ProTools and Compressors

[jimmy_dup3]

Hey Craig ... Wondering How you feel about outbaord compressors and ProTools ... In reading your notes on the RNC ... It's not much of a $$ risk .. but should I deal with

having to patch it in and all when I have access to compressors in plugin form like

LA2's and 1176's ?? Would you still buy it?

 

Thx

 

Jimmy

[Pro Jules]

I don't buy the - record stuff flat and do it all with plug ins later deal. I see the way in as a 'last chance Texaco' to do some old skool prossesing that can never be done at a later date. I use PT Plugs to touch up here and there not to get 'the real sound'. I've been at it for 18 years so I trust my own instincts.I understand a newbie might be afraid to commit and like the open ended aspect of plug ins.

 

That's just my view, some pros like it 'flat' and to tinker later.

 

I mix 'all in PT' BTW never using a mixing desk.

[Anderton]

Originally posted by Jimmy:

Hey Craig ... Wondering How you feel about outbaord compressors and ProTools ... In reading your notes on the RNC ... It's not much of a $$ risk .. but should I deal with

having to patch it in and all when I have access to compressors in plugin form like

LA2's and 1176's ?? Would you still buy it?

 

Thx

 

Jimmy

 

This is going to get me into trouble, but...this whole concept of "magical" compressors never really made sense to me. For example, people are so hot on those opto compressors, right? If they knew how to adjust the attack and decay controls of conventional compressors, they could come reasonably close to getting the essence of what an opto can do. One reason why people liked the sound of optos was the attack time, which maintained a nice percussive edge. Back in the days of analog tape, the tape absorbed any percussive transients, so the sound was not just the opto compressor, but the opto compressor WORKING WITH THE ANALOG TAPE COMPRESSION. Okay, so now they put the "magic" compressor on a digital recorder, and it won't absorb the transient anymore. So they have to kick the level down, and the sound ends up being not as good as it sounded with analog tape.

 

This is a great time to mention my personal mantra: all that matters is the emotional impact of the music. A good performance that moves people will move people whether it was recorded through an Alesis 3630 or an LA2, assuming (and this is important!) the person setting the controls knew how to set them properly. This isn't to say that some compressors might sound sweeter with a particular voice, or give an extra-nice sound. But if the performance is great, people are going to respond to it. As the old saying goes, "No radio station ever called me and said 'we were going to play your CD, but that's a 12-bit snare drum, isn't it'?"

 

Just wanted to put things in perspective . Now to finally answer your question, the RNC is another "spice" to add to your spice rack. Sea bass tastes great with a mint sauce, but I prefer something soy sauce and scallion based with orange roughy. Will it be better or worse than your plug-ins? No, but it will probably be different, and there will probably be some signals where it sounds just great, while others sound better with your LA2 plug-in. But the main message is, don't take the gear too seriously...great music is great music, and a well-written chorus is worth all the outboard gear in the world.