Archive of the former Yahoo!Groups mailing list: MOTM

previous by date index next by date
previous in topic topic list next in topic

Subject: Re: [motm] OT: Compressor/Limiter/Gate

From: John Mahoney <jmahoney@...>
Date: 2008-12-03

At 08:01 PM 12/2/2008, Richard Brewster wrote:
>I've read all the replies and thanks to everyone who responded. I
>wasn't clear in my original post about what I want the
>compressor/limiter to do. I think I was enticed by the idea of "sonic
>maximizer", but really I don't want another sound enhancer, so I've
>ruled out the BBE MaxCom. What I really want is a limiter that will let
>me use all the headroom of the recorder without having to worry about
>clipping. The sort of material I make includes unpredictable peaks.

Based on my admittedly limited experience, that is definitely what you want!


> I
>will look at the FMR RNC. Nobody commented about the DBX 166XL. I'm
>still considering that and maybe the 266XL.

I've got a 266, too. Got it on sale and used it once or twice for
recording bass to tape (to boost quiet parts above the tape noise).
The RNC is cleaner, less colored, definitely better for recording a mix.

The 166 is popular. I may eventually get around to selling my 266; if
so, I may get a 166. But I'd be using it for tracking (recording
individual instruments), not for limiting a 2-track mix, not when
I've got the RNC. :-)

No comment on the ART Pro VLA, as I've never seen or used one. ART
does offer good price:performance, on the whole.

John