RNC vs. Pro vla

M

Masters Of War

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I'm looking to get a compressor, thinking either 2 RNCs or a pro vla. I know the RNC gets a lot of praise around here, but how does the vla stackup? Any other suggestions in this price range? I would mainly be using the compressor on vocals, guitar (acoustic & electric), and synths. Thanks in advances for any help.
 
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Never used a vla so I don't know how it stacks up to a RNC. My gut says the RNC would blow any Art compressor out the water. I also usually run away from any gear that uses the word "pro" or "ultra" in the model name. :D
 
I have both and use them regularly.
For vocals and acoustic guitar / synths, I'd reach for the RNC every time.

The RNC is very good for for being nonobtrusive which is what you want for those types of recording (except maybe the electric guitars).

The VLA (which I love and have 2) is wonderful on stuff like Bass guitar and drums. The optical type compressor is a little slower acting so it lets some of the transients through and then works its magic, but does not flutter (distort) on low frequency stuff like RNC might do.

For your stated needs I'd go RNC.
 
conversly, I find the VLA amazing for vocals and acoustic. It's transparent, yet it can do a nice clean squashing if you want it to. For bass and drums, I'd be reaching for a dbx. For vox and guitar, I'm in love with the VLA. If you can rent one, take the time to do so and check it out first hand. That's what I did! :)
 
i had both as well. i found the vla good for only the slightest compression and after that it mushed the osund...so slight it was that it was usually a coin toss as to use it or nothing. i ended up selling it. it ended up putting a quality on there i just didn't dig...but other people i know dig em. definitely worth checking out for what you want to use it for. i just didn't dig it.

I always have an rnc or two going at the mix. never on anything "primary" but definitely a handy tool to have around.

I've said it before and i'll say it again: look into a behringer composer 2100 for 30-50 bucks...it's a handy unit to have in the rack...

Mike
 
I use both, but prefer the VLA for live sound and recording applications. It has stood up to years of road use and doesn't use a wall-wart. The VCU and GR meters are also nice when working in low light situations.
 
I know a wall-wart has something to do with the power supply. What exactly is it? Should I really avoid a unit beacuse it has a wall-wart?
 
Some very fine units have wall-warts. But then again so does some cheapo gear. The problem with budget units with wall warts is that their power supplies are probably quite cheap as well and can bleed noise into audio lines. Think "Alesis", for example. I know that from experience.

Internal supplies are convenient, but just because a piece of gear has an external power supply doesn't mean you should avoid it. In fact, some very high end gear is designed with external power supplies in order to keep those electronics away from the audio electronics.
 
Yeah, it's a matter of convenience. If you are setting up a live rack, wall warts can take up two or more spaces on your power strip, and they have a nasty habit of falling out if the rack gets bumped around moving it, so you have to secure them to the strip . . . sometimes they are unavoidable, like with wireless receivers, but if I can, I try to avoid gear that needs them.
 
Wall warts are just the power transformers that turn 110AC into 3v-12v~ DC. They are the big honking things that take up two to three AC outlets on your pwerstrip cause they are so big, thus the name wall-wart. Companies use them for several reasons but the highest on the list is they use off the shelf wall-warts from other companies that make them so they don't have to get UL certification for their own power supply. And they can make smaller boxes since the power transformer is external. But then we have to put up with making sure we have the right wallwart for the right piece of gear, our power strips are over crowded, etc. So yes it is nice not to have to deal with wall-warts, but it shouldn't be a deal breaker.

Now, I have never tried a RNC but I do have a PRO VLA. Here are my uneducated thoughts on the two. First the RNC supposedly does clean compression (some might say to clean), where the PRO VLA adds character (some might say thats just distortion they don't want). I feel, again since I have the VLA and not the RNC here comes the biased report, you can get clean compression in your computer all day long from software compressors, its harder to get character out of software compressors. So I would and did go for the PRO VLA because of its "mojo". Your needs may vary.


EDIT: they beat me to the wall wart explanation, cause I went to go eat breakfest before fininshing typing my reply, it was pancakes, sausge, and bacon...
 
I too have a Pro VLA, never used the RNC but the Pro VLA is a lot cleaner than I think people give it credit for. It does add a bit of character, to where I hear that the RNC doesn't. Anyway, the VLA gets used for Vocals 95% of the time here and on occasion on the master bus.

As someone stated above, the response time is a bit slow and some transients manage to slip through even on fast attack.
 
Masters Of War said:
I know a wall-wart has something to do with the power supply. What exactly is it? Should I really avoid a unit beacuse it has a wall-wart?
Click to expand...

Most units with wall warts have thin wires which is why I avoid them. I prefer rugged units with internal power supplies for live work.
 
SRR said:
Now, I have never tried a RNC but I do have a PRO VLA. Here are my uneducated thoughts on the two. First the RNC supposedly does clean compression (some might say to clean), where the PRO VLA adds character (some might say thats just distortion they don't want). I feel, again since I have the VLA and not the RNC here comes the biased report, you can get clean compression in your computer all day long from software compressors, its harder to get character out of software compressors. So I would and did go for the PRO VLA because of its "mojo". Your needs may vary.
Click to expand...

This makes good sense. If you want mojo from your computer there are some tape emulator programs that are pretty rad too.

Mike
 
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I have never used the RNC but I really do like my VLA unit. I use it pretty much only for vocals. The metering is nice & big. I don't care to use it on anything really fast, those duties go to my DBX 166 or that crazy Beh 2100 unit (yeah I have one too bigtoe).
 
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riffy said:
I have never used the RNC but I really do like my VLA unit. I use it pretty much only for vocals. The metering is nice & big. I don't care to use it on anything really fast, those duties go to my DBX 166 or that crazy Beh 2100 unit (yeah I have one too bigtoe).
Click to expand...

i just bought one from a pal of mine for 30 bucks...if you ever need money for beer...bring it on by...it's kind similar to the old 166's but to my ear has more grab.

i dunno- maybe it's becuase that's all i had compression wise for so long. dig it though.

laters...

Mike
 
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