how do you tell a good compressor

Moody · Post by **Moody** » Fri May 09, 2008 9:16 pm

http://www.ableton.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=91186

lesterdiamond · Post by **lesterdiamond** » Tue May 13, 2008 11:28 am

Dominik wrote:
lesterdiamond wrote:
Dominik wrote:a good compressor is just volume and wouldn't colour at all!
I disagree but I realize what you're getting at.
thanks,
i don't realize what you're getting at,though.

many compressors known for how they color sound as much as level control. some compressors are often used solely for their "warmth"

Compressors vary quite a bit, so its tough to say what makes a single compressor "good" But I believe that changing the sound is often desired.

Moody · Post by **Moody** » Tue May 13, 2008 2:37 pm

I can't believe this is still a topic of discussion.

darkcatt · Post by **darkcatt** » Tue May 13, 2008 3:07 pm

cmcg37 wrote:You can tell a good compressor because you go to it all the time, you know what settings to adjust, you can here the results right away, and you cant tell what just happened to your sound. The sound just sounds better.

I am sorry for the lame reply but compression is very subjective. I tried really hard not to be a compressor snob but I could not help it. The compressors that I like the most do exactly what I want them to do when I use them. I know that compressors do have their sound but I focus more on what the effect on MY audio is vs the "sound" it gets.

I have had the luxury of working with some "High-Endish" compressors but I always come back to the working man's compressors. I have had good luck in learning a few specific compressors and sticking with them.

In order of preference:
T-Racks Compressor
Ableton's Compressor II
Presonus Blue Max (Hardware)

Let the audio tell you what a good compressor sounds like.

Regards,

CMcG37

amen

three · Post by **three** » Wed May 14, 2008 3:08 am

the best compressor is the one that you like SO much, that you keep it in reserve for when you need a secret weapon.

We are cyborg. We generate the music we want to hear straight from synth.

Compressors were a recording engineers way of dealing with sound that our ears like but the circuitry at the time didn't.

If there's something you want to compress, see if you can't twiddle the synth to make that sound, or if it's a drum sample, envelope & gain are more fun than compressors.

Olga · Post by **Olga** » Wed May 14, 2008 4:33 am

lesterdiamond wrote:
Dominik wrote:
lesterdiamond wrote: I disagree but I realize what you're getting at.
thanks,
i don't realize what you're getting at,though.
many compressors known for how they color sound as much as level control. some compressors are often used solely for their "warmth"

Compressors vary quite a bit, so its tough to say what makes a single compressor "good" But I believe that changing the sound is often desired.

+ 1

Transparency is wanted sometimes while total colorization is wanted for other jobs. Enter EL Distressors for instance.

A good compressor can grab and also control the sound in a mix.

Olga · Post by **Olga** » Wed May 14, 2008 4:55 am

Many itb electronic newb wanna be daft punk types hammer threshold settings on compressors to get sounds to pop using crap compressors and this is all so wrong. Most of you should be looking into transient modulators instead, especially on 909's etc.

Heres one.

http://www.sonnoxplugins.com/pub/plugin ... flator.htm

And heres a free one that sounds just about as good as the inflator for PC. Far better than any pop you'll get out of the Live native plugs.

http://www.digitalfishphones.com/main.p ... &subItem=4