buying a compressor?

  • Thread starter Thread starter tomleblanc
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tomleblanc

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I've been lurking around here for quite a while, and have read tons of stuff about recording, various gear, etc. etc. I'm looking to buy a compressor to play around with and learn how to use, so I can better understand how compression works and optimize my usage of it in my recording projects. Currently I'm just using software compression plugins, but I find it tough to get a feel for it without being able to tweak knobs with my hands instead of a mouse (I know, I'm weird...I'm a very hands-on kind of person).

I've basically narrowed it down to the FMR RNC, an obvious choice given it's astounding ratings and reasonable price, the Behringer Composer Pro (or Pro XL), and the DBX 266XL.

The reason I'm undecided is the difference in features among these three compressors. The RNC is probably the "best" compressor, but has the least amount of features. It's a stereo compressor, but can't compress two channels separately. That's a big negative for me, as I can't afford to buy two of them and will probably be going acoustic guitar recordings using an LD and an SD condenser and will probably need unlinked 2 channel compression.

The Behringer has tons of features. The XL is a gate/compressor/limiter/de-esser! And I've heard that the Behringer compressors are actually quite good.

I don't know much about the DBX other than that it's an inexpensive yet very well-respected and widely-used compressor.

I've read LOTS about these compressors, but it's still hard for me to get a feel for their features, how useful they are, etc., having never owned a compressor before! Any insights?

Thanks! :)
 
The RNC will provide near transparent, dynamic processing
while the Composer Pro offers decent, workmanlike, perf in the areas of Limiting and Gating!
RNC=$169

Composer Pro=$79

Both are easy to use and are great outboard proceesors suitable for your avg project studio.

In the end, the final choice is yours!!
 
MISTERQCUE said:
The RNC will provide near transparent, dynamic processing
while the Composer Pro offers decent, workmanlike, perf in the areas of Limiting and Gating!
RNC=$169

Composer Pro=$79

Both are easy to use and are great outboard proceesors suitable for your avg project studio.

In the end, the final choice is yours!!
Click to expand...

Are you saying don't buy the 3630? :D
 
:D I use the 10 series of DBX. DBX company in my opinion has always made good units. The 266 might be worth a try.


da MUTT
 
MISTERQCUE said:
Composer Pro=$79

Both are easy to use and are great outboard proceesors suitable for your avg project studio.

In the end, the final choice is yours!!
Click to expand...

Any significant advantage to getting the Composer Pro XL? I know it has a de-esser, but I don't know how different it is otherwise. Is the de-esser useful/good? Also, I haven't seen it for any less than $99 (eBay, plus another $10 for shipping...errrr). It's quite a price difference...is it worth it?
 
so, I did some more research and found some interesting stuff.

Apparently the "XL" models are Behringer's "new and improved" compressors. Interestingly, it seems that the difference between the Autocom Pro XL and the Composer Pro XL is pretty minor. According to the manual the specs are completely identical aside from a few minor things.

1. The Composer Pro XL has Behringer's tube-emulating function, whereas the Autocom Pro XL does not.

2. The Composer has a better de-esser that's manually adjustable, with a button to select "male" or "female." All this does is change the filter frequency to either 8.6kHz for "female," and 7.5kHz for the "male" setting. But the amount of reduction and everything else seems the same, according to the specs. The Autocom Pro XL's de-esser has a filter frequency of 5-8 and seems to be automated.

3. The Autocom Pro XL has a better enhancer, which is adjustable. It can boost up to 40dB at 7.5kHz, whereas the Composer Pro XL can boost up to 28 (and doesn't seem to be adjustable).

4. The Composer Pro XL has a relay-controlled hard-bypass with auto-bypass during power failure, whereas the Autocom Pro XL does not (according to the Behringer comparison chart I found on their site, the Autocom has a switchable hard-bypass...that doesn't make sense to me though).

Does anyone have the Composer with the tube-emulation function? I can't imagine it being all that great, but maybe it's a cool effect I'd want to have available. On the other hand, I've heard that the Autocom's enhancer is pretty useful sometimes. Ahhhh, I can't decide!

The Autocom Pro XL runs about $89, and the Composer Pro XL is around $109. If these are the big differences I don't understand the significant price difference. Seems to me that they just have a few minor differences in features, but are essentially the same. So maybe it just comes down to the differences...better enhancer vs. better de-esser, tube emulation, and relay-controlled hard-bypass...hmmm...
 
scottboyher said:
Are you saying don't buy the 3630? :D
Click to expand...

Get in line buddy!

I've been tryin' to sell my 3630 for $25 and a ham&cheese samich!:p

I don't know much of the "newer" versions of the AutoCom and the Composer as I own the older models, but I get decent results with both(I use the Composer w. bass;di'd git etc. while the AutoCom affords passable siblance control on minor voc work and amp/cab mic'ing) units. But overall, the RNC is a ridiculously awesome unit! I mean no sound artifacts or residual tones during
heavy processing; no additional "flavoring" or signal "effect" riding whatsoever! Just straight-up does what a dynamics processor is s'posed to do!!
 
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