I'm doing mainly vocals, guitars and bass in my studio... Would the MC77 do me more justice? I'm finding it hard to get the distressor to sound good on vox, it sounds pretty good but not GREAT... What should I do? Feel free to suggest another compressor that will sound better than the distressor on vox and still be flexible to use on other instruments.

I'm probably in the minority here, but having both of those comps right now, I'll say this - I LOVE the MC77. Fantastic on the three things you listed. I still have not found the distressors to be all that great on anything.......

I wouldn't sell the Distressor, which can be useful, but I really recommend the MC-77 on lead vocals (feeding a CL1B, even better)... Pretty disappointing at first with its loose Vu-meter and malfunctioning buttons (on all 3 units I had in hand) but it's really got the magic touch needed...

Good luck,

Olivier.

I don't own a Distressor, though I have used them on occasion. I'd actually like to have one in my arsenal, as I found it (in my limited use of it) quite useful in certain situations.

I DO own the MC-77 and agree with previous posters that it's great—especially for vocals and bass. I'm candidly less sold on it with guitars, but I've only had it for six months and am still learning it. The unit has MOJO.

It's funny, Olivier: I had to send my first unit back, as well, as the input knob was abnormally tight against the front fascia and wouldn't turn smoothly. I got a new one right away, however, and I would say that the build quality is quite good, overall.

I don't worry too much about the accuracy of the meter: I figure it's an 1176, so if it sounds good, it is good, no matter what crazy stuff the meter's doing.

Hope this is helpful.

i have both. recently getting the mc76 after owning a distressor for a year or so.
i wouldn't sell your distressor - UNLESS you are just after 1 sound for most of your stuff. the distressor is way more versatile and the opto mode is awesome for vocals/bass. i like the mc76 a lot but if i had to only have one - i would get a lot more mileage out of the distressor.

Same here....

This is gearslutz. What a silly question, you need both. You'll also need...

I have both and no way would I sell the distressor. So dang handy for so many things.

You know, I'd be happy to take it off your hands.

LOL. I have a pair - they may be up for sale eventually, but being a true GS, it's hard for me to sell anything! hehheh

edit - although, I would trade them for a pair of MC77's..........Or, possibly a 2500, Or.......

A UA La2a.

Let it warm up for at least an hour though.

I was in exactly your position...had an el8 as my only comp at my home for overdubs...sold it and got the Purple (for vocals mostly...and bass etc) and have been very pleased with that choice. The el8 is a cool tool...I like them as a utility comp in a mix...but the Purple has a mojo just running signal thru it where the distressor doesn't (to my ears).

I'm waiting for my UA 1176 right now from Vintage King, got a 1 year old used one for the same price as a new distressor. Can't wait!!

I agree, distressor doesnt print any mojo. But I love it to death when it comes to drums and electric guitars, but specially drums. I woudnt sell the distressor unless I really needed the money...

Cheers for your opinions anyone wanna swap their mc77 for my mint el8x? hah

I have two distressors and one MC-77.


I do not recommend getting rid of the distressor... I do recommend using both!

My success comes from using a distressor followed with the MC77 into a Pendulum Audio OCL-2.


With the MC77 compressing lots.

Sometimes just one compressor won't do the trick.

Jason

Both would be optimal of course, as they do different things, but I would much rather have the Purple myself if I was forced to make a choice.

I mean-- for vocals and bass?? No question: the Purple.

For vocals and bass and synths, I prefer an LA2A. (For vocals ideally an 1176 AND an LA2A).

Otherwise an 1176 for everything else.

I use Distressors in studios but I've never found a need to own one like my 1176.

In a word, YES, sell it and get the Purple.

IF you have to make a choice between the two, and as you mentioned you're doing mainly guitars, vocals, and bass.

However, if you have a bigger studio environment, and are doing drums, etc. the Distressor does have it's uses. Also interestingly, on a rock vocal, perhaps having compressed it a bit on the way in using the Purple, the Distressor can add some nice things during the mix stage.

The reason a lot of people say to use the Distressor on vocals during a mix, is that it's only at that point you can judge whether the types of harmonic distortion the Distressor adds are a benefit for your song.

Having experimented alot with the Distressor, I would never use it for tracking a vocal, because then you're stuck with what it 'does' to the sound. And it seems more often than not it detracts from the vocal.

Whereas with the Purple, it seems to sound great on just about anything, and you'd have to try hard to get it to sound bad. It also sounds great on bass. On guitars it's a toss up. If you have to comress guitars maybe you'd get more mileage out of the Distressor.

Maybe a Teletronics or Babcock Industries LA-2A... but not the UA... at least not in my world [even if you let it warm up for a couple of months].

The MC-77 and the EL-8 are both exceptionally fine units... but they're distinctly different so it is a matter of your sense of aesthetic which will work best for you... in other words people can give you their opinions here but they will only be their opinions as those opinions are germane to their reality/aesthetic.

If you can only afford one, get both of them into your studio and do a shoot out over a few weeks and make an educated decision... if you can afford both then the decision process probably got a whole lot easier.

Peace.

+1 but then again, I think old Stones records sound good, so consider that.

I never heard the 77..

distressor is wonderful.. BASS, guitar, vox.. great for tracking.
I love it..

can I have 5 more please? hehheh

What do you recommend if one cannot find or afford (or both) a Teletronix or Babcock LA2A but want an LA2A? I was under the impression the UA reissue was quite decent What would be the best alternative?

Yeah but some of us live and work in the real world.
(Just kidding man).

I love the UA La2a for tracking vocals. Its really good. I rarely use the CL1B(change the tubes of course) for tracking vocals anymore.
(But that's me).

Regardless of which "sounds better", if you can't get a great vocal sound with the Distressor, I doubt switching to the Purple is going to solve that problem.

Can you get a great sound from bypassing the Distressor?

I just rented an LA2A to compare it to my Distressor...and maybe you guys hear something I don't, but I don't hear $1800 worth of difference between the two. The vocal MIGHT have warmed up a little with the LA tubes, but after playing with the opto mode on the distressor (attack:10 release:0) and using the distressor input like the right hand knob on the LA2A and the distressor output knob like the left hand knob on the LA, I coulod pretty much match the sound. I agree with whoever it was in the thread that said if you can't get a good sound with the Distressor on vocals, a different isn't going to be magic...
I just bought a Peluso 2247 LE that I LOVE, but I'm thinking I might put this money I was going to spend on a different compressor on a CM7-GT or even a Chandler pre...I GOT to buy SOMETHING...

If you can't hear it you can't hear it and thats that. No arguments or discussion will convince you other wise.

In the end the finances shouldn't really matter if it gives you the sound you want.

Good luck on your search.

I think the Distressor sounds great on your voice, Johnkenn, at least with the LE and the Pacifica, but you're working in what I would consider a clean genre and if I really wanted to drive something and warm it up and fatten it some, I would probably aim for an LA-2A or something very much like it, partly because of the valves. I agree the difference in price is extreme, but I would still have misgivings about using a solid-state unit on something at which I consider valves to excel.

Not that all compression has to be valve compression, obviously. I also wish I had an 1176, but I wouldn't be using that in the same way as an LA-2A.

You know - I knew when I wrote that some smart ass would come around and intimate some condescending "I have golden ears" comment...I just read a thread where somebody thought the LA2A PALED in comparison to the Sta-Level - to which you protested mightily...So, maybe YOU'RE the one that can't hear it. tutt

Johnkenn has some nice song clips on here that give testament to his ability (and 'ears') anyway.