which are good hardware compressors out there? i guess i need a good mixing desk with it, but maybe it would be ok to route signal out from the soundcard and back in it for starters since i dont drive a car?
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which are good hardware compressors out there? i guess i need a good mixing desk with it, but maybe it would be ok to route signal out from the soundcard and back in it for starters since i dont drive a car?
t la audio ivorys are very good for the money i have been using mine for about 6 or 7 years nows and still really like it . i think they are about £350 or something like that
TLA C1, Avalon! but these r a bit pricey!
Z
what herman said
I'm not playing down the quality of external compressors... but the UAD-1 card has AMAZING compression plugins (plus more).. The new Fairchild plugin they just released is balls!! The best part is that its implemented like a VST. So much of my external gear goes unused because its just a pain in the ass to route (int-ext-int). ...Plus with a plugin you can use it multiple times on multiple tracks. It keeps the mixing within the computer which is nice and efficient. Once I got this card I scratched "High End Compressor" off my list.
That said, I would not trash a high-end focusrite if I had one. (I still want to get a Focusrite 430 some day to serve as a Mic channel strip and double as a synth compressor/eq..)
If you are set on gettin an external compressor here is what Henry (D.A.V.E) said when I asked him this same question a year ago (before I descided to get the UAD)...
"the TLA ivory series valve compressor (5021?)is great for warming things up at a good price. really good for a whole mix or on a sub group for bass and drums together. if you're after something tighter for drums and compression effects maybe try the drawmer dl 221 (or its modern equivalent) which is a bit pricey but will really get those kiks punching. also there's a budget focusrite around it's one of the platinum series and is a basic stereo compressor with presets for drums, vocals etc but you can also set it up manually their stuff is always top quality and definitely worth a try focusrite also make a blue range (eq's ,comp's) expensive stuff but definitely the best there's a lot of stuff around for these jobs but a lot of the budget stuff really isn't worth it. Definitely stay away from behringer and alike."
peace
-G
I can vouch 4 my Powercore Firewire... and I'm just waiting 4 the sony plug-ins :rambo:
Z
I have a powercore as well.. The compressors on the UAD kill the powercore. I also just tested all the Sony plugins.. After reading all the good reviews I was a little disappointed. The oxford eq clips very easy when you are trying to push the sound. The Cambridge EQ on the UAD has MUCH more headroom reminiscent to analogue gear. I like the powercore for it specialized plugins though (reverb...erc)... and the soon to come VIRUS..!
I've tried the drawmer ones, tla, behringer, alesis and urei and the urei ones beat the others by a hundred miles. The UAD was better than everything other than the real Urei's. Although there are a lot of other posh compressors out there I've not tried yet...
Anyway .... Keith at kmr says he's got a few cheap UAD-1s left as they've been discontinued or something.
UAD have not been discontinued.. They just took back over their own distribution from mackie. If some are being sold cheap its probally because they are selling off the boxes with the mackie logo on them..... i reckon.
There is also a new bundle that has all the plugins (Fairchild, Cambridge eq and the Reverb are currently sold seperate). Its worth gettin....