what is the best compressor/limiter???

[RoOkiE85]

what is the best compressor/limitor at an affordable price???

 

[apl]

The Really Nice Compressor is really nice.

 

[RoOkiE85]

i need about 4 or more input controls....

 

[Halion]

A compressor is one device. You are being very vague about what you really want. How much do you have to spend. How many channels. How much sound quality do you want?

 

[apl]

i need about 4 or more input controls....

Maybe you should just record dry and use a plug in.

 

[SonicAlbert]

i need about 4 or more input controls....

What input controls are you talking about? Some wonderful compressors only have three controls total.

 

[mikeh]

Without knowing what you rmain need is (vocals, drums, etc) there is no one correct answer, but it sure does seem that a whole lot of people love the RNC for good sound at a good price.

 

[RoOkiE85]

im gonna be recording two mics and possibly three other intruments....and my spendings are going to be around $350 or so....need good sound quality too...

 

[treymonfauntre]

if software is an option then you should go with that. theres no way you can get 5 channels of an outboard compressor for $350

 

[RoOkiE85]

what about the alto cle8.0 8 channel compressor which is around the 350 price range??? is that one any good??

 

[scrubs]

what about the alto cle8.0 8 channel compressor which is around the 350 price range??? is that one any good??

I doubt it. I've tried a couple of pieces of alto gear (not their compressors) and found them noisy and unusable. You'd be better off getting a couple of Really Nice Compressors (4 channels for $350), and/or Really Nice Levelling Amplifiers (4 channels for $450).

 

[jerfo]

what about the alto cle8.0 8 channel compressor which is around the 350 price range??? is that one any good??

Do a quick search of the forum on the keyword "Alto." You'll find a number of threads on the subject of their gear, including this one: https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=122239&highlight=alto . The general consensus appears to be that they make budget gear that is hit or miss in terms of sound and construction quality.

If you absolutely have to compress your instruments during tracking and have such a limited budget, you may wish to consider renting a nice compressor rather than purchasing one. You'll get much more bang for your buck that way. If you are recording to a PC or Mac, then the other folks' suggestion of getting a software compressor is an excellent one.

If you're bent on getting a hardware compressor , the RNC's reputation preceeds itself. Many folks consider it to be the best compressor for under $2000. While that's probably a little hyperbole, it's still a fanstastic value. The Art ProVLA is also generally well-regarded, and the new FMR RNLA is getting good reviews so far. You could always get one of these three units for around $200 (or less) and fill out your collection with a couple of Symetrix CL150, Symetrix 501, Symetrix 521, DBX 163x, or other cheap but colorful compressors along those lines.

In general, cheap gear will create more problems than it will solve. The exceptions to the rule will become apparent if you do a search through the archives here.

- Jerfo

 

[vwcsonic]

If you don't go with the RNC, I'd suggest the dbx 166 (the older one, no A or XL). You could scam two of these used for around $300 probably. I know a guy selling 2 clean ones for $125 each in LA. That would give you four channels of compression, and the 166s are pretty foolproof with the overeasy compression no attack/release to set, which is nice for someone just learning how to use compression.

 

[Halion]

Good don't come cheap. Period. Decent comes cheap, but not good.

 

[metalhead28]

i need about 4 or more input controls....

I'm still not too clear on this...You just need 4 or more channels right?

 

[Joel Hamilton]

What input controls are you talking about? Some wonderful compressors only have three controls total.

A few of my favorite compressors have TWO controls total!!!

LA3a, LA2A, STA-LEVEL, collins 26w,collins 26 1U.... Actually one of my favorites has ONE KNOB!!!!! --> the Federal AM864/U !

ONE knob!

Anyway,

A few of my favorite "more budget minded" compressors are:

-The symetrix 501. Totally way more useful than the RNC will ever be.
-DBX 160x/xt/a: The best compressor ever made that will ever approach the 150-250 dollar mark. Completely amazing for so many things regardless of price. There is a reason there is at least a pair if not more in EVERY decent studio on the planet. Literally.
-Symetrix CL150: does about the same thing as the 501. Not as cool though: no limiter section for drum madness!
-Presonus ACP88 : much maligned, I love it. IC's are socketed, quality build. Sucks that it has a fan... EVERYTHING else about this little guy kind of kicks ass. attack/release/ratio/knee AND a gate on EVERY channel! 8 of them that actually sound pretty great! BLOWS away the RNC... actually, all the units i listed blow away the RNC. I have two RNC's, and they simply NEVER get used with the above choices being around... (along with a lot of really great stuff that is way more expensive to deal with here...)

 

[mikey@thecave]

talk to Alan@pmiaudio.com alan hyatt tell him what you need-see what he has in the joe meek line

 

[teainthesahara]

A few of my favorite compressors have TWO controls total!!!

LA3a, LA2A, STA-LEVEL, collins 26w,collins 26 1U.... Actually one of my favorites has ONE KNOB!!!!! --> the Federal AM864/U !

ONE knob!

Anyway,

A few of my favorite "more budget minded" compressors are:

-The symetrix 501. Totally way more useful than the RNC will ever be.
-DBX 160x/xt/a: The best compressor ever made that will ever approach the 150-250 dollar mark. Completely amazing for so many things regardless of price. There is a reason there is at least a pair if not more in EVERY decent studio on the planet. Literally.
-Symetrix CL150: does about the same thing as the 501. Not as cool though: no limiter section for drum madness!
-Presonus ACP88 : much maligned, I love it. IC's are socketed, quality build. Sucks that it has a fan... EVERYTHING else about this little guy kind of kicks ass. attack/release/ratio/knee AND a gate on EVERY channel! 8 of them that actually sound pretty great! BLOWS away the RNC... actually, all the units i listed blow away the RNC. I have two RNC's, and they simply NEVER get used with the above choices being around... (along with a lot of really great stuff that is way more expensive to deal with here...)

I have the Cl150, and 501. What do you do with the limiter for drum maddness????

I totally dig both of those compressors.

 

[Joel Hamilton]

I have the Cl150, and 501. What do you do with the limiter for drum maddness????

I totally dig both of those compressors.

Let the limiter section get hit really, really hard, with the compressor section set really slow... just slow enough to keep the cymbals from turning into a lashing ball of pumping barbed wire....

I LOVE the way the diode limiter on the output clips. The 501 can just be CRANKED all the way up, then put something else (another compressor) after it to trim it back to level. Totally the poor man's distressor. I actually have used the symetrix for years to distort and compress... even before anyone said the word "distressor."

 

[cavedog101]

IxNay On the Symetrixay....SSSHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.....shut up...













The 525 is a nice un too......

Lets try to keep the price down okay...



Another little gem.......Valley People Dynamiter.

And that chain-o-compressor thingy is ages old.

I like to run my VLA across the drum buss....then Symetrix the snare and kik separately.....sometimes its the DBX 903 with the threshold just barely open for the transients and the 525 behind it with the inputs wide open and a ton of crush going on. Put THAT on a hot guitar! Makeup gain to your hearts content.