Do you ever think compressors, suck?

[Sparky77]

It's true that a lot of modern dance stuff really relies on it....

Really, any music that requires dynamic control so it can be reproduced correctly on any size reproduction system.

Ever hear a recording that sounds great in the studio and horrible on a car stereo or radio?
This almost always is because of dynamics that cannot be reproduced on the playback device.

Compressors are essential.

[magicmusic]

I did not find any compressor or Limier that sound good when do more than 3db compress or 1.5 . its the reason of how much. if you do more, can hear. My guess is for more can only use a basedrum or snare Tom compressor. but the overall compressor should not be more as 1.5 or 3d set. this give better loudness and can not hear

[pixel85]

It's true that a lot of modern dance stuff really relies on it....

Really, any music that requires dynamic control so it can be reproduced correctly on any size reproduction system.

Ever hear a recording that sounds great in the studio and horrible on a car stereo or radio?
This almost always is because of dynamics that cannot be reproduced on the playback device.

Compressors are essential.

We still talking about XXI century equipment? Today even trashy computer speakers can deal with dynamics.
Mix that sound 'great' in studio but not in radio? Well.. it's because radio apply a lot of multiband dynamics so if your mix have a lot of dynamics already then it sound like sh*t.
Ok another example, if compressors are essentials then, with your logic, any acoustic/classical music recorded without compressor will sound like crap.

Compressors are essential but it's just one element of many in mixing process. There's much more important elements that can make good or bad song. Number one is proper instrumentation which drive other mixing process

[jens]

I did not find any compressor or Limier that sound good when do more than 3db compress or 1.5 . its the reason of how much. if you do more, can hear. My guess is for more can only use a basedrum or snare Tom compressor. but the overall compressor should not be more as 1.5 or 3d set. this give better loudness and can not hear

Yes, of course you can hear it - that's the point, isn't it? 3dB is nothing....

[magicmusic]

3 db is 50% . 6 db is double loudness. its good noticable if 3 db louder or not and at least better as nothing. you can get 6 db more, when you only compress base, snare and toms before your mix(if you not have compressed drum tracks) they get more punch sound much better.

[jens]

B.t.w.: one importnat point that has not been mentioned yet is, that compressors help increasing the dynamics of a mix.

[jens]

3 db is 50% . 6 db is double loudness. its good noticable if 3 db louder or not and at least better as nothing. you can get 6 db more, when you only compress base, snare and toms before your mix(if you not have compressed drum tracks) they get more punch sound much better.

tbh I am not even sure I understand what you try to say...

3dB is 50% of what? And 6dB is "double loudness" of what?

Better as nothing? What does that mean?

[Uncle E]

There are many folks I love who hardly use compression - and I deeply admire anyone who can mix largely without it and still produce very exciting, great mixes. Steve Albini and Infected Mushroom being 2 great examples.

FWIW, Steve Albini gets compression through tape saturation and other kinds of clipping. Even when using compression, clipping right before it is a great way to catch sharp, fast transients that most compressor don't do well with.

[magicmusic]

3 db is 50% . 6 db is double loudness. its good noticable if 3 db louder or not and at least better as nothing. you can get 6 db more, when you only compress base, snare and toms before your mix(if you not have compressed drum tracks) they get more punch sound much better.

tbh I am not even sure I understand what you try to say...

3dB is 50% of what? And 6dB is "double loudness" of what?

Better as nothing? What does that mean?

in this example is use a slow limiter at 3 db and 6 db. first no limiter, then 3db louder(loud max). then get to 6 db(loud max). the music is special made to see worser case of compressor limiter. if compressor is too fast, distortion guitars get bad ugly distortion at beginning. if too slow get ugly pumping. with 3db is ok, 6 db is very bad. 3db is good louder. depend on music, you can get better results. I dislike stuff as tape saturation, but with 3db overall you can get more. the drums are compress seperate more as 3 db

the link do only work, when you choose in a browser open link in new window

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6w03h1v78en2u ... t.mp3?dl=0

[magicmusic]

to delelte

[pixel85]

3 db is 50% . 6 db is double loudness. its good noticable if 3 db louder or not and at least better as nothing. you can get 6 db more, when you only compress base, snare and toms before your mix(if you not have compressed drum tracks) they get more punch sound much better.

tbh I am not even sure I understand what you try to say...

3dB is 50% of what? And 6dB is "double loudness" of what?

Better as nothing? What does that mean?

in this example is use a slow limiter at 3 db and 6 db. first no limiter, then 3db louder(loud max). then get to 6 db(loud max). the music is special made to see worser case of compressor limiter. if compressor is too fast, distortion guitars get bad ugly distortion at beginning. if too slow get ugly pumping. with 3db is ok, 6 db is very bad. 3db is good louder. depend on music, you can get better results. I dislike stuff as tape saturation, but with 3db overall you can get more. the drums are compress seperate more as 3 db

the link do only work, when you choose in a browser open link in new window

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6w03h1v78en2u ... t.mp3?dl=0

In this example, limiter is the last thing to blame. There's much more to be done in the mix itself first. Limiter and any other processing will work good when it's properly used on proper material. It's like blaming EQ with boosted low-mid freqs for muddy mix.

[magicmusic]

its more to show how much loader get 3db. I use no EQ for drumloop and the revalver 4 output EQ is slightly used. You of course can do a better example that get more than 3db louder, and sound not muddy for your ears. I like punch as in live concert. I know for release low freq need reduce, so sound not boomy on unmeasured rooms. With what speaker do you hear ?. have you measure them ?. maybe you can post a room impulse so i can see how it sound in your room. I think with unmeasured system this example sound very boomy. I use now Canton plus XL3 and Tannoy nfm 8 as subwoofer. and its measured with sonarworks measure microphone. the Canton have Aluminium Mangan speakers. I am really surprised how good they sound, also with music not from me. also when move the measure microphone out of sweet spot, the high frequency are better so seem the speaker bring high frequency to a wider angle

[jens]

uhm... magicmusic, I don't even know where to start - first I didn't understand this thread as if we were necessarily talking about hard limiting on the master... then of course 6dB is A LOT.

Then, your "mix" is nothing but drums and guitar and will sound dreadful whatever you do with it (sorry, but that's how it is, I'm afraid) - so there's not much sense in talking about Monitoring Speakers and such - had you monitored this solely on your iPhone's Speaker, it couldn't sound much worse, I think.

In any case, I think your post is highly off topic in this thread here.

[camsr]

magicmusic, your limiter example is pretty good, you can hear the distortion in the treble easily, it's a quality of limiters I dislike. That mix really needs some work, man!

[magicmusic]

@Jens You tell that 3 db louder is nothing. and the example show that 3db louder can good hear. 3d louder can on compressor reach when set ratio to 1.5 and make overall mix 3db louder. Or when set knee to 50% ratio to 2. music is matter of taste and it depends on speakers and room alot. see the measurement of my room. it enhance bass much in some freq. Dreadful thats only your opinion. Fact 1 is with iphone speaker hear not the base drum and punch feeling at low volume at 50 hz as can hear on live concerts or in my example. fact 2, i can reduce bass, and it sound as yours. You mix with very much mid (1-4 khz) and very few bass. bass need much level and do lots problems. You reduce bass and your mix can get loud too and you can avoid compressor. but i dislike such sound. Sound as kitchen radio sound and not as in a Live concert Mix. I like mix my music that it sound as in a live concert. to have more bass, a compressor help. And if you maybe some day like do music that have normal bass power as in a live concert and no kitchen radio sound, then you know what a compressor can do

the image is uncalibrate measurement. crossover is 80 hz