Compressors - Why bother emulating this old technology?

[Grappadura]

This is probably also somewhat to that direction: http://www.rndigital.net/dynamizer.html

sweet

[davepermen]

This is probably also somewhat to that direction: http://www.rndigital.net/dynamizer.html

nice find. indeed, one thing i like about software is how one can find abstractions, generalisations, and thus then create software that has all the parts in (say compressor, limiter, saturator) and allows everything in between and even more. this is where hardware can't go further in easying handling and expanding possibilities, but software can.

[petit nuage]

hi !

Maybe you should take a look to the free varietyofsound density mk2 compressor(fairchild) and free antress mk4 bundle with 1176,la2a, fairchild ,distressor,ssl's emulations amongs others,plus digitalfishphones blockfish ,and the really great ddmf ny compressor(worthware).

[fx23]

there is a patch in usine library that let you draw your curves, or buid your own behaviour
compressor, sidechained on anything, a midi cc, another track bass level s ect..
and you can get it for free in Usine free.
http://www.sensomusic.com

[ikeaboy]

Interesting thread. That Dynamiser looks interesting. The Usine device seems closest to the original idea (but if I'm honest the GUI and the the price wouldn't lead me to have much faith in it from first impressions but true)

[fx23]

i can totally understand that cause i had same feelings at opening usine,
im used to Dsp expensive solutions like TC electronic, i won't lie it's not the same thing using a patch, but i can assure you audio quality is excellent.
the thing is you can design the interface the way you like, so take time with with some photoshop,
sell it 350 E (wich should be it' price, relating what it represent imo), and maybe your ears will ear it in a better way,
that's called a placebo effect. cause applying a mathematical curve on audio data is pure mathematic, there shouldn't be one sounding better than another, so i would prefer pay 90E to build this, plus tons of other things (step filters, glitchers, fx racks ect..) than 250E in a anyway sounding digital plugin. and free version is fully fonctional for that, so that's just.. free
funny too i just read thefirst page where another speak about visual placebo effect,
as a cg freelance I totally agree about that, and would add another one, the price placebo effect.. I sometimes get better results with live400$ own compressors than tc 1000$, cause faster set, and often get best results, cause much more controlled effect with my own build version, in usine free..0$

[B-S]

this one is pretty interesting too. bunch of not too usual settings there (negative ratio values, gain reduction limiter, etc)

http://www.elysia.com/software/mpressor/features/

[Laura_Live]

One might as well just not use compressors at all and draw volume curves, and in the case of multiband compression EQ curves, by hand... yet compressors do this more time-efficient. But it surely would provide the most controlled and best sounding results to do the volume curves by hand.

[mr.ergonomics]

somebody knows what this DYNAM-IZER costs? The link "buy" does not work at rndigital.net.....

[H20nly]

One might as well just not use compressors at all and draw volume curves, and in the case of multiband compression EQ curves, by hand... yet compressors do this more time-efficient. But it surely would provide the most controlled and best sounding results to do the volume curves by hand.

+1




Is it even a Compressor anymore if it does all this reach around zig zag what not?
Compressors are compressors all day. At the end of the day if you want something that does something else in a different way then is a compressor really what you want or do you want a ___________ that compresses too?

The answer to the OP question is... because it works.

[andydes]

One might as well just not use compressors at all and draw volume curves, and in the case of multiband compression EQ curves, by hand... yet compressors do this more time-efficient. But it surely would provide the most controlled and best sounding results to do the volume curves by hand.

+1




Is it even a Compressor anymore if it does all this reach around zig zag what not?
Compressors are compressors all day. At the end of the day if you want something that does something else in a different way then is a compressor really what you want or do you want a ___________ that compresses too?

The answer to the OP question is... because it works.

Yeah, I know that. And I'm not really knocking all the very good compressors out there. I also know that some of the nicest sounding ones modeled on hardware have the fewest controls (this can also be a good thing).

I'm just interested in new ways of looking at things and know the best way to spark a good dicussion here is to jump in all guns blazing.

That said, the reason I started this topic is because compressors, limiters, gates and expanders all do the same thing in different directions or in different ranges, so it seemed to make perfect sense to combine all the functionality and maybe add a bit more. It appears some developers have had the same idea.

There's some interesting looking plug ins been suggested. I'll definately be checking some of them out. Blue cat dynamics has some pretty good reviews, but I'll probably start cheap for now.



Laura - very true. I wish I had that kind of dedication, but i'm way too lazy.

[H20nly]

^ word!

[SubFunk]

One might as well just not use compressors at all and draw volume curves, and in the case of multiband compression EQ curves, by hand... yet compressors do this more time-efficient. But it surely would provide the most controlled and best sounding results to do the volume curves by hand.

or knowing how and when to actually use a compressor and in which combination(s), there has been so far
not a single good use of a compressor trying to 'squeeze' something new out of it other then what it was designed for. well electrronic musicians claim that, but it's bullcrap.
it is by far the most abused (in a very bad way! not at all in a good or creative way) and the least understood studio tool around.

my2cents.

[speak_onion]

One might as well just not use compressors at all and draw volume curves, and in the case of multiband compression EQ curves, by hand... yet compressors do this more time-efficient. But it surely would provide the most controlled and best sounding results to do the volume curves by hand.

I don't think this is a totally apt analogy, because the OP wants a device that varies output gain by input volume, not output gain by time. You can't draw volume/EQ curves when you're playing live.

I like the OP's idea (as hesitant as I am to make compressors more complicated), and will check out that Usine device.

[posssu]

One might as well just not use compressors at all and draw volume curves, and in the case of multiband compression EQ curves, by hand... yet compressors do this more time-efficient. But it surely would provide the most controlled and best sounding results to do the volume curves by hand.

This is true when volume reduction is needed, drawing curves feels like the good'ol way. But sometimes a compressor is needed to actually squash and alter the sound, this is something you can't do with a volume curve.