Alesis CLX440 CLX-440 compressor

[tomleblanc]

I can't find any info on this compressor, aside from a few old threads in the Alesis forum that consist of only one post asking for into. So here goes.

All I know is, the CLX440 looks damn hot! Check it out:
http://www.bswonline.com/prod_item.asp?item=CLX440

And it's got TWO discreet stereo channels! Giddy up!

At $199 it's very comparable in price to the FMR RNC, so I was wondering how it compares aurally. I know Alesis doesn't have a great reputation when it comes to conpressors though...the 3630 has caused many a headache! But perhaps this model is an improvement. And if it sounds as good as it looks, I'm down!

Anyone have any info?

[tomleblanc]

Here's a huge picture of the front of it: http://www.alesis.com/products/CLX440/CLX_front.jpg

It was too big to attach here.

[Blue Bear Sound]

Originally posted by tomleblanc
All I know is, the CLX440 looks damn hot! Check it out:
http://www.bswonline.com/prod_item.asp?item=CLX440

It looks like a big piece of crap compared to this --> http://store4.yimg.com/I/mercenary-audio_1743_1567088

[tomleblanc]

mmmm....Aaaaaavalon (drooling)...GEAR-GASMIC!!!

[tomleblanc]

So I just found out that MF has this new Alesis unit on sale for $169!

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/.../base_id/57826

I'd like to know how this unit compares to the FMR RNC, and to the Behringer compressors (in particular the Composer Pro XL).

Anyone have any experience with the Alesis CLX-440???

[Blue Bear Sound]

I haven't heard it - but I'm quite certain there's absolutely no way it compares at all to the RNC..... while it almost certainly HAS to be better than a 3630 (how could it not be???), I haven't heard from anyone that they "got it right" with this unit either....

As a matter of fact - it's almost proof that it isn't worthwhile due to the fact that MF is blowing them out like that -- exactly the same marketing as the 3630....

YMMV

[scottboyher]

I can't wait till the Avalon's get down to $99.99!

[Yescalero]

I don't know what to make of this unit. It has an internal digital
signal processing chip, but after downloading the manual, it's
impossible to tell if the signal is being compressed digitally, or
in the analog realm. The manual does mention that if it's used
in the look ahead mode, the signal will be digitally delayed by
2ms, but I can't tell if this is the only time the signal would be
converted to digital or not.

[Blue Bear Sound]

There was a write-up in one of the mags a few months back.... it IS a digital unit - the equivalent of a plug-in wrapped in a case with knobs, with A/D and D/A....

[Yescalero]

So then it's digital, but yet it has no digital I/O from what I can
see. I don't think I would want this in the analog portion of my
signal path, and I can't integrate it in with my digital gear, plus
the compressor plug-ins on my software already work great.
Oh well.

[CarmenC]

A very good review from Sound on Sound......

http://www.sospubs.co.uk/sos/sep02/a...esisclx440.asp

C

[Blue Bear Sound]

From the article:
"Like the all-analogue Alesis 3630 that came before it, I found the CLX440 a very capable compressor, able to cope with a wide range of sound sources."
...Paul White

I generally agree with Paul White's assessments, but ya gotta wonder about this statement!


The other issue I have with this type of unit is that while the compressor s/w algorithms may indeed be effective, the fact is that the on-board A/D & D/A converters are very likely less than stellar, negating the usefulness of the entire unit!

[SonicAlbert]

It is a digital unit internally with analog in/out. When Alesis first showed this unit at NAMM I asked one of their reps why anybody would buy a digital compressor with analog in/out. The rep didn't have an answer for me. And based on what's happening with these things getting blown out, it looks like very few people were indeed interested.

It's kind of the worst of both worlds. You'd want maybe a digital compressor with digital AND analog in/out, or an analog compressor with digital in/out. Or analog with analog in/out. Why market a digital compressor when there are so many plugins that will do the same thing? And with no digital in/out to interface with a DAW. It made no sense to me.

[Speeddemon]

Originally posted by Blue Bear Sound
From the article:
"Like the all-analogue Alesis 3630 that came before it, I found the CLX440 a very capable compressor, able to cope with a wide range of sound sources."
...Paul White

I generally agree with Paul White's assessments, but ya gotta wonder about this statement!


The other issue I have with this type of unit is that while the compressor s/w algorithms may indeed be effective, the fact is that the on-board A/D & D/A converters are very likely less than stellar, negating the usefulness of the entire unit!

I hear ya Bruce, but for some reason the 3630 does have a share of followers in Europe...

maybe some Fench and Danish sissies liked all those lights...

[Industrial]

I would like to be the minority voice here and rally in defense of the Alesis CLX-440. I have a small, yet capable recording studio.... and my taste in equipment tends towards the VERY expensive end.... I don't just use the equipment.... I actually test it's capabilities myself because I am an electrical engineer.... so anything that doesn't meet my expectations (subject to the general rule that you get what you pay for.... goes back to the factory for a refund if it turns out to be a piece of crap... and I've done that twice when I purchased some fancy-schmancy overpriced "premium brand" preamplifiers which turned out to be no better than my less expensive preamps)..... and I'll say first, that the Alesis CLX-440 "holds its own" not just in its own price category.... but it's not bad when put up against some of the more expensive units.... many of which I also own.

A very valid question that was raised.... why would they make the unit Digital, and not have a digital input..... a valid question indeed. I'm a "sonic purist".... so I don't like distortion (that includes "color" in my pre-amps...or any other undesirable artifacts in my signal...... but me thinks people are being a little too intellectual here and not realizing the big picture... People who are involved with music that involves alot of effects, particularly the outboard kind and are running their signal into and out of the computer... are doing FAR worse damage than merely running your analog signal through Alesis CLX-440 just once. Don't make a mountain out of a molehill, folks.

Is Alesis the only manufacturer that does this?

Apparently not. How about RANE? From what I understand, RANE's new fancy-scmancy DEQ60 "Perfect-Q" graphic equalizer does the same exact thing.... as far as I can tell it has no digital inputs, only analogue.... yet if I'm not mistaken, it processes the signal digitally in order to achieve the supposed "Perfect Q" (as opposed to "Constant-Q" filtering.... So go lodge your complaint with RANE. If a "premium brand" manufacturer like RANE can get away with this... than so can Alesis. Also, I believe there are other digital graphic EQ's out there that have analog inputs (and some of them don't have digital inputs)... so it's not really that big o' deal.

The only question you need ask yourself are these?

(1) Does the benefit of the (a) look-ahead mode, (b) continuously variable knee and (c) continuously variable detection mode, [something basically ONLY Alesis has] ....outweigh any small losses you get during the unnecessary A/D/A conversion?

(2) Is this small loss in quality an acceptable trade-off when viewed from an economics perspective. i.e.... digital inputs just mean more money in manufacturing.... which means you pay more! So it was a trade-off between selling a very capable compressor at a price that more people can afford.

You get what you pay for. I'd like digital inputs on much of the outboard equipment in my studio.... but it's not happening... so let's either influence manufactureres to include this more in the future... or just get over it. By no means is this unit inadequate by any means. Not perfect, but its good for the money.

[FALKEN]

I am wondering if this thing really does go A/D/A? It can be digitally controlled but still not go through conversion... this is how the RNC works (and IMO sounds).