KVR Audio

ariston · Post by **ariston** » Fri Apr 20, 2012 9:36 pm

Well, I hope you caught the irony in my post. The serious part is: I use the Glue for mastering purposes and vocals, PSP OldTimer for keyboards and guitar, Rough Rider for obviously effected settings (on drums, especially), the relatively new DC8C on drums and bass, Voxengo Crunchessor for anything in between, and Compassion for everything.

The usage really depends... sometimes I'll just be incredibly lazy and slap Oldtimer on everything. It just sounds nice without the need for careful tweaks. I like to see compression as a creative effect, though, something that can steer the track in a different direction. So, more often than naught, I'll try out 3 or 4 different ones to hear their particular flavour.

Sadly, I can't really reply to your original post because I have no hands-on experience with the ones you mentioned (excepting Blockfish and VCS). My advice is: pick your favourite 5 or 6 and stay with them. That's more than enough, the rest is just something to get in the way of finishing a track.

MFXxx · Post by **MFXxx** » Fri Apr 20, 2012 10:26 pm

ariston wrote:You *must* keep them all and use them regularly. There are huge differences between compressors, and, as we know, you can never use too much compression or own too many compressors.

Frankly, I'm puzzled by your question. For instance, if my wife (who's a singer) is having a good day, I'll use Compassion. If she's a little cranky, I'll slap some DC8C on her. If she hasn't had enough to eat, I need to use the Rough Rider Pro. And if she just finished a phone call to her mom, I definitely need to break out the OldTimer.

I could go on, but you get the idea.

Seriously, I use about 6 compressors regularly, and I'm glad for all of them and the special things they do. Why limit yourself? (heh)
)

Yep

My Favs

Molot, The Glue, Omnipressor, Pro-c, Valley Peoples Dynamite, Waves Renaissance and SSL series, The Rocket, Major Tom and a recent favourite (not solely comp but wowzers) Kush Audios ubk-1.

Recently started playing around with NI's Solid Mix Series and Vintage Comps + Fabfilters Pro G is getting a lot of love.

Have fun.

Brother Charles · Post by **Brother Charles** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 2:15 am

I just bought Klanghelm DC8c last night. Only 20 euros (Less than $30 CAD). Wow!! WOW! Fantastic software compressor. Extremely clean compressor, or extreme character compression too. It is now definitely my GO TO compressor. Beautiful GUI, tremendous application. I love the range of features and the well-written documentation.

Another poster stated in the DC8c thread that it was as good as some expensive $300 piece of studio-grade software. In a word, I agree.

I tried lots of the freeware ones myself, and the only one that I will stick with is Bootsy's Density MKII. I will be using only (2) compressors: Density MKII and Klanghelm DC8C. Mind you, I'm somewhat of a minimalist and don't like to have things too cluttered up. I'd rather have a few *Really Good* tools than have too many and not get solid use out of any of them.

ericzang · Post by **ericzang** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 3:17 am

DC8C +1

nilhartman · Post by **nilhartman** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:28 am

I agree with Funkybot's Evil Twin's answer : ditch'em all then buy a couple excellent ones.

it's really worth spending a bit of money to have great sounding and versatile tools you can trust, so that you can stop looking for new ones and finally make some music instead. it's often quite cheaper to spend some money in a great plugin that cover all your needs than keeping on buying several cheaper plugins (did that mistake, now lesson learned

).

DC8C (damn versatile, stunning for transparent to dirty compression) and UBK-1 (which is so much more than a compression unit, and has 5 different compressors built in) et voilà, no need for other compressors.

jethrobull · Post by **jethrobull** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:42 am

Another +1 for DC8C and you wont bother with the others.

akira · Post by **akira** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:50 am

Hey guys,
In my original post, I wrote nothing about to buy something!
But for anyone, who has not read this first post:

I DON'T WANT TO BUY ANY COMPRESSORS, I WANT TO REDUCE WHAT I HAVE LISTED IN MY FIRST POST!!!
As you can see, it's all freeware and any comments to these compressors are appreciated!

