Kjaerhus GUP-1 vs. URS Compressors

[Alien Leg]

Hi!

These compressors are quite similar in parametrization (with advantages for GUP-1) and also CPU-usage. The Urs are more expensive, but if they do sound better, I wouldn't mind.

Has someone compared these beasts?

[friteuse]

I didn't compare them yet, because I'm on Mac... but from URS I have both, the 1970 and 1980, and, after my first good impression, I'm quiet a bit disappointed. Maybe I missed something, but they don't work well on lots of material. I.e. vocals, or several acoustic instruments. Esp. when dealing with stereo material, the channels are not correctly linked (!) what means that your stereo image jumps around.
What is working quiet good imho, are drums. They keep their transients and get punchy with the URS compressors. Also, compared to the Sonalksis/PSP ones, I found them to sound a bit more transparent.

I heared great things from the Kjaerhus Compressors, I personally own only the MPL-1, and this one is a piece of hell, damn good. If the compressors are at the same level, I clearly would prefer them to the URS ones. Big advantage is also, that they are dongle-free and cost much less.

So my suggestion would be: Kjaerhus!:)

Btw, from both companies, there are demos avaliable (for URS demos, you'll need an iLok, though). So you can test it yourself...

[WilliamK]

I got the Gold Kjaerhus bundle, and also MPL-1. And I use Kjaerhus Compressors on all audio material without problems. It works on anything I tested so far.

Best Regards, WilliamK

[multree]

I didn't compare them yet, because I'm on Mac... but from URS I have both, the 1970 and 1980, and, after my first good impression, I'm quiet a bit disappointed. Maybe I missed something, but they don't work well on lots of material. I.e. vocals, or several acoustic instruments. Esp. when dealing with stereo material, the channels are not correctly linked (!) what means that your stereo image jumps around.
What is working quiet good imho, are drums. They keep their transients and get punchy with the URS compressors. Also, compared to the Sonalksis/PSP ones, I found them to sound a bit more transparent.

I heared great things from the Kjaerhus Compressors, I personally own only the MPL-1, and this one is a piece of hell, damn good. If the compressors are at the same level, I clearly would prefer them to the URS ones. Big advantage is also, that they are dongle-free and cost much less.

So my suggestion would be: Kjaerhus!:)

Btw, from both companies, there are demos avaliable (for URS demos, you'll need an iLok, though). So you can test it yourself...

yeah I'd second that.... I have the 1980 and it's really good for drums...

but forget it for acoustic guitars - grainy as hell

[multree]

if I had to do it all over again I'd choose the PSP MasterComp - I decided not to take it cuz I didn't like the GUI - well how stupid can somebody be....

not that it matters, music sucks anyway

[6 6 6]

Pa-Lleeezz,

URS kikz Kjaerhus ASS Like a step child.... HandzDown!!





6 6 6

[multree]

Pa-Lleeezz,

URS kikz Kjaerhus ASS Like a step child.... HandzDown!!





6 6 6

nobody said it wouldn't - we just said that we love the URS Comps on drums but dislike it on other instrument..... kicking ass is a whole different story

[K-Slash]

I use Kjaerhus compressors often, especially on drums. Love it .
But I also like the URS's ones.

So my opinion is that my ears like them both, so just test by yourself and choose after. The only judge in effects are your ears, no one can choose for you man.

[sonicvent]

The URS 1975 compressor is very nice! I like it better than the 70 and 80. Now the Kjaerhus GCO-1 is sweet too. It can sound similar to the 1975, leaning towards a DBX 160. Don't know about the GUP-1. Looks like it's a slimmed down version.

Anyway, IMHO the 1975 is a better all around compressor, but I wouldn't mind using any of the Kjaerhus stuff. His channel strip rocks!

[friteuse]

multree, did you also notice the lack of a correct stereo link with the URS compressors?

Or did I miss something? I recently tried it on a whole mix with the result of a very fluttery stereo image - like two separate, unlinked compressors on each channel...

[Alien Leg]

I think I will have to get this bloddy ilock and make a comparison. As I'm only producing electronic music (kind of more aggressive big beat/breakbeat/experimental) and not recording any acoustic stuff apart from vocals, maybe this grainyness will be a good thing.
But I don't really understand why those buss compressors are not really suitable for single tracks, as I have also read on gearslutz. Could someone explain this!?

[multree]

you can use every effect everywhere.... the only thing that most BUS or "Mastering" plug-ins have in common is that they use more CPU... but you can use them on a track all right ...

[Alien Leg]

Hell, yes! In my understanding the quality of processors designed for busses or the master must be higher than those for single tracks. For mastering only the finest gear is appropriate, usually very expensive in hardware or CPU intensive in software. If we could, we would use that stuff on every track, wouldn't we?
But there is talk about the Urs compressors and the Waves G being bus compressors, good for (sub-)mixes, but not soo good for single sounds.

[multree]

Hell, yes! In my understanding the quality of processors designed for busses or the master must be higher than those for single tracks. For mastering only the finest gear is appropriate, usually very expensive in hardware or CPU intensive in software. If we could, we would use that stuff on every track, wouldn't we?
But there is talk about the Urs compressors and the Waves G being bus compressors, good for (sub-)mixes, but not soo good for single sounds.

no clue

[4damind]

GUP is a modern versatile, very good sounding compressor with real sidechain-support, URS are emulated vintage gear. I demoed URS and found no usage for this compressors. I prefer UAD, Kjaerhus, Voxengo compressors. In the emulation stuff Waves SSL plays also at a very high level. But I don't like the URS 1970/1980 compressors.