Hardware compressors

[benjames]

Isnt it impossible to recreate the sound / feel of the analogue compression process, the foundation of what techno was built on?

Surely any digital platform trying to recreate this is imitation, why not go for the real thing

Regardless of any digital vs analogue argument, why have burgers when there is steak available?

[BloodStar]

Surely any digital platform trying to recreate this is imitation, why not go for the real thing

Regardless of any digital vs analogue argument, why have burgers when there is steak available?

In case you have got crappy DA and AD converter, I guess you are loosing the bits you think you add with using HW, so its good to stay ITB, imo.
There is plenty of top stuff SW compressor these days as was said. I like URS the most together with Sonalksis and also KjaerhusUniPressor with sidechain ability....

[dirty_bass]

Isnt it impossible to recreate the sound / feel of the analogue compression process, the foundation of what techno was built on?

Surely any digital platform trying to recreate this is imitation, why not go for the real thing

Regardless of any digital vs analogue argument, why have burgers when there is steak available?

no it`s not impossible at all.
It`s all based on electricity not magic.
It all comes down to the complexity of the algorythms and reducing cpu load.

I kinda get sick of saying this really.

I was trained/worked/almost lived in a fully analog studio for 4 years.
The owner bacame a very good friend of mine, and taught me loads.
Fully analog.

Sequencing, desk, everything was totally analog. It was a cable nightmare, but it tuned my ears to the old skool sound processes.

I have no problem in identifying the plugins that do the analog sound well.
Ignoring advertising hype helps, and just using your ears instead.

Since I got my liquid mix I`m very happy with the compressor performance, and although the emulations of kit aren`t exactly the same as the stuff it is supposed to emulate (which even if re-manufactered, would be hard to copy exactly) it doesn`t really matter as it`s the behaviour and texture I am interested in. Which to my ears sounds phat, warm with that characteristic attack of the old school.

The best bet though, is to ignor the hype that plug ins manufacterers spin, and take advice from pro users, or try yourself.

People epect magic buttons these days.
"If I buy this, then it will make my sound pro" etc

Hardware or analog, you won`t get shit all useful out of it unless you know what you are doing.

[RDR]

no it`s not impossible at all.
It`s all based on electricity not magic.
It all comes down to the complexity of the algorythms and reducing cpu load.

I kinda get sick of saying this really.

I was trained/worked/almost lived in a fully analog studio for 4 years.
The owner bacame a very good friend of mine, and taught me loads.
Fully analog.

Sequencing, desk, everything was totally analog. It was a cable nightmare, but it tuned my ears to the old skool sound processes.

I have no problem in identifying the plugins that do the analog sound well.
Ignoring advertising hype helps, and just using your ears instead.

Since I got my liquid mix I`m very happy with the compressor performance, and although the emulations of kit aren`t exactly the same as the stuff it is supposed to emulate (which even if re-manufactered, would be hard to copy exactly) it doesn`t really matter as it`s the behaviour and texture I am interested in. Which to my ears sounds phat, warm with that characteristic attack of the old school.

The best bet though, is to ignor the hype that plug ins manufacterers spin, and take advice from pro users, or try yourself.

People epect magic buttons these days.
"If I buy this, then it will make my sound pro" etc

Hardware or analog, you won`t get shit all useful out of it unless you know what you are doing.

Tell me more about the liquid mix plz steve, ive been considering it for a while now.

specifically i'd like to know:

What platform you use it on
What sequencer you use it with and how it integrates
Latency issues
Automation issues
Maximum processing power available
General usability of the device

PS - i'd like to add that compression should also be a dynamic , dynamics process, rather than a 'fire and forget' thing. And of course your compressor is only as good as to programme material that you run through it.

Thanks

[SamL]

That flux stuff is well good, i use that free plugin they offer "bittersweet" as a nice transient shaper when workeing with sampled drums for breaks etc.

I have been putting off buying the sonalksis compressor for ages, its definitely next on my list of stuff to grab. just migrated to logic and mac so all my money has gone on that - the built in logic gear is alright - used the sonalksis demo and like it a lot. it seems to preserve transients yet raise the rms power sensibly. very nice.

i can also heartily recommend the FREE kjaerhus plugs, very nice quality to them.

(1st post - hello!)

[benjames]

.

I kinda get sick of saying this really.

Hardware or analog, you won`t get shit all useful out of it unless you know what you are doing.

If your sick of saying it why join a discussion about hardware compression championing software compression. It is clear that people are going to challenge your comments being as anyone interested in hardware (ie the people you are sick of explaining to) are going to look into a tread challed hardware compression.

As for the algorithm argument, i honestly think you are getting lost in the detail, i respect your comments and for the most part agree with what you are saying however isnt it the complexity of the algorithm's vs CPU load the area in which digital processes will always fail over analogue processes (with no CPU load).

Using analogue compression does not need to be a lengthy process nor does it mean your whole studio has to be analogue, a small analogue mixing desk for next to nothing means you can have your digital outputs on 1 track (or more) and then different tracks (kick / bass) can be routed through the hardware comp to seperate tracks on the mixer, the output of the mixer then back to the input of the SC.

I love digital compression and it has its place, but using digital compression to emulate analogue compression to me just seems pointless.