PlanetZ forums - scopeusers.com

Hi guys.

Is there a specific Compressor built for Buss Compression?

Is Vinco a Limiting amplifier?

Thanks

Vinco is a limiting amp, in fact a fairly close clone of a 1176.

I tend to use Orbitone Impressor for most other compression in Scope, because it can be amazingly transparent or more forward. Timeworks CompX is nice too but it's not that clean.

Personally I can't really be bothered with that classic SSL bus-comp sound - I think it's way overused. I have an original Joe Meek SC2 which I use a lot. I like it when compression is subtle and does not impart itself too much on your sound. Too many people rely heavily on heavy compression and I think it's boring and cliche. Sorry for the rant.

I use Vinco if I want to make stuff sound a bit 'old' and slightly dirty.

BTW Vinco is a compressor, just without the multitude of controls that most compressors have — the ratio isn't continuously variable (that's what the buttons are there for), and it doesn't have a 'threshold' control, per se — the threshold is fixed, but can be changed relative to the program material by whacking the input gain up (or down). The output gain knob is equivalent to a make-up gain. Other than that, it's pretty much a standard compressor (albeit based on a very desirable hardware one!)

I'm not a big fan of optimaster's multi-band compression, personally, since it changes the tonality of the whole mix — which, IMO, you're better off doing by changing the mix, rather than changing the master bus processing!

If I want something clean and transparent, I'll just use the standard CW compressor with a low ratio, and set the threshold somewhere near where the majority of the 'action' is happening.

HTH

Chris

for "transparent", DAS 660...

DAS 660 is quite good, although it doesn't sound "transparent" to me, but then again, I use it mainly to get a "spikier" sound, and I'm certainly no engineer

Usually, I put the DAS SL9000 Master Compressor on the master bus to level the signal a little, even while mixing. This fills up the sound a lot, but it's useful to have a sense of the finished mix. When I want "transparency", I usually go for the DAS 2A, moderately set, and for trickier material, the DAS1610 or Wolf's Kompressor give you some more parameters to tweak and sound very good to me.

What I'm never happy with are multi-band compressors - I haven't heard a single one that I like. Usually, I use Ozone, but I remember Waves C4 (a compander) was kind of nice, although Waves stuff is quite expensive. The Optimaster is way too loud for me (yes, I know, tweak, tweak, tweak), and the orbitone stuff doesn't really click with me. Could use some guidance in this aspect, as I tend to avoid any sort of multiband compression, and try to get a balanced mix with the eqs and all... Only sometimes a friend brings me a song to "master" for CD, and I feel it could do with some multiband compression, but I don't have a satisfactory tool o work with....

What I have been enjoying, though, is a few select VSTs I have been trying out, like PSP's Vintage Warmer and MasterQ, and Voxengo's GlissEQ and Soniformer (a bit like SBC, but with far more bands). And I'd love to try PSP's Bob-Katz-endorsed Xenon as a loudness maximizer, but I'd have to buy an iLok first, so.... no. Same problem with Sonnox, Abbey Road, etc... But these are some serious VSTs, if that's your thing...