Softube Summit Audio TLA-100A

[4damind]

Ok... 9 out of 10 cases I like it more without the compressor
With light compression and only a bit distortion it's ok.
The drum presets are not very good, none of them makes usage of the sidechain filter or parallel compression... Presets are... yes... don't use them

This are 5x Summit on all main sounds. Drum group with sidechain filter enabled.

Short snippet (only 26s):
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8547138/audio/f ... summit.mp3

For such easy compressor I like the LA2A emulations more and to be honest, this Summit is not so easy like a LA2A. Attack/Release with 3 different settings. Distortion which must be set so it's not too much. Compare this to a LA2A with only 1 knob to set (ok, 2 with the gain).

[hibidy]

I'd like before and after, don't know about anyone else

[Fritze]

I'd like before and after, don't know about anyone else

Same here. Could you please, Frank?

[macmurphy]

they've extended that sale until november 15th now.

They have????? AWESOME. I have been wanting that FET since demoing it extensively, but I couldn't get the money for it till about the 20th of this month, and was rather sad about it. But where did you read this? Their site still says October.

i got an email from them. they've extended the sale to tie in with the intro price on the new comp.

[DF2R]

they've extended that sale until november 15th now.

They have????? AWESOME. I have been wanting that FET since demoing it extensively, but I couldn't get the money for it till about the 20th of this month, and was rather sad about it. But where did you read this? Their site still says October.

i got an email from them. they've extended the sale to tie in with the intro price on the new comp.

Thanks so much for the heads up that is so cool.

[4damind]

Ok, completely uncompressed (only a bus compressor on the master)
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8547138/audio/f ... ummit2.mp3

The compressed mix (5x Summit)
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8547138/audio/f ... summit.mp3

[penguinfromdeep]

I still like this compressor

[Fritze]

Ok, completely uncompressed (only a bus compressor on the master)
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8547138/audio/f ... ummit2.mp3

The compressed mix (5x Summit)
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8547138/audio/f ... summit.mp3

Cool, thanx a lot Frank.
That's some nice polishing you did with that compressor.

[4damind]

Cool, thanx a lot Frank.
That's some nice polishing you did with that compressor.

Thx!
This compressor sounds a bit more crispy then a LA2A. Remembers a bit to the CL1B but with more distortion (if the distortion knob is used). I think it's not completely wrong when people said that it's like CL1B with a drive knob (the distortion knob)

[bmanic]

Ok, completely uncompressed (only a bus compressor on the master)
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8547138/audio/f ... ummit2.mp3

The compressed mix (5x Summit)
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8547138/audio/f ... summit.mp3

I like the compressed mix more. I know this will sound extremely ambiguous but it just sounds more "pro". The other one is a bit "home made" in comparison.

Having said that, it sounds a bit strained somehow. Perhaps a wee bit too much compression? Sometimes these vintage style units sound best when the gain reduction needle is barely moving (giving you a maximum of half a dB of compression).

Less is definitely more with this kind of unit.

Cheers!
bManic

[penguinfromdeep]

Did you demo this yet Bmanic?

[4damind]

Ok, completely uncompressed (only a bus compressor on the master)
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8547138/audio/f ... ummit2.mp3

The compressed mix (5x Summit)
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8547138/audio/f ... summit.mp3

I like the compressed mix more. I know this will sound extremely ambiguous but it just sounds more "pro". The other one is a bit "home made" in comparison.

Having said that, it sounds a bit strained somehow. Perhaps a wee bit too much compression? Sometimes these vintage style units sound best when the gain reduction needle is barely moving (giving you a maximum of half a dB of compression).

Less is definitely more with this kind of unit.

Cheers!
bManic

Yes, definitely this compressors are not for heavy compression. That's why I don't liked it very much the first time when using "normal" settings. So I added only very small distortion and light compression (about 3dB GR) but eventually this is yet too much. 0,5 to 1dB GR could be better.

Have you tried the Softube CL1B? IMO this both are very similar but the Summit is without transformers and I would say is sounding a bit more crisp while the CL1B is more on the transparent side.

[penguinfromdeep]

I like this more than Softubes CL1B, maybe because I find this more suitable for drumbus too..

[@midnight]

Compressing half a db? That's nothing though, I need to compress 3-10db on channels and 2-4 on the mix bus. What exactly is half a db of compression going to do when you are trying to control dynamics?

Not trying to be argumentative but real world usage is def gonna be more than half a db.

[4damind]

Compressing half a db? That's nothing though, I need to compress 3-10db on channels and 2-4 on the mix bus. What exactly is half a db of compression going to do when you are trying to control dynamics?

Not trying to be argumentative but real world usage is def gonna be more than half a db.

It's more for catching the peaks. But eventually we should also rethink the complete compression thing and try to leave more dynamic. In most cases a light compression which leaves more dynamic sounds a lot better (not only with such vintage emulations like the Summit).