My humble collection is as follows:

Alan Smart C1
Purple Audio MC77
Tube Tech CL1B
Vintage Design C1
DBX 160X
Transient Designer

I want more!!

he already did:

Vertigo VSC-2 compressor: on the way to sonic bliss

Thanks!

Al Smart C1 - Mix Bus
Avalon 747 - Mix bus
Publison Cl20c - Drum Sub
Adr Easy Rider - Gtr Sub
Tube Tech CL1b - Vox main
Innovonics 201 - Snr
UA 6176 - Bass
Optro 740 - drum sub

hoping for a sta level soon.

Drawmer 1968
160xt
mc77
Dynamic Toolbox
163
EL8 (2)
FMR RNC (2)

I'd like another 160xt...I love those things, and they are cheap!
I thought about starting a lunchbox collection, but I think i'm all set for now....ask me in 10 days, and I'll probably be singing a different tune!

Chandler Germanium comp x2
ELi Distressor x2
ELi Fatso
Chandler LTD-2
Inward Connections TSL-3
Summi Audio TLA-50

add to that the DIY

Gyraf SSL bus comp
and the soon to be finished 1176 clone

and i'm eyeing for a DBX160Vu

2-Neve 2264 (stereo..84065?) drums sub/vox/mix buss
2-old LA2A bass/vox/keys/winds
Smart C2 Rooms/mix buss
2-Tube Tech CL1As ohs/vocal/bk/piano
2-black 1176 gtr/drums/bass/vocal/whatever
1-1176 blue stripe vocals/bass
1-Black LA3A bk vox/vocal/strings/winds
2-dbx 160 Piano/Acoustic gtr/bass
1-dbx 162 piano/stereo fx/stereo acoustic
3-dbx 160xt toms/drums
2-dbx 165 gtr/rooms/bass/vocal
2-daking everything
1-distressor bass/gtr/vocal/crazy
2- API 525 bass/gtr
2-Komit bass/vocal/drum sub
1-Altec 436c (w/EMI mod) gtr/fiddle/harmonica
1-A+D stereo Expresslimiter
4-transient designer

Every use is subject to change on a whim

stuart
wirerecording.com

1xVertigo Sound VSC-2
8xNeumann u473a
2xNeve 2254 vintage
2XUrei 1176 rev.E
1xRCA Ba6a Tube Compressor
1xFederal AM- 864/U Tube Compressor
1x1950's Custom Tube Limiter
1xElectrodyne Dual Dynamics (2ch)
4xSolid State Logic SL 520
2xRaytheon RL-10

Nice little collection I think

1x DBX 160S
2x APHEX 661
2x ADR COMPEX
1x SPL Transient Designer
2x BARTH U311 Dynaset
2x WSW Dynamik Begrenzer
4x WSW Danner Kompressors
1x SIEMENS U273a
1x GSSL Ultimate Bus Compressor Clone...

want Vertigo ....

1176 Rev. D (x2)- guitars, drums
LA2A- vox, bass, kick drum

I used to have over 20 cmpressors, now it's just this:


Atomic SqueezeBox
Alan Smart C2
Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor
LA2A
1176black
TubeTech CL1B
and 2 other units.

I actually only need the first 3.

Retro 176
La2a
1176
Distressor
Manley Vari-mu
Chandler Zener
Dramastic Obsidian
Cranesong STC8

Shadow Hills Mastering Comp
API 2500
Purple MC77
Distressor


I think next up might be the Aurora GTC2 or a Retro Sta-Level.

Do you find the TubeTech to be at all redundant considering the SHMC, or is it worth a look?

LA-3A

Yep, only hardware compressor I've got at this point.

Daniel

Hi there,

Manley Vari-mu
API 2500
Purple MC 77
GSSL Comp
Aphex 651
RNC x 2

Cheers
John NYMO Nyman

What a great thread- I'm gonna read this one for a while.

Manley Vari-Mu (Mix)
Groove Tubes Glory Comp (Kick Drum, tracking vocals)
La-2A (Vocals)
2-1176 (drum bus)
API 2500 (guitars)
Drawmer 1968 (mix bus)
Chandler Germanium (hmm...)
SPL Transient Designer (drums)
2 Tube-Tech CL-1B's (vox)
2 Toft DC-2's (E. Guitars or Toms)
2 Presonus Eurekas (Drum OH tracking)
dbx 160SL (Kick drum, snare, OH's or mix bus)
dbx 162SL (mostly OH's)
2 dbx 160A's (kick, snare)
Fatso (Drum Buss)
2 Distressors (Bass, guitars)

in the live rig:

3x dbx 166xl
Presonus ACP88

This thread is impressively "dynamic"

The METH Lab is currently enjoying;

X1 Purple MC77
X1 Purple Action
X1 Empirical Labs EL7
X1 Empirical Labs EL8
X1 Empirical Labs EL9
X1 Dramastic Obsidian
X1 Drawmer 1968 ME
X1 Chandler TG-1
X1 Pendulum QII [ES-8]
X1 Thermionic Pheonix
X1 Alan Smart C2
X1 MANLEY ELOP
X1 Crane Song STC-8
X1 SPL Transient Designer 4
X1 FCS P3S
X1 FCS P3500
X1 FCS P3500S
X1 FMR PBC-6A
X1 FMR RNC


We do bring in a lot of demo equipment to the studio; so there are floating racks hanging around with other stuff.

