How many compressors can one have?

[cruisy18]

So I've been thinking lately, why are there SO many compressors on the market? Like, I was looking through a Waves bundle and there were around 5+ compressors in that single bundle. I understand that each compressor sounds different, but I have about 7 compressors (not including multi-band) that I use, and honestly, they're more than enough.

I'm just wondering why there are so many compressors out there? Are they all really that different that it's worth spending all that money on, or is it more of a marketing ploy that looks appealing with all the attractive interfaces?

[DJ Warmonger]

There are 2 compressors in Ableton package - one for actual compression, the other only for sidechaining. I also still use old Kjaearhus Gold Compressor... as expander in my DJ mixes, sometimes it's necessary to help with overcompressed track.

In general, I tend to pick simplest solutions. Having 7 different compressors that do some very sophisticated and advanced processing has no use if you don't know what they are REALLY doing.

[Kriminal]

I'm just wondering why there are so many compressors out there? Are they all really that different that it's worth spending all that money on, or is it more of a marketing ploy that looks appealing with all the attractive interfaces?

You could say the same about delays, reverbs, synth, guitars....

Ppl want to make money, so they try and sell you stuff by making you think you need it.

[bailees7irish]

As many as one would like.

[Tp3]

Ppl want to make money, so they try and sell you stuff by making you think you need it.

So true...

We are merely consumers...

and to paraphrase a line form "Fight Club" :

Advertising has us chasing plugs and DAWs, working songs we hate, so we can buy shit we don't need...

[cruisy18]

There are 2 compressors in Ableton package - one for actual compression, the other only for sidechaining. I also still use old Kjaearhus Gold Compressor... as expander in my DJ mixes, sometimes it's necessary to help with overcompressed track.

Wait, I have Ableton's standard compressor and The Glue compressor that came with Live 9... I use both for compression, including the standard compressor...?

In general, I tend to pick simplest solutions. Having 7 different compressors that do some very sophisticated and advanced processing has no use if you don't know what they are REALLY doing.

I agree. I picked up a few of my compressors for free (which I rarely use), as well as in bundles. I find myself going to the TRackS Classic Compressor and Waves Renaissance Compressor more than others (picked these up with bundles).

You could say the same about delays, reverbs, synth, guitars....

I find that there are more compressors being pushed than the items you listed. For instance, in that Waves bundle I was looking at which had like 5 compressors, there was one delay plugin. Furthermore, I think it could be argued that different synths, guitars and reverb can be much more distinctive than compressors.

I use Ableton Live's reverb, Sknote's Rev250, and Waves Renaissance Verb. I also have Waves IR-L convolution reverb but I don't fully understand it yet and haven't really used it (it came with a bundle). The three reverbs I use sound extremely different to each other - much more different than the various compressors sound to each other.

I just find it interesting how these companies push compressors so much. Every time I see an ad for another compressor I just roll my eyes and think to myself, "I've got more compressors that I can shake a stick at".

[Dean Aka Nekro]

and the like, If you think these plugin bundles and Doors we use have an abundance of dynamic controllers then take a look at the above guy's racked up outboard. He is far from alone in selecting certain makes and models for both long term or 'go to' and also more kind of loving on a new design for awhile until another is released. Then they have those pesky 500-series racks that they can cram even more in

I have a fair few options in the dynamic control area, Soft and hard. The hard one's (even rather cheap ones) have bags of character, Some plugins aim to nail certain real world units or give a good flavour of whilst others are not based on real world devices. So the variety is pretty good. If they were all crud then I'd be endlessly writing and refining fader automation and envelope shapes until I went insane

[whyterabbyt]

I just find it interesting how these companies push compressors so much. Every time I see an ad for another compressor I just roll my eyes and think to myself, "I've got more compressors that I can shake a stick at".

