the 'best' compressor isn't necessarily the cleanest or the one with most functionality, etc. sometimes the best compressor is one that's a bit weird or a bit dirty or has some bizarre function no one else thought of... and sometimes they're all free....
http://www.gersic.com/plugins/index.php?daCat=4

the 'best' compressor isn't necessarily the cleanest or the one with most functionality, etc. sometimes the best compressor is one that's a bit weird or a bit dirty or has some bizarre function no one else thought of... and sometimes they're all free....
http://www.gersic.com/plugins/index.php?daCat=4

looks cool... anyone tried these? any hidden spyware/viruses?

Focusrite Liquidmix----no question

tbh I find the Sonitus compressor works perfectly for me, and I don't feel the need for another one.

A little off topic, but while we're on compressors ...

I had a synth song that I was trying to compress/limit to bring it up for CD matching. In the native, it was fine, but after I compressed it, there was one part of one synth sound that ended up scratchy and plain annoying. Everything I tried (Sonar stuff, Voxengo, Nomad) had the same effect on this upper register. I finally tried Voxengo's Soniformer, which is 32 (?) band compression and overdid the "tape compression" preset. This let me squash some of the mid-highs before opening the high frequecies back up. It turned out perfect - dulling the scratchy part of the synth sound without loosing too much of the upper highs.

I might have been able to do the same with another multiband compressor or use EQ, etc. But this worked quickly and easily. So, sometimes it is the tool - it is nice to have a variety for just these situations, tho I usually stay within Cake's line unless I have a reason.

ORIGINAL: AT

A little off topic, but while we're on compressors ...

I had a synth song that I was trying to compress/limit to bring it up for CD matching. In the native, it was fine, but after I compressed it, there was one part of one synth sound that ended up scratchy and plain annoying. Everything I tried (Sonar stuff, Voxengo, Nomad) had the same effect on this upper register. I finally tried Voxengo's Soniformer, which is 32 (?) band compression and overdid the "tape compression" preset. This let me squash some of the mid-highs before opening the high frequecies back up. It turned out perfect - dulling the scratchy part of the synth sound without loosing too much of the upper highs.

I might have been able to do the same with another multiband compressor or use EQ, etc. But this worked quickly and easily. So, sometimes it is the tool - it is nice to have a variety for just these situations, tho I usually stay within Cake's line unless I have a reason.

I don't think you're off topic. You speak to heart of the matter of a question asked early in the thread -- of what kind of compressor are we speaking?

Soniformer is an excellent mastering compressor, and what I mean by the term "mastering compressor" is that helps give shape to the sound of your mix. I think many of the Voxengo products are innovative and quite unique in the things they do for my music. Another of Alex's "compressors", HarmoniEQ, I use on most tracks because of the predictably-unpredictable musical qualities it gives to each instrument's timber. (I enjoyed writing that). This plugin really listens closely to the source material and based on the inputs, generates or attenuates harmonics that are present in the tone. At the risk of sounding like ad copy, this effect adds nuance to music certain kinds of music that one would normally associate with a modulation effect rather than an EQ/Compressor combination.

There are so many excellent tools DSP tools available -- many for free -- which is why when someone asks "What's the best so-and-so" without stating their goal, the question has little meaning to someone like yourself who has this kind of insight into practical use for these great tools.

Or maybe most folks just want to know what plugin to use so their tune sounds as loud as the other 100-odd tunes they hear on the FM radio. Someone told them it was a compressor.

kwgm,

no, it wasn't off topic, but more onto the orginal posters question. Like we often due, the thread wondered. If the orginal poster is still reading, I thought he might like an example of how a specific tool can work where others didn't.

And yea, I'm impressed with Voxengo - some of the best bang for buck out there. I esp. love Elephant for master limiting - it seems to open up a mix while still making it louder, instead of conjesting things.

kwgm,

HIs CurveEQ is really nice, too. The Marquis comp is a great all-arounder. And Alex does do nice work on the rest of his stuff I've used. They are a good suppliment to SONAR Pro stuff. And Sonar users shouldn't forget their convolution reverb is a version of his Pristine space. If Cake didn't already have the Sonnitus suite they could make beautiful music together.

@

So many VST's....

...so little time!