Need help choosing a 200-250$ compressor

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I need a compressor for two use: live, my singer likes to shout loud sometimes, but some other times he likes to whisper, this gives use problems when trying to rehearse because, if we want to hear him all the time we have to bring the gain up, but when he screams he clips the power amp and the speakers don't like it. I know I know, I should tell him to put the mic farther when he screams, but you know... he's just a singer after all, can't ask too much of him :o). Anyway, I thought about using a compressor and putting it in "limiting" mode to prevent the signal from exceeding the power amp's limit and keeping my speakers intact. But at the same time, I'd though this compressor would be useful when tracking vocals, bass and drums. If he has this problem live, I bet he will be difficult to catch on tape. And since I'm recording digital, I can't afford to let the signal clip, so I will simply compress him a bit during tracking, same thing for bass and drum. I won't use it to compress the mix (I'm doing this digitally on my DAW instead) just during tracking. I need a stereo compressor, or one with 2 distinct channels. In the 200-250$ price range, any suggestion?
 
I bought a "DBX Project One 266 Compressor-Gate" about 7 years ago for around $225.00. I don't know if they're still in production or what they cost now but it's still working fine.
 
disregard

[This message has been edited by monty (edited 02-11-2000).]
 
The Behringer Composer Pro seems nice. It has a gate and a limiter on each channel, cool! I think the list price is like 300$ right?
 
I think you'll find nearly everyone on this BBS will recommend the Behringer Composer. Apparently the best bang for buck compressor around.
 
Behringers and RNC (Really Nice Compressor) by FMR are what everyone recommends. You can read about the RNC on ProRec.
 
I'd have to agree on the behringer thing. The only thing that the RNC lacks is the ability to to dual mono like the Behringer. And the only thing the behringer lacks is the ability to do the really nice mode compression layering.......autocom or composer are great units
 
Just bought a clean used Behringer Autocom MDX 1200 for $125 off the HC Classifieds.

Two channels, and a really helpful Auto mode if you want to let the unit determine the Attack and Release levels. You can switch off each channel to make an A/B comparison between the compressed and uncompressed signal. Useful features, not gimmicks.

It will also do dynamic compression, adjusting automatically for the fact that a bass note will trigger more compression than a treble note. Great manual, too.

I looked at the RNC but I believe it has only one channel, not two. Could be wrong.

You should be able to get a decent 2-channel compressor, clean and used, for $125-200. Harmony-Central.com classifieds are full of them.

As for resources, go read "Compression 101" at http://dbxpro.com/compress101.htm .
 
Correction to above:

The RNC has one set of controls that adjusts both channels.

Other compressors have two sets of controls, so you can set each channel individually if you want or need to.
 
BEHRINGER Autocom has my vote, especially that you are new to compression. It will set the controls for you automatically. If you also need one for micing your drums, get the one with 4 channels of compression/gate from BEHRINGER (multicom). However, if budget is your concern, try DBX Project 1, as long as you do not set your settings to extremes, you will do nicely.
 
I recently purchased a Behringer Autocom MDX1400 and am having great results compared to the Ashly SC-50 that I have had for years. Does anyone want to comment on the difference between the Composer and the Autocom. I have read that there is really no noticable difference. Is that true. I like the way you use it in stereo mode with only one control to worry about. Great sidechain abilities, overall good sounding, but watch the high end. Where most compressors muffle the high end, this one can get rather bright if you are not careful.
 
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