I'm rebuilding my rig piece by piece and first step is a rack mount compressor. I've looked at the DBX 160A($1100 Australian) the Really Nice Compressor ($500 Aus) and a Behringer($300 Aus). The DBX is probably overkill but I could spend more than the Behringer. Anyone tried the RNC or others in the $300-$500 Aus price range? Cheers!
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Compressors
- Thread starter StuBass
- Start date
I have both the RNC and the DBX 160A. The RNC is very tranparent. A really beautiful compressor. I love it on drums and vocals, but not bass. Not enough umph. It is difficult to use live since the knobs are so sensitive and very interactive. (Ok for sound guys since s/he is not trying to play bass and adjust controls at the same time!) The dbx sounds great. It has an old school thickness that I really like. Easy to use since you can only set the threshold, ratio, and gain.
I use an RNC at the FOH and I'm very happy with the results. 
For the money I think this thing is hard to beat.
For the money I think this thing is hard to beat.
RevGroove
Commercial User
- Jul 21, 2002
- 2,411
- 173
- Disclosures
- Regional Account Services Supervisor @ Long & McQuade or ON & Atlantic Canada
Any dbx compressor works fine with bass. I use both channels of my 266XL, sounds awesome. If you can get a dbx, go for it!!!
I'm using the RNC in the effects loops of both my SansAmp RBI and Eden combo. Very transparent but can also do the "squash" thing by tweaking the ratio and attack / release settings. The unit does have the tendency to distort bass frequencies when using short release times; I run mine @ >0.5 seconds.
DBX 163X!!! I have had mine in ye olde rack for about a year now and it rocks my world every night.... Give me a super phat super clean tone, it has that great old school tone without the pump... Plus it helps you cut through the mix without all them nasty mids 
, and they can be readly found for 50 clams on e-bay...
Alex
, and they can be readly found for 50 clams on e-bay...Alex
I have a PreSonus ACP-22. I love this thing. It's the best compressor I've tried on bass - OK so I've only tried Behringer (and returned it). It's really transparent. $299 at MusiciansFriend. You may want to check one of these out too.