Shy · Post by **Shy** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:53 am

akira wrote:Hey guys,
In my original post, I wrote nothing about to buy something!
But for anyone, who has not read this first post:

I DON'T WANT TO BUY ANY COMPRESSORS, I WANT TO REDUCE WHAT I HAVE LISTED IN MY FIRST POST!!!
As you can see, it's all freeware and any comments to these compressors are appreciated!

Please let me ask you this, first: what do YOU think about the compressors you listed?

jethrobull · Post by **jethrobull** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:58 am

akira wrote:Hey guys,
In my original post, I wrote nothing about to buy something!
But for anyone, who has not read this first post:

I DON'T WANT TO BUY ANY COMPRESSORS, I WANT TO REDUCE WHAT I HAVE LISTED IN MY FIRST POST!!!
As you can see, it's all freeware and any comments to these compressors are appreciated!

Sorry.....

imho just keep barricade and you have reaper so you got reacomp
anyhow.

nilhartman · Post by **nilhartman** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 10:15 am

keep Molot then.

rifftrax · Post by **rifftrax** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 10:46 am

akira wrote:Hi everybody,
19 Compressors in my VST-Folder are too much!
Could anyone tell me about:
- redundancies
- which are bad
- which have character
- which are very neutral
...mainly which to abandon

- sorcery
- barricade
- blockfish
- Broadcast
- Buzzrizer2
- C3 Multiband
- Classic
- Compressive
- Enddorphin
- FL4tt3ry2
- IQ4
- L3V3LL3r
- Nasty VCS
- Optron 3 A
- Peak Compressor
- Reacomp
- Stardust
- TripleComp
- T-Sledge
- Molot

Honestly, I'd lose everything except Compressive, Nasty VCS, Optron 3 A and Molot. Add all the antress stuff. ModernDeathcore, Modern Dynakiller and ModernSevensign and the business.

Modern Dynakiller is better than The Glue as a buss comp honestly. There I said it.

Tried Kush Audio UBK-1, wasn't impressed at all. Didn't like it what it did to the signal at all in fact on most any source.

Brother Charles · Post by **Brother Charles** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 10:56 am

Sorry akira - didn't mean to bypass your original question.

One of the good things about freeware is that it takes all that's in your list to accomplish what DC8C does for only 20 Euros. . . . except that DC8C probably sounds much better doing it. (With the exception of Bootsy's Density MKII)

Density MKII is a fantastic FREEWARE compressor. To be very honest, I'm confident that it's one of the best, if not THE best freeware compressor available.

akira wrote:Hey guys,
In my original post, I wrote nothing about to buy something!
But for anyone, who has not read this first post:

I DON'T WANT TO BUY ANY COMPRESSORS, I WANT TO REDUCE WHAT I HAVE LISTED IN MY FIRST POST!!!
As you can see, it's all freeware and any comments to these compressors are appreciated!

MFXxx · Post by **MFXxx** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 11:45 am

Ok Im going to put myself on a limb here without being rude...

Every tool serves a purpose and asking these questions can only be answered by you. Some tools work well on live instruments, buss duties, mastering duties and so forth.

Dump them all, use what you got and see what you miss.

Download demos and learn your tools. Everything is everyone else opinion and not your ear

Regarding DCD8 read the followig thread http://www.gearslutz.com/board/rap-hip- ... -dc8c.html

My comp favs are wide and varied, but then I approach mixing from an artist, adventurous and often random appraoch. But if it sonds good to my ear I stick with it...my ears are old fwiw

overhishead · Post by **overhishead** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 11:49 am

we are really spoiled these days with all these character compressors. i'm particularly interested in them i admit. i wouldnt bother narrowing them down. natural selection should settle the score all by itself.

check out this video
George Carlin - Earth Day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5Miv4NHsDo

@midnight · Post by **@midnight** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 11:54 am

Make a template, that's what I do.

It has my bass and guitar and synth and drum channels already loaded up with the fx I like to use on each channel. I don't even usually have to add any additional plugins to what I have on my template, I have reverbs set up on sends and everything, that way I just bring it up and start working.

Compressors - Need Help To Reduce Them