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Post by mcirish on Mar 3, 2024 8:00:16 GMT -6
I use quite a bit of compression but none are doing a ton. Typical vocal chain:
Preamp
1176 hardware cutting 5dB on peaks
ITB EQ
Pulsar 1178 3dB
EQ
Opto comp - summit or LA2A, 3dB
Wave MV2- bring up low level
Deesser
I can push the hardware more and it still sounds good. I try not to push the plugins as much. I only ever do one hardware comp on the way in. I have hardware to do 1176-LA2A but if I overcook it, there's no going back. So I am conservative with compression.
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Post by viciousbliss on Mar 3, 2024 8:25:42 GMT -6
Anyone else prefer to use one comp and then use saturation type stuff to do the rest?
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Post by niklas1073 on Mar 3, 2024 8:35:35 GMT -6
Anyone else prefer to use one comp and then use saturation type stuff to do the rest? It happens. I have been experimenting a little lately with the uad 610B pre as coloring eq section itb on vocals. If you go for very lightly saturated vocal it works nicely in a place of a light compressor. And I actually don’t use it for the saturation per se, that’s a nice side effect if that suites the song but the light comp is what i am after. A nice alternative and pretty straight forward if you don’t want to add comps. I tend to not want to use more than 2 comps on a source, one on the way in and one itb. If it requires more I feel like I failed on the tracking part. But the saturation kind of works as a final touch and I don’t feel like such a failure 🤣 |
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Post by robo on Mar 3, 2024 11:03:22 GMT -6
Still lovin' the FREE MJUCjr. But in_ahem-more moderation.  LOL! Periodically, I do feel "compelled" to ask the current thoughts, on the various/sundry Fmr. Audio units.  Chris The FMR PBC-6a gets some pretty good reviews, but I have never used it. I would be curious if someone on this board has used it and could comment. I had one for a few years. It was quite good on vocals, and versatile with the knee control. Controls somewhere in the middle and you’ve got smooth RMS control with a pleasantly “forward” color. Soft knee/fastest attack was nice for getting BV’s to sit in a track. Good on bass too. I never cared for it on percussive stuff. I sold it once I had fancier color compressors, but occasionally I do miss it. I’d take it over a Distressor any day (except for drums). |
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Post by robo on Mar 3, 2024 11:18:23 GMT -6
Anyone else prefer to use one comp and then use saturation type stuff to do the rest? I used to always drive my preamps to swallow peaks and follow it with slower compression, but that only really works well on singers that don’t require much peak control, or don’t sing with a lot of dynamics. Otherwise the color and density of the tone changes too much. Nowadays I mostly do the more typical fet comp into opto during tracking. My current project the singer has a very smooth delivery so it’s clean preamp with just a little opto on the way in. |
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Post by geoff738 on Mar 3, 2024 19:09:18 GMT -6
I have done. Still do sometimes. But I find it pretty easy to overcook things. So I try to be fairly light and even then I still get into trouble sometimes.
Cheers,
Geoff
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Post by drumsound on Mar 4, 2024 11:48:57 GMT -6
Anyone else prefer to use one comp and then use saturation type stuff to do the rest? It happens. I have been experimenting a little lately with the uad 610B pre as coloring eq section itb on vocals. If you go for very lightly saturated vocal it works nicely in a place of a light compressor. And I actually don’t use it for the saturation per se, that’s a nice side effect if that suites the song but the light comp is what i am after. A nice alternative and pretty straight forward if you don’t want to add comps. I tend to not want to use more than 2 comps on a source, one on the way in and one itb. If it requires more I feel like I failed on the tracking part. But the saturation kind of works as a final touch and I don’t feel like such a failure 🤣 In a similar "I don't do it for the saturation" I've been just SLAMMING vocals with the UAD 1176 blue stripe. I started doing more of that when I heard Lucinda Williams tracks at a conference. The record I'm mixing right now I'm doing that on ever vocal. One of them, where I used a tube mic that has a little drive, I'm only using the 1176 for the outro big long notes. I tracked the vocals with the RND 5424, I think. Maybe the Drawmer '69. |
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Post by niklas1073 on Mar 4, 2024 12:25:51 GMT -6
It happens. I have been experimenting a little lately with the uad 610B pre as coloring eq section itb on vocals. If you go for very lightly saturated vocal it works nicely in a place of a light compressor. And I actually don’t use it for the saturation per se, that’s a nice side effect if that suites the song but the light comp is what i am after. A nice alternative and pretty straight forward if you don’t want to add comps. I tend to not want to use more than 2 comps on a source, one on the way in and one itb. If it requires more I feel like I failed on the tracking part. But the saturation kind of works as a final touch and I don’t feel like such a failure 🤣 In a similar "I don't do it for the saturation" I've been just SLAMMING vocals with the UAD 1176 blue stripe. I started doing more of that when I heard Lucinda Williams tracks at a conference. The record I'm mixing right now I'm doing that on ever vocal. One of them, where I used a tube mic that has a little drive, I'm only using the 1176 for the outro big long notes. I tracked the vocals with the RND 5424, I think. Maybe the Drawmer '69. Sounds interesting, the uad blue stripe has nice character to it. Gets nice and gritty easily 👍. Actually since i wrote the reply i’ve really have began to like the 610 more and more on vocals lately. It just gives a really nice fat tone and just sets it in the mix nicely. |
