2 channel budget comp

Mark7 · #1 02-19-2003

Has anyone come out with a usable two channel compressor for between £100 and £200 yet? A pair of RNCs is a little out of my reach, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future.

DigitMus · #2 02-19-2003

I'd save up a little and get the RNCs; nobody else has come close in that price range. Try www.mercenary.com - not sure about the overseas shipping, but a pair of RNCs from them isn't much beyond your budget.

Scott

Track Rat · #3 02-19-2003

RNC would be my first choice. The Behringer Composer Pro is cheap and servicable.

Gidge · #4 02-19-2003

Behringer makes some usable compressors...I have the Autocom and its good for what its worth.......

I still might consider the RNC if I were you, though its technically a stereo compressor, you can run 2 signals thru it, though you only have one set of controls for paramters......

jslator · #5 02-19-2003

Quote:

Originally posted by Mark7
Has anyone come out with a usable two channel compressor for between £100 and £200 yet? A pair of RNCs is a little out of my reach, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future.

If you need 2-channel stereo, the RNC will do the trick. If you need 2 separate channels, get an RNC and then something really cheap (like an old Ashly SC-50 or one of the cheap Behringers) to last you until you can afford another RNC.

Mark7 · #6 02-19-2003

I'm already thinking of getting one RNC to use as a stereo compressor for tracking and mixdowns. I really need a maximum of 3 channels of compression for when I do drums, two mono and one stereo (RNC for the overheads and maybe one of those Behringer composer things for the Kick and the Snare?). I do have a 3630. But I refuse to use it on humanitarian grounds. And, yes, I have tried it out. Later when my financial situation is a little less perilous I hope to get a whole rack-full of RNCs. That is, if they really do work well in every situation.

Gunther · #7 02-19-2003

I am using a Behringer Compressor and for 70 bucks its great.

I would like to A/B the RNC with my behri and see what the hype is about. But if I did that I fear I would probably become stricken with gear lust and be forced to buy one. But even if I did get an RNC, I would not regret having my Behri, its really not bad, at least not to my newbie ears.

Besides, we all know behringer is a name you can trust for lasting quality...

Mark7 · #8 02-19-2003

Don't you run a Coffee Shop?

eeldip · #9 02-19-2003

see if you can pick up a symetrix as well.

many of them use the same vca as the 160 series of dbx units and you can pick them up for really very cheap. some used valley people vcas which are also cool.

cl-100 501 etc. their are a bunch of them.

also the dbx 118/119s are cool. very cheap.

ashlys of course...

so many options of decent compressors other than berhinger...
although i have a composer myself and use it occasionally... not so bad really. little lo-fi in a fun way, nice square wavey distortion. i think the NON pro versions are supposed to be better.

MISTERQCUE · #10 02-19-2003

Behringer AutoComm-U.S.$69 or less. Decent and useable comp excelling at gating and comp'ing w/o inherent noise.
Drawbacks:The "ENHANCER" function, which was designed to provide upper end boost to compensate for hi-freq'y loss during
mod to heavy compression, tend's to "color" the signal badly while also diminishing its dynamic and sonic flavor.
Use this feature SPARINGLY!!!

Behringer Composer Pro-U.S.$79 or less.
Capable unit that provides decent signal-shaping process while affording the user more-than-average limiting capabilities.
Ample for bass and suitable for kit-mic'ing where gates work decently. However, to hi a Thresh and Attack on gates will introduce unwanted noise, but proper and patient adjusting can be attained for good processing. "Peak Limiting" function, while useful for containing quick & simple peaks, provides sub-par perf
on hi-dynamic,program material such as strong git Rock, Heavy Vocs and such.
Average comp'ing capabilities w/o added sound artifacts.

RNC-U.S.$169- CLEAN,CLEAR,TRANSPARENT,SIMPLISTIC, ALL-NATURAL, NO-ARTIFICIAL INGREDIENTS-ADDED, SMALL-&-UGLY-AS-VOMIT dynamic processing unit capable of performing exceptionally well on any and all processing applications! While small and non-rackmountable as is, with the purchase of Rack Plates from Mercenary, can be added and connected to a standard 19" rack-shelf.
Simply a MUST HAVE!!!!

Mark7 · #11 02-20-2003

So, let's say for drums I could use a Composer Pro for the Kick and the Snare, and an RNC to calm down the signals from the Overheads? I think that's the way I'll go.

Gidge · #12 02-20-2003

thats an excellent choice....

flip/flop them both ways to see which one you rather each on .....you may rather one more than the other for each application(kick/snare or overheads)........

Mark7 · #13 02-20-2003

Would the Composer's noise gates do a reasonable job of keeping the Kick and Snare tracks relatively clean (by which I mean making sure that Kick and Snare were the only sounds recorded on those tracks), in conjunction with the use of hypercardioid mics?

nwsoundman · #14 02-20-2003

The gates in the composer arent that good, nowhere close enough to use while tracking IMHO. If you must use gates while tracking pick up a unit with more control.

Kirk

Mark7 · #15 02-20-2003

Well, I'm not one hundred per cent sure I'd want to gate the Kick and the Snare anyway. If I can achieve the separation by other means, like using carefully positioned hypercardiod mics and maybe putting blankets over the Kick, then I'd rather do that than put more electronics in the signal chain.

MISTERQCUE · #16 02-20-2003

Quote:

Originally posted by Mark7
Well, I'm not one hundred per cent sure I'd want to gate the Kick and the Snare anyway. If I can achieve the separation by other means, like using carefully positioned hypercardiod mics and maybe putting blankets over the Kick, then I'd rather do that than put more electronics in the signal chain.

One can obtain good results using the Composer gate's on Kik/Snare incorporating a Fast response time starting with a Thresh/Ratio of 20-2:1 and increasing from there until you reach your desired choice, or in other words gating experimentation. However seemingly, a Thresh of over 50db with a Hi Ratio tends to deaden the dynamics of the kit's signal producing a lack of decay and resonance. Something normally not inherent in the RNC. Mind you, I don't have a world of experience on Kit recording as it is not my field of expertise (beer and vodka is) but the FEW times I have had the opportunity to, sufficient results
were had using the Composer's gates!
Just my opinion only.

Overall, for the money, the Composer is a worthy addition if you
cannot afford anything more and provides suitable performance.

But the RNC is better!

Mark7 · #17 02-20-2003

What mics do you use on beer and vodka?

nwsoundman · #18 02-20-2003

You can always gate what you want at mix time. Why commit to tape the gated drums?

Kirk

Mark7 · #19 02-20-2003

Because it's an option. And what should options always be?

eeldip · #20 02-20-2003

you still are going to get a better compressor by avoiding the behringer and getting a symetrix.

there are on few on ebay right now!

Mark7 · #21 02-20-2003

I prefer to use stuff I can plug into the U.K. mains without worrying. If any Symetrix (or those other companies) stuff turns up in my local AoS or on ebay.co.uk I'll give it serious consideration.

gatorhaus · #22 02-20-2003

eeldip,

I've never heard of the symetrix, is it much better than the Behrs or the DBXs. I was going to add a low end compressor, I got a DBX 163x last week I think its pretty cool, I have been playing with it and getting some good bass results with it. Two knobs, you gotta luvit.

thanks,
larry

Think I'll bid on one of the symetrix, if I can get for under a $100

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