Your channel is a treasure trove. I’m amazed how come it doesn’t have more views. This is one of the best videos on KZfaq and you have extensive knowledge. Amazing.

I adopted the Focusrite Red 3 from the get go, when it was released . I found it to be noisy, especially with 60 hz hum. After pointing it out to my dealer, Mike Harris , of Harris Audio in Miami and the importer, Chris at Audio One, I was lent 2 other units that exhibited the same problem..After going back and forth for day's with other owners that said I was crazy and that their units were fine. Some of these folks were big shots in the audio industry at the time, mind you.(Names committed to avoid a lawsuit, lol). Richard from Focusrite in England contracted me. Focusrite went back and inspected their built and found out that the power transformer was not grounded for 117 volt operation, when the power selector was activated. They went back and recalled the units and replaced the transformer. All I received for my effort was a T-shirt, some spare parts for my Focusrite 131,. and upgraded nobs for my Red 2..They should have given me the whole Red Range for free for saving their butts...

Your knowledge is impressive... I look forward to the plugin video.

Love this series! My first outboard compressor was the Dbx 160xt. At that point of time the real unit was (used) around the same price as its plugin version. Still love that thing!

I'll never get to own any of these probably but I do have an RNC (and RNLA) and damn that super nice mode is just amazing for tracking vocals, it's really some type of wizardry. Slow attack, fast release and around 4db of reduction just makes the vocals so mix ready and lessens the work required later.

amazing series! it's super valuable to get this kind of a comprehensive overlook on compressors from a seasoned pro. it steers me to listen to the characteristics in a new way when using my compressors. thank you!

The 500 variant of the DBX 160a is made in the US. Very good guide

Good explanation, you really know your equipment. But I'd also like to hear more about what makes you choose a VCA over another type, for a certain sound. VCA on a bus is pretty much a given, but what makes you favour a VCA on a kick, for example, over a FET. What do you hear in the sound that makes you say: This has to be a VCA. Or when you get to FET, what makes you turn of the VCA on an SSL channel and patch in an 1176. I'd really like to hear more about your though process behind these choices. And when you're done with compressors, I would love to see a series like this about reverb types as well. I hope you'll consider to do this.

very good overview of the VCA compressors

Thank you for this series, very informative. One of the best Mixing Channels on YT. Keep on rocking man.

I love my Vertigo VSC-3. Sounds amazing!

Excellent bro. The big help is explaining what type of instruments/material each compressor is good on coupled with the "color" of each. The overall presentation is very helpful. You speak about gear like a painter which helps fine tune the "vibe" we are trying to create. Could you do an in depth tutorial or showcase on the Distressor. So many engineers that swear by it.

Great video !!! You really know your gear brother !!! 🤘🏻🤘🏻

It just made me want a pair of Distressors even more. haha

Thanks David. Very good explanations.

I own a Orban 424A stereo compressor it is a VCA unit that has a amazing character to it. Epoxy control module their secret component

Great video. Extremely informative! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Good one ! Thanx !

Hey buddy, great videos! I recently bought a Tascam 246, probably the best 4 track cassette recorder ever. Sounds amazing. It's a bit hard to control the levels going in, very jumpy compared to digital. I'm looking for a solid VCA compressor to help control the transients, something with a fast attack, for things like acoustic and electric, and vocals going in. Any suggestions?

Good stuff David. Thanks very much!

Great idea for a series, thank you. Do you have any experience with the Kush Tweaker? Seems very versatile

Yes, awesome video, content and tips, tks Gnozzi!!!

David...you mention Drawmer equipment a lot in your videos...i don't have a any experience with it but sounds really impressive and it's inexpensive compared to other gear.

Thx man!interestint video!!! I think next i will go for the wes audio dione😃

Very nice video

I have the dbx 160x usa, and the FMR rnc compressor.. love them both..

So interesting for me. Thank you.

