Compressors...what are you using?
- Thread starter DREAMLABS
- Start date
petermiller
It is what it is
cheap side RNC or DBX 166XL I would look at ASHLY CL52
riffy
New member
I am currently using the Art Pro VLA for vocals & some voice-over stuff and it's really been really nice, this is a great unit. The DBX 166 and the 160a are also nice. The Art Pro VLA is especially nice for speech & singing though. Actually for voice-over stuff I have been considering picking up a Shure SM7b to add the the selection.
I hat to say this, because people tend to get in trouble for recommendind expensive equipment. However, the Avalon 737 is a great box for this kind of work. Especially if it is your primary work. The preamp is pretty decent, the EQ is awesome, and the compressor works well for vocals and bass. It will offer you an almost too smooth or too produced sound right out of the box in many cases. For voiceover work and especially narrative stuff, this seems like a real winning situation.
Now for more affordable stuff.... The RNC does a good job of transparent low ratio low gain reduction compression. Basically, just trimming the ends a hair. The DBX 166 and 1066 has a bit more of a "hairy" sound to it. Never really clean. If you use the overeasy, the compression is a little less noticable at the same GR values, and you tend to raise the threshold a little. Without the GR, its a bit more like a classic comp in its response, but its a more more drastic and noticable sound. The 160a is a nice compromise between the two. It seems to be a little cleaner than the others at higher GR levels, but still gets crazy on you (in a cool way) at higher ratios and lower thresholds
I would avoid the presonus comps, the ART's don't seem to work well to me. They look cool, they add a distinct and often cool character to the sound, but they do that it seems even when no compression is really triggered. I wouldn't even consider the Alesis, and the Behringer is actually an OK compressor. I still like the DBX's a bit more though. The compression on the Behringer is OK, but it seems that every signal run through ANY Behringer automatically gets a bit of a high and low pass to it, and the 3 to 12k region gets grainy and harsh. Not in a good way either
Now for more affordable stuff.... The RNC does a good job of transparent low ratio low gain reduction compression. Basically, just trimming the ends a hair. The DBX 166 and 1066 has a bit more of a "hairy" sound to it. Never really clean. If you use the overeasy, the compression is a little less noticable at the same GR values, and you tend to raise the threshold a little. Without the GR, its a bit more like a classic comp in its response, but its a more more drastic and noticable sound. The 160a is a nice compromise between the two. It seems to be a little cleaner than the others at higher GR levels, but still gets crazy on you (in a cool way) at higher ratios and lower thresholds
I would avoid the presonus comps, the ART's don't seem to work well to me. They look cool, they add a distinct and often cool character to the sound, but they do that it seems even when no compression is really triggered. I wouldn't even consider the Alesis, and the Behringer is actually an OK compressor. I still like the DBX's a bit more though. The compression on the Behringer is OK, but it seems that every signal run through ANY Behringer automatically gets a bit of a high and low pass to it, and the 3 to 12k region gets grainy and harsh. Not in a good way either
FALKEN
*************************
dbx 166xl is my only compressor that gets used on every single project. sometimes just for the gates or the limiter but the compressor is very good too. the combination of gate, compressor, and limiter would be very good for voiceover stuff. it also has a sidechain = great for ducking out background music.
Treeline
New member
I'm using a Lexicon and a BBE. Both are entry level / $200 units; I use them mostly for live work. The BBE Maxcom functions as a decent affordable live limiter. All very nice as long as I don't forget what I'm doing... a little goes a long way. 
Drawmer 1968 (vox and stereo mixdowns); Art Pro VLA (bass and electric guitars); DBX 160A.
Dewey Weber
New member
VO compressor
I recommend the Samson S-Com. Mainly because of the
Gate/Expander section. The expander, set on "slow", works
really well for getting rid of "noise" (computer drives, ac units, traffic, etc..) during pauses.
The compressor section works fine on the modest settings that would be appropriate for voice over work.
$100 for an excellent gate/expander, and decent compressor in one box.
I recommend the Samson S-Com. Mainly because of the
Gate/Expander section. The expander, set on "slow", works
really well for getting rid of "noise" (computer drives, ac units, traffic, etc..) during pauses.
The compressor section works fine on the modest settings that would be appropriate for voice over work.
$100 for an excellent gate/expander, and decent compressor in one box.
steveanthony
New member
I'm using an Aphex Expressor (651 - the older model) for voice work. The RNC is good, too.
up-fiddler
Taming the World--for now
I like the RNC for vox. I use a 166 for bass and i have an AL 266 which I use when I need another compressor. I am buying another RNC but would consider higher end gear if I only needed one compressor as oppssed to several.
phaqu
gone and forgotten
studiomaster
New member
I use my mighty Waves C1 compressor.