quick question regarding 3630

[This Is Poison]

why does the description of the alesis forum say "...(shudder) the 3630 compressor?" What exactly is wrong with it? If there is something wrong with it, what is a better compressor to purchase within the same price range (around $100)?? Thanks.

[tnjazz]

Nothing wrong with the 3630 at all.

At least, not until you hear a decent outboard compressor. Then you'll know why it says that.

For $100 you definitely get what you pay for. Up your budget if you know what's good for you.

[Herm]

Im half deaf and can hear what they do to your music.
It sounds like someone has put a blanket over your monitors.
It just sounds dull

[This Is Poison]

haha. being able to "up my budget" is much easier said than done. I'm sure that's the case for most of us.

one of you said it's ok for the money and the other basically said it just sucks.

is there anything better in the $100-$200 price range?

thanks for the input.

[IdentitySeven]

Originally Posted by This Is Poison

haha. being able to "up my budget" is much easier said than done. I'm sure that's the case for most of us.

one of you said it's ok for the money and the other basically said it just sucks.

is there anything better in the $100-$200 price range?

thanks for the input.

DBX 266XL.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...ate?sku=183515

Way better than the Alesis One.

[tnjazz]

Originally Posted by This Is Poison

haha. being able to "up my budget" is much easier said than done. I'm sure that's the case for most of us.

one of you said it's ok for the money and the other basically said it just sucks.

is there anything better in the $100-$200 price range?

thanks for the input.

Actually we both said it sucks. Don't misinterpret what I said!

Using $100 gear is going to get you a $100 sound, that's the bottom line. If you can live with that, get the Alesis. If you actually want your stuff to sound decent, don't get the Alesis.

The dbx is a pretty decent unit for the price, and you may want to look for a couple of RNC's. They can be had for about $135 or so each on the used market.

[This Is Poison]

thanks guys. I will definitely take a look at the DBX and the RNCs.

let me ask you this, is it better to not have a compressor at all than to have the 3630? obviously, I don't want to waste money.

Originally Posted by tnjazz

...If you actually want your stuff to sound decent...

In your opinion, how much does one have to spend on a compressor for their sound to be "decent?"


I really appreciate all the help everyone. thank you.

[tnjazz]

Originally Posted by This Is Poison

thanks guys. I will definitely take a look at the DBX and the RNCs.

let me ask you this, is it better to not have a compressor at all than to have the 3630? obviously, I don't want to waste money.



In your opinion, how much does one have to spend on a compressor for their sound to be "decent?"


I really appreciate all the help everyone. thank you.

My own personal opinion is that you probably don't want to go down much (if any) from the RNC. It's actually a pretty nice piece of gear, especially for the price. Ask yourself if you really need a compressor though. What do you want to do? Make everything louder?

[IdentitySeven]

Originally Posted by This Is Poison

thanks guys. I will definitely take a look at the DBX and the RNCs.

let me ask you this, is it better to not have a compressor at all than to have the 3630? obviously, I don't want to waste money.



In your opinion, how much does one have to spend on a compressor for their sound to be "decent?"


I really appreciate all the help everyone. thank you.

Keep in mind that the DBX is stereo, so you'll get 2 compressors in one.

I heard a lot of good things about th RNC..

[fraserhutch]

I would rather not use compression than use bad compression. With bad compression, you are only making your track worse than it would otherwise be.

[Lt. Bob]

The RNC is a pretty nice unit with some very usable presets.
Personally I avoid using compression when at all possible ..... don't like 'em. I'll use one more as a limiter to keep from going in the red when tracking other people who can't control their volume levels but when I'm tracking myself I just keep an eye on the meter.

[dkelley]

Originally Posted by tnjazz

Actually we both said it sucks. Don't misinterpret what I said!

Using $100 gear is going to get you a $100 sound, that's the bottom line. If you can live with that, get the Alesis. If you actually want your stuff to sound decent, don't get the Alesis.

The dbx is a pretty decent unit for the price, and you may want to look for a couple of RNC's. They can be had for about $135 or so each on the used market.

It's not how much you pay, it's what you get I guess is what we're really trying to get across. To me the the $100 comment is maybe misleading a little. For $135 you can get a used rnc. that's pretty much the $100 range, and it's a great compressor. You can get used dbx units for that range too if you're lucky. And some people charge as much as $150 for 3630s, unmodded even. It's funny how pricing works - it really has very little to do with the true value of a product.There are good behringer compressors for $100, actually quite useful.