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Post by Ward on Mar 4, 2024 13:52:29 GMT -6
I only ever use hardware but I’ve always used an 1176 at an 8:1 ratio to catch peaks and a Vari Mu or an Opto to add an overall smoothness. I lean towards clean vocals a lot more than I did when I was younger but sometimes I’ll still go heavy as an effect depending but then I’ll use an HG2 or an extra ribbon mic that I’ll crush. It is de rigeur. I use a Vari-Mu or Opto first, Just riding the waves . . . then a 76 to catch the peaks. These three types of compression rely on distortion for the tone and effect, to a certain degree. It's just part of it. An unavoidable part that is sometimes a blessing, sometimes a curse. |
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Post by chessparov on Mar 4, 2024 15:03:31 GMT -6
[quote author=" Ward" An unavoidable part that is sometimes a blessing, sometimes a curse. [/quote] De riguer mortis? |
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Post by drumsound on Mar 4, 2024 15:43:38 GMT -6
In a similar "I don't do it for the saturation" I've been just SLAMMING vocals with the UAD 1176 blue stripe. I started doing more of that when I heard Lucinda Williams tracks at a conference. The record I'm mixing right now I'm doing that on ever vocal. One of them, where I used a tube mic that has a little drive, I'm only using the 1176 for the outro big long notes. I tracked the vocals with the RND 5424, I think. Maybe the Drawmer '69. Sounds interesting, the uad blue stripe has nice character to it. Gets nice and gritty easily 👍. Actually since i wrote the reply i’ve really have began to like the 610 more and more on vocals lately. It just gives a really nice fat tone and just sets it in the mix nicely. I need to dive into the 610. I've only used it a handful of times. |
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Post by teejay on Mar 4, 2024 19:52:06 GMT -6
I’m guessing I’m the anomaly here, but since I’m only doing me I’m willing to commit more on the way in so I have to do less ITB…where it’s much more likely I’ll be hamstrung by analysis paralysis with so many endless tweaking options.
Like Ward I’m VariMu first, but then into an Opto on limit. The 12AX7 in the Opto opens it up a bit so feels a bit more like polishing than added thickness.
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Post by poppaflavor on Mar 4, 2024 22:39:40 GMT -6
I've been exploring the NLP Elam 251 mic into the Coil CA-70S followed by the WA2A with a Kenetek Good Fast T4B opto cell (and some NOS tubes); it's a great combo.
It seems that the NLP 251 compresses a bit at higher vox SPL and the CA70S certainly does. Maybe it's the slew rates of their transformers or some little bit of transformer or tube clipping. I don't think there is really a time domain to the limiting the 251 and the CA70 do, so together they just barely round off the sharpest transients and make the WA2A work less hard.
I was previously using the Chandler Germanium Compressor back when my WA2A had a standard stock Classic Kenetek opto cell. But with the Good Fast cell (or especially the Very Nearly Stupid Fast cell) in the WA2A and the limiting of the 251 and CA70S I'm finding I don't really need the Germ Comp as a first fast fet comp before the opto comp.
Also, since the 251/CA70S combo is sufficiently colored I don't really need the Germ Comp for color, and I've got tasty RCA black plate and other NOS tubes in the WA2A so that color is quite complementary as well.
Still dialing it in but this NLP 251 -> CA70S -> WA2A w/ Kenetek Good Fast T4B is really jiving and vibing for me right now.
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Post by paulcheeba on Mar 5, 2024 13:55:33 GMT -6
I prefer to manually ride the clip gain in PT. These days.
I use an RS124 and sometimes a Bluey though if it doesn’t destroy a great vocal sound.
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Post by chessparov on Mar 5, 2024 14:33:11 GMT -6
BTW... Good news on the Atomic Squeezebox. Layne/owner has a new Repair Guy. And my Buddy received his Squeezebox, in proper working order. Yay! If I can swing it time-wise, on the next Record (meaning "Single")... Vocal Mic (probably M88-ish AKG D790>Avalon M5*>Squeezebox. *Will be singing the "Waylon" vocal line, of the 1986 Grammy Winning song... Highwaymen/by Jimmy Webb. That Country Supergroup . Hey that M5 is better than my Interface Pre's! Chris P.S. Kenny Bronowski is doing the "Kris" part BTW. Danny Artuso again on Pedal Steel. |
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Post by Shadowk on Mar 5, 2024 17:36:39 GMT -6
Anyone else prefer to use one comp and then use saturation type stuff to do the rest? Sometimes I might use a decent soft clipper, it depends. |
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Post by guitfiddler on Mar 6, 2024 2:26:06 GMT -6
I’m going to try 1176 into ACME XLA-3 Opto, something I just never tried.