Great video. Keep them coming

Thanks! Great series! :)

Hey David! Thx very much! On the distressor, Do you prefer to pancake Your drum crush for movement and rms?/ what else are you looking for on drum x ? I don’t understand why you never talked about the kush ubk1 as you are a true compression lover:)

Great video David! That deal on DBx 500 series seems like a steal! I was wondering if you had any thoughts on The Alan Smart C1 bus compressor. I believe Alan Smart helped design the SSL Bus compressor and then went off to do his own thing in the late 80’s. There is a 500 series Alan Smart C1la buss compressor that is pretty reasonably priced. I was wondering if you would recommend the Alan Smart products as an alternative to SSL as they are quite a bit cheaper and created by one of the original designers.

Awesome content man

Thanks David ! Would like to know your opinion on RND Portico 5043 if you've had the chance to use one. Considering it is a stereo unit it may fall in the range of affordable ones.

without thinking....I'm looking for your 'reflex' reaction....dbx 560 vs fmr rnc 500? (btw..love your series)

David, somewhat of a tangential question but related to outboard compression: I produce with analog synths from the 80's (hoping to find a way to pick up some of the new golden age of analog synths that are being made now, so amazing !), and there is something I haven't been able to get right: I usually track with a little compression on the way in (on everything), but I've been having trouble tracking really solid bass arpeggios. You know those low arps that are just rock solid and drive the song like a v12 engine on a go-kart. I'm having trouble at every level of their production, but what would be your compression strategy on this type of sound? Would you even compress? (would you compress outboard? Obviously, "better" compression in the box, more flexibility, but I'm an angry pixie kind of person, believe there is something to electrons being smashed into each other through analog components and heavy gauge wire- I'll still likely compress and eq in the box in the mixing stage, but I like to get as much done in the analog domain before going into the box - then once in the box, I like to stay there, I don't like popping back out for individual fx/processing, sometimes to go to tape... by why not go to tape initially ;) man, I swear this question started simple?) I've gotten really bassy and clean arps, but due to the sound design necessary to get to those tones on my synths (old 80's analog, well the somewhat affordable kind, don't have the flexibility of even a simple modern vst!), like driving a saw with a triangle sub osc into a highly resonant low pass, set low, with just the right filter envelop, I get the bass tone, but the sound is a bit too dynamic, and irregularly dynamic, at that, due to the funk factor of old vco's and their lively vcf's and vca's coming out of release back into attack phase (filter env not fast enough to catch transients of rez filter insanity when in vca gate mode, so have to go to the vca env), and weird implementations of controllers for all of these voltage based components. How to keep some of that organic liveliness that I go to outboard oldies like this for, but still rein it in and keep it rock solid and steady, staying out of the way of other elements of the song/mix? The outboard compression that I have to work with is a collection of the most villainous scum of the outboard relm - an old Presonus ACP-8 (secret dilla box, don't tell anyone), dbx 163x, alesis 3630, fmr rnc 1773, the comp in the sp-404sx, don't laugh, or even a boss cs-3 compressor pedal (THAT chip, noisy little box, but you don't need a noise osc in your synth when using it, or don't have to run it through "analogizers" or turn on fake noise in plugins!). Remember, all this is on the sound design/production/composition end of the spectrum, defo not the mixing/mastering end of the spectrum (it's a spectrum these days, no? the box allows electronic producers to be mixing in the sound design phase, which I suppose I'm doing a bit of, but I'm more getting texture, there is a later sweetening stage which I maintain as "mixing"). So after that book, sorry, what's your compression strategy on bass arp, what kind of settings? Any tricks? Secrets? That's why we're all here listening to you, you actually do dribble out a little bit of the real deal from time to time.

Can you describe when you say a compressor is "snappy?" Does it mean that it preserves transients? Or that it has a very fast acting release time? Still trying to get a handle on that term which I hear thrown around.

elysia mpressor? xpressor? nvelope? serpent audio sb4000? for cheap... symetrix 501?