If you get a 3630 for a little less than $100 you can spend another $50 or $100 upgrading it's components with the well known fixes to it's design. That will give you a compressor that is in many ways even nicer than the best dbx unit, probably worth $400 or more on the used market now days, for only $150 or $200 and some soldering. There are a couple of basic design flaws in 3630s that are easily fixed with a capacitor and some soldering. Buy one, fix it up, and use it. you'll be impressed. it's a great compressor with a few major messups in the earlier production units. The later units are much better, all of them are easily fixed.

Cheers,
Don

[This Is Poison]

wow, thank you all again for the great info.

Originally Posted by dkelley

If you get a 3630 for a little less than $100 you can spend another $50 or $100 upgrading it's components with the well known fixes to it's design. That will give you a compressor that is in many ways even nicer than the best dbx unit, probably worth $400 or more on the used market now days, for only $150 or $200 and some soldering. There are a couple of basic design flaws in 3630s that are easily fixed with a capacitor and some soldering. Buy one, fix it up, and use it. you'll be impressed. it's a great compressor with a few major messups in the earlier production units. The later units are much better, all of them are easily fixed.

can these specific mods be found on this site?

from what I understand, if used properly, a compressor can maintain the incoming signal within a certain range without affecting the sound too much (i.e. to avoid peaking and other problems.) if i'm wrong about this, please let me know. I'm willing to learn!

[Ford Van]

I love threads where people rag on the the ol' 3630. It give me a chance to post this song for your listen.

http://www.phoenixlightandsound.com/...kyBlueMind.mp3

3630 on bass guitar and acoustic guitar solo.

[pdadda]

It depends on whether or not you want to hear it. If you are making dance music, the pumping of the 3630 can be desirable (ex. Daft Punk). For most other music, I hate being able to hear the compressor.

[tnjazz]

Originally Posted by dkelley

It's not how much you pay, it's what you get I guess is what we're really trying to get across. To me the the $100 comment is maybe misleading a little. For $135 you can get a used rnc. that's pretty much the $100 range, and it's a great compressor. You can get used dbx units for that range too if you're lucky. And some people charge as much as $150 for 3630s, unmodded even. It's funny how pricing works - it really has very little to do with the true value of a product.There are good behringer compressors for $100, actually quite useful.

If you get a 3630 for a little less than $100 you can spend another $50 or $100 upgrading it's components with the well known fixes to it's design. That will give you a compressor that is in many ways even nicer than the best dbx unit, probably worth $400 or more on the used market now days, for only $150 or $200 and some soldering. There are a couple of basic design flaws in 3630s that are easily fixed with a capacitor and some soldering. Buy one, fix it up, and use it. you'll be impressed. it's a great compressor with a few major messups in the earlier production units. The later units are much better, all of them are easily fixed.

Cheers,
Don

All this is true I suppose - the Black Lion mod is supposed to really help the 3630.

HOWEVER, for the cost of the compressor and the mods (and maybe an extra $25 or so), you could just pick up a Valley People Dyna-Mite and be WAY ahead of the curve.

Just my opinion of course, but the VP unit is one of the best sounding low cost units that I have used. It's no Vari-Mu, but it's also under 1/10th of the price too...

[Ford Van]

The 3630 actually has a sort of "flavor" to it. It is not for everything.

Neither is a LA2A. I can't stand it on lead vocals, or guitars, but on backing vocals, keys, drum overheads, a very nice sound!

The 1176 just KILLS on ANY drum (overheads too!) and guitars, and for aggressive vocals. But it is too much on a soft female voice, keys (unless you got a really stabby part you want to beat into submission) and bass guitar (unless you want some flubby sounding bass tracks.........although it does tend to work on slappy bass fairly well).

I have not heard one compressor that works well on everything. The coveted RNC sounds like ass on bass, kicks drums, vocals (in my opinion), but seems alright on snares, guitars, etc...

I posted that mix above that has two tracks using a 3630. Neither track sounds like ass. In that same mix, there are only 4 other channels of compression, 2 being Behringer AutoCom's (the old ones with attack/release controls) and 2 being Behringer Composer's. This mix sounds just fine.

If you don't know how to use your tools, you can make a Cranesong STC-8 sound like ass.

[Beck]

The old Alesis Micro Limiter is actually better sounding. It was made in the USA by the original Alesis company. It has no design relationship to the 3630.

I recommend the Micro Limiter whenever this topic comes up as a great inexpensive unit. I have two of them. They are simple, and well made, but discontinued. There are always some on ebay.

If you want something more configurable and better sounding, spend a little more ($150 - $175) for an FMR RNC Model 1773.

A good compressor for $100.00 is a tall order.

If you already have a 3630 and just like tinkering, you can improve it greatly below.

http://www.recording.org/e-mag/article_81.shtml