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Post by Shadowk on Mar 6, 2024 14:28:22 GMT -6
I’m going to try 1176 into ACME XLA-3 Opto, something I just never tried. I've tried the 500 series Acme Opto into a 1176, too much IMO.. Also in fast mode it pretty much does what a 1176 does anyway.. |
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Post by guitfiddler on Mar 6, 2024 15:03:16 GMT -6
I’m going to try 1176 into ACME XLA-3 Opto, something I just never tried. I've tried the 500 series Acme Opto into a 1176, too much IMO.. Also in fast mode it pretty much does what a 1176 does anyway.. I’ve heard the 500 series is supposedly a little more aggressive sounding, but I’m really not sure about that. Thinking about selling out my 500 series and going all 19” rack. There’s just something about that proprietary power supply. |
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mrcel0
Junior Member
Posts: 88
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Post by mrcel0 on Sept 17, 2024 21:12:00 GMT -6
Want to revive this thread, I’ve found that a slow comp (2a) into fast comp (76) gave me a great sound, but with fast into slow comp it sounded better to me in context to the mix,
When tracking with only 1 comp, I notice more detail or fidelity but it doesn’t “sit” in mix the same way, thoughts? (I’ve tried going back to no comp and I felt like I was missing something)
My la2a is great for tracking it seems to thicken up the signal without meddling too much how the 1176 can, but when the 1176 is needed and works it really works (Mix knob really helps)
What do you prefer now? I do really care about high quality signal from the beginning and do get worried of overcooking (I tend to lean towards the fet alone or fet into opto recently)
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Post by drumsound on Sept 17, 2024 22:05:23 GMT -6
More often than not I'm in the same camp and doubledog where I've compressed with hardware in tracking and then used a plugin compressor on the mix as well. I have gone through periods of 2 compressors in tracking, and sometimes still a bit in the mix. I like compression in general and I like to get the vocal to SIT without having to do a lot of automation. I only ever use hardware but I’ve always used an 1176 at an 8:1 ratio to catch peaks and a Vari Mu or an Opto to add an overall smoothness. I lean towards clean vocals a lot more than I did when I was younger but sometimes I’ll still go heavy as an effect depending but then I’ll use an HG2 or an extra ribbon mic that I’ll crush. It is de rigeur. I use a Vari-Mu or Opto first, Just riding the waves . . . then a 76 to catch the peaks. These three types of compression rely on distortion for the tone and effect, to a certain degree. It's just part of it. An unavoidable part that is sometimes a blessing, sometimes a curse. I was tracking a singer I've worked with before who is young and full of vigor and WIDE dynamic variance last night. I've been digging my Drawmer '69 on vocals lately, though a fet, it's kind of a gentle leveling, esp compared to an 1776 type unit. I set him up with the '69 and then I added in the Purple Action. So just as Ward said the first riding the waves and the other catching peaks. It worked really well. In this video you can see the Action dealing with wide dynamics (i.e. a 19 year old screaming, or not). www.instagram.com/reel/DAC1ZFUtL8c/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== |
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Post by robschnapf on Sept 18, 2024 4:25:31 GMT -6
Been doing this for years and years.
Fast peak limiting into opto
Distressor into a CL1B
1176 or 610 into LA3A
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Post by Johnkenn on Sept 18, 2024 7:39:43 GMT -6
1176 shaving transients off into LA2a to mangle it. But I've noticed lately using one comp. and pushing it harder and like the outcome just as much with less to keep track on. That’s my thing…I don’t know if I can really tell the difference. |
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Post by bossanova on Sept 18, 2024 7:54:06 GMT -6
My favorite ITB is the UAD 1176 Blue Stripe on Bones Howe (12:1, AT 6, RL 7) doing 5 db GR on peaks into the UAD LA-2a (gray or LA-2 depending on which fits the track better, the latter is thicker and more saturated) with the needle just barely moving most of the time, 2-3 GR max on the loudest peaks.
There's something about those two together that's just magic. They're in a sweet spot where a good vocal recording retains the life/cut while keeping the dynamics controlled.
To me it sounds like classic rock, which I know might not be the sound everyone is going for, but that's usually the internal reference in my head. I've tried that fast-slow combination with other VSTs and none of them seem to nail the control-tone combination in the same way as the UADs.
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Post by stevenlmorgan on Sept 18, 2024 14:02:42 GMT -6
-7 to -10 dB @ the fixed 12:1 is all it takes on an EC5B, I’ll touch the vocal again via mix bus compression @ what you would expect on mix bus, -2 or -3 dB via stereo compressors and 5060 Red Silk. I would not have believed that 12:1 could sound this good but I haven’t had another compressor that compares and at MUCH lower compression ratios. Even sold the UnFairchild after using the 5B for a few weeks. My second EC3 and EC5B are being built.
I have lots of examples as I’ve used the EC5B every day I am in the studio.
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