ITB Compressors -- Where for art thou ?

Geoff Waddington · 07-17-2010, 07:35 AM

I am happy with:

My new build -- 980x, 12Gb, blah, blah....

EQ's -- Nebula / Analog in the Box -- Mammoth, 1073, API, and DW Fearn
EQ's -- Reaper digital EQ's for surgical stuff

Reverb -- Nebula VNXT Plate 140
Reverb -- Currently auditioning Lexicon LXP and PCM native -- will be going with one or the other.

Compressors -- Bombardier -- nice buss compressor

But...

The Bombardier doesn't turn my crank for general use.
Neither does anything else I've tried (yes, most, if not all, of the usual suspects). None of them feel like the old hardware I used to use -- they don't have the sound vibe I recall from "back in the day"

I really need:

La-2a (or similar opto)
1176 (or similar FET)
Fairchild (or similar vari-mu)

to round out the processing at my disposal.

I know it's been taken around a gazillion times, anything new and succulent out there?

Mercado_Negro · 07-17-2010, 08:23 AM

For an opto you could try IK Multimedia's "OptoCompressor" (I use this in 90% of my tracks to balance dynamics, it is very transparent and it has that opto vibe in it). Great for basses. T-RackS singles are 50% off until June 26th, maybe you can give it a go.

http://www.ikmultimedia.com/trsingle.../moreinfo4.php

For a 1176 you could try Stillwell's "The Rocket". I like it much more than Softube's FET and UAD's 1176 but that's probably just me.

http://www.stillwellaudio.com/?page_id=68

For a Fairchild you could try IK Multimedia's version (another T-RackS' single). I like it much more than UAD's version but again, that's just probably me.

http://www.ikmultimedia.com/trsingle.../moreinfo2.php

If you're after compressor I'd definitely recommend Cytomic "The Glue". I use this compressor in almost everything (though it's meant to be a master/drums buss compressor).

http://www.cytomic.com/glue

Geoff Waddington · 07-17-2010, 09:33 AM

Thanks Mercado,

Already own the IK pair you mention, have tried the other two.

Maybe I've lost my touch when it comes to using compressors

, but they just don't seem to "grab" in the way that the real hardware does.

Also they don't remind me sonically of the hardware in the way that the Nebula EQ's and verb and the Lexicon verb do.

Thanks for posting, the search continues...

bls · 07-17-2010, 09:45 AM

Man, compressors are tough.

try the freeware Nasty VCS from Variety of sound. It doesn't have all the options of a lot of compressors, but I don't mind it much at all. Ive found it useful for track dynamics, and it does a really good job. If you don't dig it, it is freeware, so your not out anything but time.

But really, ReaComp is a bad-ass too!

Good hunting.

EricM · 07-17-2010, 09:54 AM

Not sure how these sound (haven't tested personally), but you
may try them yourself (PC only): http://antress.er-webs.com/

fuseburn · 07-17-2010, 09:58 AM

Check the nebula forum for the guy who uploaded a Nebula compression preset from his Purple MC-77. Really, check it out, and you'll be just as happy as with the Nebula EQs.

Geoff Waddington · 07-20-2010, 03:49 AM

Thanks for all the help guys.

Just to let you know how it ended up:

EQ:
Nebula / Analog in the Box --
-- Mammoth
-- 1073
-- API
-- DW Fearn
Reaper digital EQ's for surgical stuff

Reverb:
Nebula VNXT Plate 140
Lexicon LXP Native

Compressors:
Bombardier
Softube Tube-Tech Cl 1B (opto)
Stillwell Rocket (1176 FET)

I don't have a Fairchild, but I mostly use that sound for mastering, and my buddy has a Manley vari-mu in his mastereing studio, guess I'll have to make do with that

fuseburn · 07-20-2010, 06:45 AM

Good choices.
Make sure you compare the AITB 1073 with AlexB newest 1073 which is a vintage one. Sounds very different, but if you like 1073, you'll like both.

timlloyd · 07-20-2010, 06:57 AM

I keep seeing Nebula highly regarded, but not tried it yet; is it really all it's cracked up to be? I'll have to find out

ngarjuna · 07-20-2010, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timlloyd

I keep seeing Nebula highly regarded, but not tried it yet; is it really all it's cracked up to be? I'll have to find out

As a big Nebula user (I use the console emus and tape machines on pretty much everything as well as it being my go to verb and EQs)...I would say compressors not so much. Most of the compressor programs are just the saturation/curve of a compressor at a certain setting which, while often a nice touch, isn't the same thing as throwing a compressor inline.

So yes, Nebula is all that it's cracked up to be. But it's not really cracked up to be a great compressor solution yet (that is something the devs have been working on, I think it's likely that we'll see full compression sampling in the near future).

timlloyd · 07-20-2010, 08:41 AM

What makes Nebula reverbs "better" than standard convolution reverbs? Have they managed to implement some element of algorithmic randomness that makes the decay more "lively"? This Nebula thing is interesting, but unfortunately I'm on a laptop most of the time, it might not be useable for me

jlgrimes11 · 10-28-2010, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoff Waddington

I am happy with:

My new build -- 980x, 12Gb, blah, blah....

EQ's -- Nebula / Analog in the Box -- Mammoth, 1073, API, and DW Fearn
EQ's -- Reaper digital EQ's for surgical stuff

Reverb -- Nebula VNXT Plate 140
Reverb -- Currently auditioning Lexicon LXP and PCM native -- will be going with one or the other.

Compressors -- Bombardier -- nice buss compressor

But...

The Bombardier doesn't turn my crank for general use.
Neither does anything else I've tried (yes, most, if not all, of the usual suspects). None of them feel like the old hardware I used to use -- they don't have the sound vibe I recall from "back in the day"

I really need:

La-2a (or similar opto)
1176 (or similar FET)
Fairchild (or similar vari-mu)

to round out the processing at my disposal.

I know it's been taken around a gazillion times, anything new and succulent out there?

Doubling my sample rate seems to make even my cheap plug-ins sound great.

I am at 88.2khz btw.

For Hardware emulations though UAD cards are great.

Geoff Waddington · 10-28-2010, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlgrimes11

Doubling my sample rate seems to make even my cheap plug-ins sound great

Yes, I now use all plugins in upsample mode as well, if available.

moribund · 10-29-2010, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlgrimes11

Doubling my sample rate seems to make even my cheap plug-ins sound great.

I am at 88.2khz btw.

How do you upsample plugins in Reaper?