attack, the fronts of phrases can sometimes be a bit interesting to deal with. When it works though, it's pure class and the super fuse mode is amazing.
Someone else mentioned the Retro 176.... great box and much more practical/useful than an RS124, LA-2A, or Sta-Level IMO with fantastic tone.
FWIW, an 1176/LA-3A combo seems to always work for me on almost any vocal, tracking or mixing. I highly recommend the Serpent Splice for the 1176 route, as you get both a Rev A and Rev D in one box, plus the ability to mix their I/O sections to make two other "revisions". With all the tonal options, I've yet to find a situation where I couldn't get something great happening.
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Post by EmRR on Jun 12, 2022 20:02:03 GMT -6
I like the dbx thing into the la-2a thing many times. A vocal vari-mu I personally can never do. No likey.
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Post by OtisGreying on Jun 12, 2022 21:57:25 GMT -6
Definitely check out Spectra STX600, it’s a really special unit. While not cheap I think they are well worth it. There’s definitely been times that I’ve been tempted to sell most of my outboard preamps and get a bunch of them. Taming those peaks, while especially useful for drums and percussion, also works great for vocals. Sean, is the units color very apparent? I was interested in this product but read that the sound is very dirty/crunchy and may not be suited for all music or a vocal that wants to retain clarity |
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Post by gevermil on Jun 13, 2022 3:05:55 GMT -6
Is this for tracking, mixing, or both? The Chandler RS124 is really special on a vocal when it works, but I don't personally find it to be something you can use on everything, unless maybe in parallel during mixing. It likes to be hit hard, but because of the slow attack, the fronts of phrases can sometimes be a bit interesting to deal with. When it works though, it's pure class and the super fuse mode is amazing. Someone else mentioned the Retro 176.... great box and much more practical/useful that an RS124, LA-2A, or Sta-Level IMO with fantastic tone. FWIW, an 1176/LA-3A combo seems to always work for me on almost any vocal, tracking or mixing. I highly recommend the Serpent Splice for the 1176 route, as you get both a Rev A and Rev D in one box, plus the ability to mix there I/O sections to make two other "revisions". With all the tonal options, I've yet to find a situation where I couldn't get something great happening. is that the original la3a ?
or audioscape ?
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Post by Ward on Jun 13, 2022 5:51:13 GMT -6
Looking to replace my 2A clone.. On the menu thus far is: Retro Sta-Level Highland BG2 Buzz Essence Chandler RS124 Thoughts? Just to jump in as a company shill but also one of you who actually uses the gear on a daily basis... I use the V-Comp on a daily basis and it’s my favorite (tied with a CL1b) for tracking comp but I also follow each up with an audioscape 76a. I love the crystalline transient shattering sparkle of the 76a but as Johnkenn points out, the 76F is just so smooth at polishing peaks. I’m only saying it cos it’s true. |
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Post by sean on Jun 13, 2022 6:34:53 GMT -6
Definitely check out Spectra STX600, it’s a really special unit. While not cheap I think they are well worth it. There’s definitely been times that I’ve been tempted to sell most of my outboard preamps and get a bunch of them. Taming those peaks, while especially useful for drums and percussion, also works great for vocals. Sean, is the units color very apparent? I was interested in this product but read that the sound is very dirty/crunchy and may not be suited for all music or a vocal that wants to retain clarity I personally don't find any of the Spectra stuff to be crunchy or dirty until it's abused. I think that's how the complimiters got the reputation of being distortion boxes...people didn't understand them (or they needed service). I find the STX600 (or the 610 for the matter) work best as an incredibly fast and transparent peak limiter, something you don't really hear until there's too much but you'll notice all those nasty peaks that eat up digital headroom are taken care of, and your more traditional compressor (say a LA2A style) or even a plugin don't have the work as hard/sound smoother because those peaks are gone and no longer trigger it. However, the actual compression circuit of a 600 (or the 610) is a bit more finicky. If I use the compression circuit of my V610's it's usually at the 10:1 slope which I think is what the 600 is preset at, and it works well for a dB or 2 before it gets noticeable. But, if you think about the peak limiter that works before it hits the compression circuit, a dB or 2 is actually a lot in combination with that. I hope that's helpful! |
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