It has to be said, if you've ever read a few of those 'how we recorded this album' type articles, that high end studios seem to have more dynamics boxes than just about anything else (except maybe microphones) and they make prolific use of them. I guess the rationale is that they add 'character', or whatever more flowery adjective you wanna substitute ('magic', 'voodoo', 'mojo' etc seem common)

A lot of ITB software users have basically got a secret hardon for that perceived 'magical' quality, and/or a forcefed notion that software needs 'warming up' so 'character' compressors are an obvious market niche, particularly emulations of so-called 'classic' gear. I'd suggest that for a lot of legacy-hardware guys now working in the software domain, they will also be after the 'brand' gear, either from familiarity, or 'couldnt ever afford a real one' syndrome.
The recipe for what makes a 'character' compressor is also pretty nebulous; there's a bit of a 'holy grail' element to it, a fair bit of churn as people look for that magic ingredient they've heard so much about. In reality they've mostly all got a character; its just that some are deemed 'special'.

I'd hazard that they're also easier to model and build than some other classes of plugin, ie there's circuit schematics, reference designs, hardware clones yada yada, but they're ostensibly just fancy volume controls. It probably makes them a good investment on development time versus sales.

That makes it a no-brainer for developers; people want them, so they build them.

For people working with actual recorded material, I can see the utility, though; some processors are indeed better for different types of material, and although modelled dynamics (and EQs) mysteriously tend to sit at the top end of the plugin cost ladder, they're still vastly cheaper than actual hardware versions of the originals. And like I say, in the real world, studios would have a ton of options too.

For the entirely-synth bedroom 'dance producer' end of the scale, I think a lot of it is just unconsciously buying into the sort of analog woo-woo that you see in flavour-of-the-month-artist interviews, where every last DJ McNumpty namedrops some 'special' (expensive, natch) hardware boxes they've got that 'makes' their sound. The 'holy grail' element writ large.

OTOH, I dont think it hurts to not pass every single track on every single composition through the exact same limited set of effects.
Personally, I mostly do work which doesnt need micro-level transient management (aka 'what compressors do') but I still have and use a bunch of them anyway. Mostly as EQs, though, I dont actually have a tube amp, Ha! Ha!

[RunBeerRun]

A compressor is a volume modifier, it doesn't have to revolve around the -one concept- that every company wants you to buy, they can be creative. But you won't find them in stores.

[Kaboom75]

Don't forget Live 9s multiband compressor.

[frankz00]

I just find it interesting how these companies push compressors so much. Every time I see an ad for another compressor I just roll my eyes and think to myself, "I've got more compressors that I can shake a stick at".

I have that exact reaction whenever I see a new one or one goes on sale. I usually say to myself "do I really need another compressor?"

Alot of mine came very cheap or in bundles though...

[3ee]

-a (fairly flexible) go-to compressor (or two perhaps)
-few extra "character" compressors that you prefer
-a multi-band compressor

When picking a compressor, spend a bit of time with it before moving to the next.

[ImNotDedYet]

There are 2 compressors in Ableton package - one for actual compression, the other only for sidechaining.

Both Ableton's compressor and Ableton's The Glue compressor have sidechain capabilities.

As to OP, there are a lot of differences in the compressor's processing which affects, albeit possibly minimally how the outcoming sound sounds. Some have finer grained controls for attack/decay, some have only gain/input and output controls, some "color" the sound, some emulate hardware components that have been popular in studios for years - and even the multiples of those emulating the hardware have different sounds. I typically use FabFilter's Pro-C for "clean" compression, but if I want some dirt or grim added to the sound, I may add one of my 1176 or L2A comps. I might have a different compressor for the 2 bus or mastering chain.

Do we _need_ all these compressor options? Probably not. But as more and more people produce music, there's more and more money out there to spend on things we may not need. It's the law of supply and demand.

IMO, as I've gotten deeper into music production, I've found I need/want one clean compressor, maybe one to three emulations/gritty comps - one may be "best suited" for bass, one for drums, etc. and a glue compressor or two for busses, 2 bus, master. I don't do much multi-band compression, but that's not a bad compressor to have as well.

I reserve the right to change my mind six months from now.

[bungle]

It is easy to make another blah (Blah being another UI for pretty much the same thing) than actually innovate and make something unique for developers, for so called musicians it is easier to go and buy some more software than it is to actually use what they have to make music.
may sound harsh, but in reality that is 90% of developers and 90% of customers

[cryophonik]

As many as one would like.

+1

And, no, that doesn't mean that I agree with you. It means to add one to the number of compressors that you think you want.