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Post by brenta on Apr 11, 2024 10:40:41 GMT -6
SSL channel strip compressor gets ignored an it's fantastic. Everyone just clones the bus compressor for some reason. But the SSL 500 series dynamics unit isn't terribly expensive, so maybe a clone isn't necessary. Favorite usages? I've often been in front of one but moving so fast I'm hesitant to try a new to me box. I own the SSL LMC+ comp and it's really cool. I prefer to use the SSL channel compressor on individual drums rather than the bus compressor on the drum bus. I've never found a compressor that has the punch of SSL G series. Those SSL channel compressors are flexible, utilitarian compressors that can be used on anything. I've used them on vocals and bass. But drums is what I haven't found a replacement for. DBX is similar in a way, but doesn't have the punch of the SSL. |
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Post by Dan on Apr 11, 2024 12:19:02 GMT -6
I appreciate your input on compression Dan ! I don't agree on the "fuck clones" thing, that being said, because I find that old circuits *can* handle loose peaks. They don't offer you all the control you might need for all compression tasks, but more often than not they push things in the right direction. Tubes, transformers, they all participate. The gain reduction envelope does only so much. For example, the 260vu from Audioscape I fancy quite a lot right now, it tames the peaks effectively... & for the music I do, it almost always work. In my experience, some clones (meaning some old designs), they do their compression job, while also imparting their slight character. But if you have to mix several songs a day, I do get your point. You want something more elaborate. Compression workhorses right ? I'm happy that you found plugins that don't fail you. Do you use, or have you used, these Drawmer auto-comp you often talk about in your everyday work ? Man I'm just curious to know what are these hardware comp that you find effective at their primary job : taming peaks. Because I'd want some more of that at the beginning of my chains... Dynamic sanitizers, and then fuck things up with older designs. The old circuits benefit from a reduced dynamic range (think 1176>LA2a), so I wonder what inexpensive transparent peak-eaters is out there that I've not yet considered... I might buy another Aphex unit in the near future : the 720 multi band limiter. It seems interesting, and fairly affordable for the complexity you get. There is the 700 also, said to sound a bit less transparent, that interests me. Cheers ! yes the dl241 are good. Had one before when they were cheap and plugs limited and expensive. Decent used to be cheaper than decent plugs. You can take a good deal off and just have the slight sound and loss of fidelity of the box. It’s warm and doesn’t sound compressed. Then you can turn off auto and use it like a normal compressor. The problem is these things are not cheap new and 20-30 years old. Use a plug tbh. Aphex was great. Dominator is cool. Audioscape 260 looks cool. I love the dbx 160 but it is what it is, a bare bones rms compressor that does some cool stuff. Again plugs or later vca compressors with more program dependencies do more. Even the free softube vca plug adds attack and release and a hf expander to it like the Aphex expressor. We just tend to fetishize the first fet, first opto, and first vca comps for some reason. Maybe because they had to make them sound cool to sell them. What I used a couple of days ago was Molot GE on kick and two bus, Oxford Dynamics on vocals, Vulf compressor on snare and overheads, Fuse VCL-25 pushed into oscillation on a synth, u-He Satin on everything, and Weiss DS1 as a mastering limiter. |
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Post by lowlou on Apr 11, 2024 12:42:38 GMT -6
Thanks Dan  . I Appreciate your participation. |
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Post by geoff738 on Apr 11, 2024 15:33:28 GMT -6
Ok Ward, what were you thinking?
Cheers,
Geoff
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Post by Dan on Apr 11, 2024 18:19:31 GMT -6
Thanks Dan . I Appreciate your participation. yeah like if you want what an analog compressor that can do what molot ge does, there is none. the same with vulf compressor. |
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ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 16,092 
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Post by ericn on Apr 11, 2024 18:22:36 GMT -6
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Post by Blackdawg on Apr 11, 2024 23:37:39 GMT -6
a better function Aphex dominator would be awesome.
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Post by lowlou on Apr 12, 2024 1:41:09 GMT -6
a better function Aphex dominator would be awesome. ? A better functioning* or a bettermaker* ? |
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Post by Dan on Apr 12, 2024 8:10:23 GMT -6
a better function Aphex dominator would be awesome. the dominator sounds cool but in real world use it isn’t great. Multiband stuff usually sucks for more than a db or two off because it butchers the harmonics of the instrument and transients are often full bandwidth events. Even the smooth leapwing Dynone or psp Oldtimer mb with first order crossovers wreck the sound quickly. The multiband limiters and broadcast processors are sonic poison and not cool |
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ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 16,092
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Post by ericn on Apr 12, 2024 8:51:50 GMT -6
a better function Aphex dominator would be awesome. the dominator sounds cool but in real world use it isn’t great. Multiband stuff usually sucks for more than a db or two off because it butchers the harmonics of the instrument and transients are often full bandwidth events. Even the smooth leapwing Dynone or psp Oldtimer mb with first order crossovers wreck the sound quickly. The multiband limiters and broadcast processors are sonic poison and not cool If you use a dominator strictly as a hard brick wall limiter it’s great, honestly wish they would have built a non multiband version. Dominators will live in my racks till someone finds me a better analog brick wall that won’t break the bank. |
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Post by jeremygillespie on Apr 12, 2024 9:03:09 GMT -6
I’d love a 1u rack with 4 of the channel
Comps off an ssl9000.
Those things slap hard.
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Post by Blackdawg on Apr 12, 2024 12:55:41 GMT -6
a better function Aphex dominator would be awesome. the dominator sounds cool but in real world use it isn’t great. Multiband stuff usually sucks for more than a db or two off because it butchers the harmonics of the instrument and transients are often full bandwidth events. Even the smooth leapwing Dynone or psp Oldtimer mb with first order crossovers wreck the sound quickly. The multiband limiters and broadcast processors are sonic poison and not cool I modded mine via Magic Death Eye write up. It's pretty cool. Mine is too noisey now on the pots, need to clean it. But it made it a very different unit. |
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Post by lowlou on Apr 12, 2024 13:21:25 GMT -6
What's the difference in sound once it's modded ? New capacitors ?
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Post by Blackdawg on Apr 12, 2024 13:42:01 GMT -6
What's the difference in sound once it's modded ? New capacitors ? New threshold settings, new pots for smaller stereo tracking, less noise. It's a pretty extensive mod. Doesnt' look like Ian left the web page up any more. But I think i saved it somewhere |
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Post by lowlou on Apr 12, 2024 13:46:21 GMT -6
I have it somewhere too if you need it.
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Post by copperx on Apr 12, 2024 14:02:32 GMT -6
But the SSL 500 series dynamics unit isn't terribly expensive, so maybe a clone isn't necessary.
A clone exists by Link Audio. I built it; it's great!
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. I Appreciate your participation.