Slate Digital came out with a Distressor in the Virtual Mix Rack - I am certain you have tried and compared it to your hardware. Please tell me, in your opignon, is this plugin version from SD a good representation of a Distressor ?

Dave what's a good go to 500 series compressor for around 500 dollars that's good for stereo buss? And also what 500 series racks do you recommend?

GOAT Gnozzi in the building!

Thank David!

Thanks!

Hey David, nice video, I just want to buy 1 or 2 two analogue compressors for many reasons including the budget, of course, it makes sense to buy one VCA for the 2 buss and when you say that transparent is more flexible I completely agree with you, the thing that keeps me wondering is the fact that there are many VCA plugins that are transparent and do the job really good, whereas there is something about the analogue colour that is hard to imitate, what makes the analogue transparency different/better than plugins?, thanks in advance

I already know what the best VCA is... Vertigo VSC3 . :) haha

Amazing video. How do you feel about the dl251 on the mix bus?

Hello..do you have friends that produce dance music? In your opinion what is the best compressor for mainly 2 bus use to help make the mix near field without changing dynamics..up to 5 600 pounds..thanks so much

I just google imaged the circuit board of the distressor , the only component-markings that are “not” sanded off are the 2 capacitors from the power supply filter. Hahhh!! ....Wow top secret stuff

What analog compressor would you say Abelton’s Dance Aggressive Master is based off?

thank you

would you use the Distressor for mastering?

Hey David ! Concerning de Focusrite compressor , I was thinking about buying the plugin version ( Focusrite red compressor ) but , is it worth it ? And , how many compressors plugins , generally speaking , worth the buy ? Thanks again ! Good video !

Hey David big thanks for this great video. I have a dbx160 x use it for pralell compression on drums and a ssl clone on the mix buss, I am looking for a cheap comp for the Snare and kik channels to limit a little and improve the crest factor on my mix that I do full analog. I was on the way to buy a drawmer 241 or a fmr nlc cause it's pretty cheap used what do you recommend for my tasks? So I seen the drawmer 251 on your video and thinking if it worth the extra 300 bucks for the use I am looking for. Thanks a lot for your great channel on KZfaq and have a nice day.

Great video David. Lots of interesting info. Never knew about the secrecy behind the Distressor, very cool. Quick Q for you, I'm about to pick up a 500 series stereo compressor. The one that is most likely going to take my money is the _Dione as I really like their take on hardware in general, it certainly is an SSL on steroids. One thing though, have you ever had the chance to play with the Dramastic Obsidian 500? I am hearing stellar stuff about this, but the lack of a mix knob is sort of turning me away. I think the Wes Audio ecosystem is worth getting into, their Hyperion is supposed to be something else also. Any thoughts appreciated David :)

How’s the Drawmer DL241 XLR? I know hardly comparable, bu still... it intrigues me.

Have you try Acustica Audio plugin? I wanna know your tought about their modelling method.

Hey brother!! So about the distressor, what's the deal if somebody needed to repair one? I guess Mr.Derr wants people to send them in to Empirical Labs for repair, or is there accurate schematics out there that would show part values? On another note, I'm very interested in the Kush Tweakers as a possible alternative to a Distressor.(in terms of versatility)! Ever tried one? ; ) : ) : )

Not related to this topic - which is great btw - but is anyone at Promix Academy aware that the site throws up warnings from antivirus solutions, with bold red warning icons before you even click of the search links provided?

On the API 2500 I thought the feedback is just in relation to the detection stage?

Do you need a lunchbox for the dBA 560?

Hello Mixbus. Can you please help me out I want to buy RNC compressor but it has unbalanced I/o Does it produces noice in my signal chain. My audio interface has both balance input and output how can I put it in my signal chain.thanks in advance.

I like the E-channel better that the g-bus on most sources

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Well, damn...GAS...

your not a pro if you don't have UAD