Ok, I went and ordered the Golden Age COMP-3A audio leveler. I was planning on smoothing out vocals with it on the way into the DAW. I record folk/bluegrass music, where a clear smooth signal is desired. I thought this was going to beat all. So I built a small mixer in PT where I would record in my vocal, and one track would be recording the dry signal off the mic and preamp, and the other track would record the wet signal going from the preamp through the compresser. I looked at the wave forms of each, and obviously the wet signal was tamed compared to the dry signal. But the wet signal was not clear and alive. It was dead. I tried it again with less peak reduction on the vocal. Better wave form, but still sounded pretty lifeless. I concluded I like the dry signal better. I can compress using plugins better than what I was getting through the COMP-3A. And I spent considerable amount of time testing the different modes on the unit to make sure I knew how to work it ok. So if you're planning on using two of them to put a stereo mix, I can see that. But don't bother using it for tracking acoustic vocals and guitars. You get a cleaner signal without it.
the COMP-3A
- Thread starter banjo71
- Start date
CoolCat
Well-known member
Compression....the first time I heard of a compressor the dude in the store in 1981, said "if you can hear it, you probably have too much on" That was kind of a strange concept back then, buy something you cant hear? I mean...guitar pedals you bought so you could hear the effect....but a compressor, if you can hear it theres too much so you want it on but you cant hear it working? an empty box can do that?
Recently reading the www.. a lot of compressor articles with the engineers mention like 2:1 ratios and that's about nothing you can hear.
So the dude was right?
I agree, muddy can come quick. Im also finding my compressor love is muddying up things too much too, in order to "control" stuff it loses dynamics aka life and clarity, highs and lows. Im still leaning on outboard over plugins though, seems a bit more clarity or depth or whatever word it is to describe it but backing off a bit on the comp, especially Tube stuff as it already tends to roll the peaks off.
I wonder is there a new saying with DAW's "if you can see, you have too much compression on?" lol
Those Golden Age units look well done though.
Recently reading the www.. a lot of compressor articles with the engineers mention like 2:1 ratios and that's about nothing you can hear.
So the dude was right?
I agree, muddy can come quick. Im also finding my compressor love is muddying up things too much too, in order to "control" stuff it loses dynamics aka life and clarity, highs and lows. Im still leaning on outboard over plugins though, seems a bit more clarity or depth or whatever word it is to describe it but backing off a bit on the comp, especially Tube stuff as it already tends to roll the peaks off.
I wonder is there a new saying with DAW's "if you can see, you have too much compression on?" lol
Those Golden Age units look well done though.