These are NOT high end or were high end a long time ago and now can be found at low end prices. Having this large of a selection means a alot of available colors and being able to quickly audition a comp via patchbay for the voice/instrument song becomes the standard proceedure. While we know certain units shine on specific roles they don't always win the job. I'm amazed how source/song specific comps really are and think having many choices is a good strategy as opposed to or inclusive of the standard stock LA2A & 1176 route. I've tried alot of comps and each of the below have earned their rack spots. While it would be nice to have all high end comps, the below list are all workable tools for a reasonable budget and when you compare how much $3k will buy in comps (1 or 2 high end units or alot of units on the below list) I opted for the wider color palate. In fact the below list thru smart buying was only $5400 with the AMR VC/L-2 being $900 of that.

(1) 2-IO AMR VC/L-2
(1) 2-IO ART PRO VLA
(1) 2-IO LA Audio Classic Compressor
(1) 2-IO Audio + Design F601-RS
(1) 2-IO Urei LA-22
(2) 2-IO Urei LA-12
(2) 1-IO DBX 160X
(1) 4-IO Klark Teknik DN-504
(1) 1-IO CBS FM Volumax 4100
(1) 1-IO CBS FM Audimax
(4) 1-IO Aphex CX-1
(3) 1-IO Aphex 9651
(3) 1-IO Aphex 9301
(2) 2-IO Dolby A301
(1) 2-IO CAD CGM-2 Champ
(1) 2-IO Orban 414A
(2) 2-IO AMR CDS-2
(4) 1-IO Marti CLA-40A/H

48 channels of available comps and of course you would only be using as few as needed. Trying out different comps by comparing them to what is in the rack with other engineers is just plain fun. I have others not listed that are too much of an overlap in sound for ones listed above and will be sold off to try something else eventually. With the exception of the Aphex 9651 clean comp the above have very interesting colors and I would advise that you at least give a listen to any above unit. Chances are you will find a usable tool at a reasonable price in the process. These threads tend to become a pissing match, hopefully some of us will just see some other options in comps to try out.

Very short list
2 ADL 1000
1 purple MC76
and the duende

I'm finding myself riding faders more and more these days. I'm pretty off on most compressors. I do love my Aphex as peak limiters. Whack-a-mole is more my style via limiting than to pump up the low level crap via compression.

I LOVE dynamics! It's the excitment and life of music. Try it sometime.

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

I've owned a lot and use a bunch of different compressors, but at the moment I have 3 Aphex 651's, 3 DBX 160A's, and pair of DBX 163X's and a Ashly SC-50.

The Aphex and DBX 160A's work for me on vocals, acoustic instruments, and electric bass and clean guitar. I haven't received the Ashly yet but I bought it to use on lead electric. And the DBX work fine if I want to use them on a drum buss to tame things a little.

I'd like to get a stereo compressor that works for pop piano...maybe once I finish modifying the 163X's they'll be cleaned up enough to do so.

None of this is very high end, but these units have replaced a 2-1176, Manley ELOP, and other "slutty" pieces. Heck, I only paid $800 for all that stuff I listed.

API 525
Gates SA39 with A/R knob pulled to the front
Gates Sta-Leval
Collins 26-W
(2) CBS 400

Currently at my studio and home mixing suite:

ADR F760X-RS Compex
ADR F601-RS Superdynamic
ADR Scamp S01 (x8)
Calrec RQD6400
Calrec DL1625 (racked)
Orban 418A (secret weapon)
Orban 464A Co-Operator
BSS DPR402
Orange County Electronics VS-1 Stressor
Orange County Electronics Vocal Stressor
UA LA-610 (i know its a channel strip, but i use the comp in the mix a lot)
Audio Arts 1200 (decidedly NOT high-end, but it has a certain wack mojo that can be used to great effect, especially with punk music, and reggae/dub)

1 x TubeTech LCA 2B
1 x Chandler Zener Limiter
1 X Neve 33609
1 x UA 1176
2 x Retro 176


Tranny

1 Analoguetube AT101
1 DW Fearn VT7
2 Retro Instruments STA
2 Retro Instruments 176
2 ADL 1500
2 LA3
2 Chandler Zener
2 Purple MC77
2 Avalon 737
2 LA4
1 Valley People Dynamite

Thread revival I guess.

Gates Sta Level - Modified with 6 different release settings. Tracking vox sometimes.
Allison Gain Brain - Everything - I don't get around to using it enough but I think it sounds awesome.
RND Portico 5043 - Everything mostly - tracking
Calrec CL 1508 - Need to experiment more
Pye 3141 copy - In the shop...will see when it returns. Great on drum sounds.
ADR Scamp S01's - Need to experiment more, but have used them as mix comps.

Want a good 1176!

1. LCA2B
2. Altec 436C (RS124 converted) pair
3. Distressor Pair
4. DBX 162VU (still trying to AB with 160 pair to see if there really is any difference)
5. SSL Buss comp
6. API 525
7. Urei 1176 Blue tripe pair
8. UA 6176
9. SSL SixCH pair
10. 1989 Neve 33609C
11. CBS Audimax Modified
12. CBS Volumax Modified

Looking for Audioscape LA2A pair this week... kinda want to hear a Shure Level Loc and see what the hype is about but can you believe the only one for sale is Getro Gear shop (uhg) for $1700?? incredible.

2x innerTube Audio Squeeze Boxes and One DBX160A Jim Williams Modded !!! that all right now !!