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Rack compression

#2
I've had an Alesis 3630 in my rack for 19 or 20 years. I believe that I paid about $200 new back in 1991 or 92. Quiet, sensitive - it's not a particularly high-end piece of gear, but it does have some nice features:

1. Both input and output linear LED displays that include compression/reduction.
2. Stereo functionality (although one channel went dead on me about 10 years ago - still going on the second channel).
3. Ability to use a stereo/mono cable to use for ducking and/or limiting.

It's all I need and more. It's very sensitive and flexible. I don't know if it's still made, however.
 
#4
I have a dbx 166xl in my secondary rig (my RIC-o-Sound stereo rig, or coffee house rig), and it does not have the same features as my Alesis.

1. It does not have a horizontal LED disply of both input/output levels along with compression/reduction. It only displays compression/reduction and input clip. The ALesis input/output horizontal displays have been invaluble to me for defining pickup pole/string imbalances and how to adjust pickups to achieve nearly perfect string balance on all of my basses. The dbx cannot do this.

2. the dbx 166xl is noisy - there is audible static when the noise gate flows in - very annoying. Granted; other than that the noise gate is better than the Alesis (which is choppy at the cut-off), but the static is off-putting.

While I would agree that the Alesis can be "obvious," when it kicks in, I would argue that careful tweaking of the attack/delay, hard/soft knee, and other features can reduce this drawback.
 
#7
If you keep a sharp eye on Ebay you can find an older Symetrix, Aphex, dbx, or Rane rack unit for not much more than $100, and it will sound far, far better than the Alesis "dirty six dirty". And actually the one Behringer rack unit I tested was also a lot cleaner-sounding than the Alesis, and those are way cheap too.

Since the OP didn't mention a price restriction though, there may be no need to suggest he drag around a lower-grade comp "just because it's cheap".

For rack units I usually recommend the Rane DC24, dbx 160X/XT and 166, Ashly CLX/DPX series, Symetrix 501, Aphex 661/651, JBL 7110, and FMR PBC-6A. The EL Distressor is pretty sweet too. ;)
 
#9
dbx 166, I have one of the old ones and a couple of the 166A's.

I like the old school one for bass amp but it doesn't have the release knob on the gate, which I wouldn't want to go without for kick drum.

I paid 75 bucks for the 166 and 200 bucks for 2 166A's and a 12 channel insert snake.

There are like a million of both of those units out there. Start calling anybody that does live sound and now owns a digital console, they probably have a few they aren't using. For the love of god don't buy that Alesis.
 
#14
Medford Bassman said:
what do you recommend that's affordable?
Click to expand...

?

projectMalamute said:
dbx 166, I have one of the old ones and a couple of the 166A's.

I like the old school one for bass amp but it doesn't have the release knob on the gate, which I wouldn't want to go without for kick drum.

I paid 75 bucks for the 166 and 200 bucks for 2 166A's and a 12 channel insert snake.

There are like a million of both of those units out there. Start calling anybody that does live sound and now owns a digital console, they probably have a few they aren't using. For the love of god don't buy that Alesis.
Click to expand...

bongomania said:
If you keep a sharp eye on Ebay you can find an older Symetrix, Aphex, dbx, or Rane rack unit for not much more than $100, and it will sound far, far better than the Alesis "dirty six dirty". And actually the one Behringer rack unit I tested was also a lot cleaner-sounding than the Alesis, and those are way cheap too.

Since the OP didn't mention a price restriction though, there may be no need to suggest he drag around a lower-grade comp "just because it's cheap".

For rack units I usually recommend the Rane DC24, dbx 160X/XT and 166, Ashly CLX/DPX series, Symetrix 501, Aphex 661/651, JBL 7110, and FMR PBC-6A. The EL Distressor is pretty sweet too. ;)
Click to expand...
 
#19
Then be prepared to spend more money. Even brand new a 166(XS? whatever the new one is) is really, really cheap.

You will see experienced live sound guys who know what they are doing using them all the time. Maybe not first choice for making stuff sound amazing but a totally usable utility compressor. I can't think of anything cheaper you can say that about. Honestly, I can't think of anything much less than 3 or 4 times the price you can say that about.

The 160 is like 400 bucks for one channel, with no gate. That's probably the cheapest thing I can think of that is a substantial improvement over an old school 166.
 

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