Compressor - rackmount or pedal?

[bongomania]

There's a LOT to read about the Black Finger on the web. The score seems to be evenly divided between people who think it is the best thing since sliced bread, and people who think it is a poorly-assembled box of hiss. YMMV.

 

[Mingus Addict]

There's a con to rack-mounted comps I haven't seen mentioned yet. If you are using other effects on the floor the comp has to go at the end of the chain unless you want to run some really long cables back and forth. This might not be a problem in many cases but in others you may want some compression before another effect.

A pro would be that rack-mounted comps tend to work much better in the effects loop and can easily be placed either in the loop or before the pre-amp. You will get different results with different placements.

 

[Discount Saint]

I use mostly fuzz and synth related effects (Octavers, Synth pedals, etc) .. long with my Zoom B2.1u which does all my chorus and EQing stuff (for now). Right now I have the Zoom first in my chain, into a Line Selector which handles my 2 effects loops .. my impulse would be to put a Compressor either first in the chain, or right after the Zoom, as I've heard that compression can help synth and fuzz effects.

Am I off, here?

 

[Mingus Addict]

I use mostly fuzz and synth related effects (Octavers, Synth pedals, etc) .. long with my Zoom B2.1u which does all my chorus and EQing stuff (for now). Right now I have the Zoom first in my chain, into a Line Selector which handles my 2 effects loops .. my impulse would be to put a Compressor either first in the chain, or right after the Zoom, as I've heard that compression can help synth and fuzz effects.

Am I off, here?

I think you're on. I've seen the difference putting compression through my OC-2 makes.

 

[Geddyfleaharris]

Honestly, the best compressor is called the FMR RNC.

Playing devil's advocate, by whose estimation is it the "best"compressor? Where does my dbx 1066 rate then in comparison to the FMR RNC?

I Heart FMR, the guy who started the company knows his **** and isn't in the business for the money.

Again, the devil's advocate....

So this is his sideline business and he puts food on his plate and clothes on his back from his day job? Just curious.

 

[EricF]

Honestly, the best compressor is called the FMR RNC. Its like $175 I used to own a couple when I needed compression for recording, they are absolutely silent...so silent you think they are broken, but its really just invisible compression with no artifacts. People compare it to $1,000 compressors. Its not rack mount or pedal, but its as big as a pedal. Look into it or PM me to discuss, they are really worth the cash. If you do audiop mastering, I wouldn't use anything buy an RNC because you want a quiet compressor for that. I Heart FMR, the guy who started the company knows his **** and isn't in the business for the money.

The RNC is a spectacular unit for a lot of uses, and it performs well above it's price - as do all of the products from FMR Audio. However, for bass, even the guys at FMR will tell you that the RNC sometimes has distortion issues (it's also in the RNC literature). FMR actually recommends their RNLA for bass.

 

[EricF]

Playing devil's advocate, by whose estimation is it the "best"compressor? Where does my dbx 1066 rate then in comparison to the FMR RNC?

Not better or worse, just different. It all depends on the application and the sonic result you're looking for. Once you're into the range of a certain performace level, it's about flavors. "Best" is subjectve.

So this is his sideline business and he puts food on his plate and clothes on his back from his day job? Just curious.

FMR Audio is not a side business by some random dude in his garage with a soldering iron and a handfull of Radio Shack components. FMR is a small company that makes very high-quality preamps and compressors at very good prices - and they sell a ton of them.

To say FMR is not in it for the money is probably not accurate. I'd say they're in it to make very good products at reasonable prices. Profit comes with doing it successfully, and I hope they are making money so they can continue to develop their product line.

FMR is the preamp and compressor equivalent to a TB favorite, Bayou Cables - great products, good prices, excellent service.

(I don't work for or sell FMR, I'm just a user who believes in their stuff).

 

[Geddyfleaharris]

"Best" is subjectve.

Agreed and that was my point.

FMR Audio is not a side business by some random dude in his garage with a soldering iron and a handfull of Radio Shack components. FMR is a small company that makes very high-quality preamps and compressors at very good prices - and they sell a ton of them.

To say FMR is not in it for the money is probably not accurate. I'd say they're in it to make very good products at reasonable prices. Profit comes with doing it successfully, and I hope they are making money so they can continue to develop their product line.

FMR is the preamp and compressor equivalent to a TB favorite, Bayou Cables - great products, good prices, excellent service.

(I don't work for or sell FMR, I'm just a user who believes in their stuff).

Thanks for the info. If he is not in it for the money I bet you his banker is. My point being that any business that wants to be around for more than the blink of an eye is in it for money. And anyone who is a fan of smaller companies wants them to do well or they won't be around.

I just thought that Yazzman threw out some rather blanket statements and I figured I would challenge him a bit without being too much of an a$$.

 

[EricF]

Thanks for the info. If he is not in it for the money I bet you his banker is. My point being that any business that wants to be around for more than the blink of an eye is in it for money. And anyone who is a fan of smaller companies wants them to do well or they won't be around.

Based on the popularity of FMR products in the audio recording world - particualrly for home and project studios - I'd guess their banker is a happy guy.

I just thought that Yazzman threw out some rather blanket statements and I figured I would challenge him a bit without being too much of an a$$.

Agreed. As you can see by my earlier post, I did the same - albeit a bit more subtly

 

[synaesthesia]

The RNC is a spectacular unit for a lot of uses, and it performs well above it's price - as do all of the products from FMR Audio. However, for bass, even the guys at FMR will tell you that the RNC sometimes has distortion issues (it's also in the RNC literature). FMR actually recommends their RNLA for bass.

Yes I had two which I used extensively when my studio had an analogue board and outboard about 10 years ago now. Got one of the first ones out when the rage started in rec.audio.pro about them. They were great for vocals and guitar, also on trumpet. Never used it for bass, never sounded nice and it did distort.

For the poster who thought FMR was a garage operation.... look up Mark's pedigree on their webpages.

 

[JohnDavisNYC]

I wish I could buy an 1176 in a pedal... with no bypass switch... for $50...

john

 

[bongomania]

Yeah, that would hit the spot, eh? Purple Audio has a API/500-series FET comp that is modeled on the 1176, but of course being a lunchbox unit it requires a special housing and power supply. And costs more than $50. However it gives me hope that a circuit that approximates the 1176 can, theoretically, be built into a smallish standalone housing, maybe the size of a Programmable BDDI... Of course even then we'd still be in the few-hundred-dollar range.

 

[EricF]

Yeah, that would hit the spot, eh? Purple Audio has a API/500-series FET comp that is modeled on the 1176, but of course being a lunchbox unit it requires a special housing and power supply. And costs more than $50. However it gives me hope that a circuit that approximates the 1176 can, theoretically, be built into a smallish standalone housing, maybe the size of a Programmable BDDI... Of course even then we'd still be in the few-hundred-dollar range.

I hereby nominate bongomaina to make it his personal quest to bring the 1176 circuit to the masses in the form of an affordable stomp box (a 1/3 rack version would be nice, too).

 

[bongomania]

Patience, wait 'til I get my Blueberry clone built.

 

[whoatherechunk]

this thread helped me out a bunch. thanks guys!