RNC compressor-good or not so good?

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monkie

monkie

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I was searching online for a cheap but decent hardware compressor and found the RNC compressor. It's got quite a few positive reviews about it and I just want to ask everyone in this forum who owns one of these to write their opinions on it. I really want to try it for myself ,too, to see if it's really that great. I read somewhere online that almost every major studio has at least one. I don't know if that's true or not. For only $200, it's like a joke for all those great reviews.

How is this little compressor compared to the higher end ones? For example, what other high end compressor can this little one stand up to? I understand that it's probably not as good as the 1176 or the Distressor but I've readpeople making comparisons between these. How shocking. I'm undecided right now whether I should get it or not because I'm thinking about saving up for either the 1176 or Distressor. I'm just a little curious about this little thing; if major studios already have those high-end compressors, why bother using this little RNC? Are there some things that the RNC can do that other high end compressors can't do? But hey, for only $200 what have I got to lose?

I also read that the ART Pro-VLA is a pretty good compressor for $300 only. Anyone used it before? Good/bad?

Between the two (RNC and VLA), which one would you prefer? Why?

This will be my first purchase of a hardware compressor. Thanks in advance for any advice or recommendations.:D
 
I own the RNC and the RNLA.

You can get very usable results with either, though in my shop I think the VLA would get a little more use.


I own a distressor and am unlikely to use either again, since the distressor has something the RNC and the RNLA dont - magic.
 
Supercreep said:
I own the RNC and the RNLA.

You can get very usable results with either, though in my shop I think the VLA would get a little more use.


I own a distressor and am unlikely to use either again, since the distressor has something the RNC and the RNLA dont - magic.
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Correct me if I'm wrong; are you saying that if I was to get the Distressor then there really is no point of getting the RNC since I'll just be using the Distressor?:)
 
The distressor has something else the RNC doesn't have... a pricetag over a grand. For the money the RNC and the ART VLA are both good usable compressors. I have both and use both. The RNC for $175 is a bargain IMO.
 
monkie said:
Correct me if I'm wrong; are you saying that if I was to get the Distressor then there really is no point of getting the RNC since I'll just be using the Distressor?:)
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Yes, sir, I am.
 
guitar zero said:
The distressor has something else the RNC doesn't have... a pricetag over a grand. For the money the RNC and the ART VLA are both good usable compressors. I have both and use both. The RNC for $175 is a bargain IMO.
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For the money, you are right.

I'm not knocking the FMR products, I own them too.

It's just that the Distressor really is that much better.
 
And it also depends on how many channels of compression you need and what kind of compression you need. The Distressor is pretty much a swiss army knife of a compressor. There are a few things it doesn't do, like LA2A type comp, and things for which people seem to like other comps better (like for 2 buss), but it probably has the broadest application of any high end compressor

I have a couple RNCs, as well as a Peavey VC/L-2, API 525, Drawmer 1968, Aphex Compellor, DBX 160xt and a Symetrix 501.

Some are more transparent than others (like the Compellor and the RNC). Some have more color (like the VC/L-2 and the API 525). Some seem particularly suited to certain applications (like the Drawmer on 2 buss and the the Symetrix on bass). The DBX and the RNC are also swiss army knife type comps, but admittedly neither is as good as a Distressor. On the other hand, if you need another comp and don't want to drop another $1200 for a Distressor, the RNC works admirably for most applications (there is no nuke setting however).
 
pohaku said:
if you need another comp and don't want to drop another $1200 for a Distressor, the RNC works admirably for most applications (there is no nuke setting however).
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What's a nuke setting? I noticed it on the Distressor and not on other compressors. What does it do anyways?:)
 
On a Distressor, compression ratios are switchable in steps rather than being fully variable. There are seven ratios, from 1:1 to 20:1, with a further setting that is simply called Nuke -- which is a brick-wall limiter. It has a unique sound.
 
I'd really love to pick up a couple of the RNCs (transparent compression would really be nicer than the Compounder I'm currently using) but in their literature they say that if you don't do the balanced/unbalanced thing correctly, you can damage other gear and that scares the shit out of me.

Any idea on how you'd connect an RNC to a patchbay then connect to balanced gear?
 
pohaku said:
On a Distressor, compression ratios are switchable in steps rather than being fully variable. There are seven ratios, from 1:1 to 20:1, with a further setting that is simply called Nuke -- which is a brick-wall limiter. It has a unique sound.
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Can you describe the unique sound of the Nuke setting?:)
 
Hard to describe adequately. It does make things, especially drums, sound much, much bigger. While they didn't use a Distressor (as it came later) think about the highly compressed drum sound of later day Genesis and Phil Collins. It provides that kind of effect (and it is an effect when you compress at that level).
 
pohaku said:
Hard to describe adequately. It does make things, especially drums, sound much, much bigger. While they didn't use a Distressor (as it came later) think about the highly compressed drum sound of later day Genesis and Phil Collins. It provides that kind of effect (and it is an effect when you compress at that level).
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I'm glad you mentioned Phil Collins. I seriously enjoyed his sounds. That kind of production and engineering is what I'm trying to shoot for. Any ideas what kind of gears he used? What mic/pre?:cool:
 
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