Help!!! ALTO Gear...Worth it??!!

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TheMajorMiller

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Need some opinions (and I know there's no shortage of THOSE here) on ALTO products, more specifically, compressors/limiters.

I'm looking into buying something SOON. And SURPRISE! SURPRISE!, I'm on a tight budget. I've got to cover at least 4 channels. If ALTO sucks, then please, show me the way.

Many thanks!
 
Probably a small step above Behringer.

If you want good, cheap gear, look on the used market for Rane and Symetrix.
 
I don't know about their limiters/comps. However, their "toob" mic pre is horrible. Really, really bad.
 
As far as compressors/limiters go, you're better off with nothing than with something that sucks. Can you spring $175 for an RNC?
 
Buy used DBX, Soundcraft etc. over new Alto and Behrimger. Good used gear is better then new crap and cost about the same.
 
i have to say the same,
buy second hand DBX or symetrix, just FORGET about behringer man! totally !
and i've never heard a good thing about alto, the only thing i've ever heard is that its kinda like behringer,,,might be a step up, but maybe that is just because it breaks down les fast than B-stuff

i compared my cheap ($60) dbx 166a with behringer composers and GOD, JEZUS CHRIST FROM NAZARETH, there is a big difference yeah ;)
don't get the 266, don't like that one, you might find those for less than $50,
go for 166 series, they're cheap, even a 166XL (which i think is a real decent budget compressor) is about $160 new, and thats like five steps up from berrie's if u ask me
 
Because a couple of people have mentioned the dbx stuff, I have to say that I can't stand their lower-line units. IMHO, the 266 is totally unusable. The 166 is better but not great, unless you're looking to add a dash of mud to everything. Even used, I wouldn't call those a bargain. The RNC is a great little compressor, though. Havn't tried the Symetrix or Rane stuff.
 
I have an Alto headphone amp.... 6 channels... not bad for 99 dollars shipped.

We have an Alto dealer locally..... isn't Alto a branch off of yorkville or something?
 
I asked the same question about a year ago and ten or twenty people said it sucks pond scum. Of course, none of them actually owned any Alto gear. They just knew for sure it totally sucked without ever trying it out, that’s all.

One guy here says he owns a piece and it’s not bad. Hmmm!

Well Miller, what have you learned from this thread?
 
RawDepth said:
I asked the same question about a year ago and ten or twenty people said it sucks pond scum. Of course, none of them actually owned any Alto gear. They just knew for sure it totally sucked without ever trying it out, that’s all.
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I think I was the one who answered that question.

Honestly, I was just being goofy that day. I just wanted to say "it sucks" ... just in case it really did suck.

That way, I could've been the first to say it. :D

I do admit, though, that my "suck-dar" is going off big time every time I look at their stuff. It just gives off this "suck vibe," and the words "you can do better than this" keep repeating in my head.

... As if my gear guardian angel were looking out for me.
 
RawDepth said:
I asked the same question about a year ago and ten or twenty people said it sucks pond scum. Of course, none of them actually owned any Alto gear. They just knew for sure it totally sucked without ever trying it out, that’s all.

One guy here says he owns a piece and it’s not bad. Hmmm!

Well Miller, what have you learned from this thread?
Click to expand...

I own the alpha dual mic pre (mentioned above) and it sucks a left dangling nut. It is the nastiest, noisiest piece of gear I own. The headphone amp isn't affecting your recorded signal, so that's o.k. A pre or effect unit will. I've heard tales that there mixers are better than behringer, but that's not saying much, and they don't seem to be very popular around here.
 
RawDepth said:
I asked the same question about a year ago and ten or twenty people said it sucks pond scum. Of course, none of them actually owned any Alto gear. They just knew for sure it totally sucked without ever trying it out, that’s all.

One guy here says he owns a piece and it’s not bad. Hmmm!

Well Miller, what have you learned from this thread?
Click to expand...
What did I get from this?? Well, I will do as much research on all the brands mentioned in the thread (except for Behringer due to past experiences).

I actually found a couple of Symetric compressors used today. I'm gonna go give them a whirl tomorrow and see what I think. Being that they're only $60 a piece, they're gonna have to really suck...

I appreciate all of your help! Thanks again!
 
I also own their 6 channel headphone amp. It works great and is exactly what I needed, but I don't think that I would ever put anything by them in a recording chain.
 
chessrock said:
Probably a small step above Behringer.

If you want good, cheap gear, look on the used market for Rane and Symetrix.
Click to expand...

I'll also add the older DBX gear to this list, as well as some Aphex units like the Expressor.

You'll be much better off going with older used pro gear than ultra-cheapo new gear. Just because an older compressor goes for $60 doesn't mean it necessarily sucks. Anyway, the important factor is whether it is better than the Alto/Behringer gear, which it almost certainly will be.

I'm a huge fan of buying older pro gear. A lot of that stuff is very well made and sounds great, despite its age. A lot of the older solid state gear is underpriced, since many people are still on the vintage tube rage.
 
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Well, ya know the old addage "They don't make 'em like they used to."

It's true. Stuff made in the 60's, 70's and early 80's was made to a higher standard. Some of this cheap gear being cranked out these days you can tell is built to last maybe 10 years, tops. Which is fine for some people's purposes, I suppose.

The stuff produced by our parents' generation was made to last a lifetime.

I regularly use the same model of Electrovoice microphones used by Elvis in the studio, the Beatles on Ed Sullivan, and the Warren Commission. :D And in my opinion, they sound superior to most of the newer mics I own, some of which are pretty nice ones.
 
i've worked with several old pieces of equipment,
studiomaster mixers from over 10 or 20 years of age,
dbx compressors that looked like they survived world war 2,
sennheiser mics that might be 10 or 20 years old,
an akg from the 60's,
all that stuff works well, no noizy buttons, no crazy hiss, all the leds work, WOW, and i worked with LOTS of behringer stuff that was maybe 2 years old, 4 years old, and MANNNNN just don't ever BUY IT ! i'll keep on repeating it, it just simply breaks down after a while, it starts with the buttons that crack, fall off, leds that stop working, some channels that refuse to work...and it ends with pure frustration,
no matter how hard dbx 166-stuff sucks, its so much better than behringer cause it works
 
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