Vox Compressors

I thought I remembered seeing an ad in Tape Op mag for UAD Express Card version?

I don't have any UAD - I just thought I'd mention that since you said you ruled it out because of lack of portability with laptops.

I tried using an outboard compressor, but I did not like it.  of course, with my budget, what I tried was a behringer.  it works fine for some live stuff, but not for my recordings.

currently I've just been using the cakewalk Sonitus compressors for in the box solutions.

This is by far the best compressor I've ever tried.

http://www.stillwellaudio.com/?page_id=68

Great for everything.

Thanks AT, Beagle, Dlogan, NoHow,

Again my portable DAW forever negates all the UAD stuff: UAD simply is becoming increasingly 'difficult' for me to even consider.  (Also, my Sonar Producer 8.5.3/Win7/64 with SSD hard drives and 16GB memory make me hate the UAD stuff in my dongle DAWs)

AT, I use Sonitus Compressor as a vox limiter (1st in the Fx chain) ... but never for quality vox compression.  Likewise, I'm not impressed with the Vox-channel strip in Producer 8.5.3 (at all).  Voxformer seems much better.
Blue Tubes Track box ... I'm researching.

I suppose I should clarify, I'm willing to buy the best at a reasonable price.

dLogan:  Voxformer is Multiband (2-band) ... I appreciate your unique use of Sonitus MBC.

NoHow: I'm researching the 'Rocket' with interest though it only costs $49 (Voxformer was $59 for 32bit version I think).  The one's I've considered cost 10x that.

  This thread to me runs parallel with the preamp
subject and even so many aspects of what a good
sound is. I've known (for example) electricians who
could do more with a pair of pliers and a screwdriver
than some others could do with a 1000 dollars
worth of tools.

  Musicians who could do the same such as a simple
setup. I have spent 1000's of dollars through the
years in search of (the) (gear) that does the trick.
Some people say that (studio magic) can make a
bad (singer for example) sound great.

  However there are (so many) things that make
up a song. If there is a below average performer
sounding very good then (someone) (I think) with
skill is involved.

   I have the "voxformer" and at one time thought
it was (the thing). Now I don't even use it. I have
hardware/outboard gear mics, voc pres, comps
I don't use anymore (at least not for now).

  What happened to me was searching for and
buying hardware and software hoping for
an improvement in quality, or something that
would make me sound good.

  It worked because my mind said if it's new
it has to be better and in some cases it was.
(but) what I found was that I needed to be
searching for the gear and software that
would (respond) to my needs or goals.

  I found myself (needing) gear and plugs
and rightly so but there is a fine line
between needing good tools and (having)
a (dependency) on them. That is where it
gets kinda crazy. We need them but when
they control us instead of us controlling them
then (to me) we loose something.

  I had a turning point one day. After years
of mixing with all these plugs and gear
I said Why? Why is my stuff (still) sounding
like crap? So I went back to the basics.

  That was a bit of a shock. Like I had been
stripped of my (cover) for lack of better words.
The conclusion? Less is more. The sonitus
plugs and the lexicon verb plug in sonar
(to me) sound great and work very well.

  Right now I'm just plugging in an mxl v67
straight into the presonus firebox and using
the basic plugs in sonar. This sounded
horrible to me before so why does it
sound good (to me anyway) now?

  Its like the op refers to. The (right)
combination. The (basics) and basic plugs
work great for getting up to the creation
or draft. Then the sweetening is done
with (plugs of choice).

  I was watching a movie last night about
a guy who took a soft drink bottle, a board
a piece of wire and a pickup and made
a guitar. "that's all you need" he said.

 The movie "It might get loud"

  To me it's a bit boring as a movie but the
points are good.

  I hope I don't sound vague in concept but
sometimes it isn't how fancy the gear or
plug is but how well it's used.

        

I really like the color that the tRacks 670 Compressor brings, and their Opto Compressor is also good, depending on how much "work" the vox need.  And the Ozone 4 Vocals presets are not a bad choice in the chain...

The absolute essential thing is to learn what you're doing with the tools you have at your disposal...

You can buy the most expensive mic and the most expensive guitar in the world, but if you can't actually "play" the guitar properly you're still gonna get inferior results...

Are the "tools" you use important? Certainly! Nonetheless, the GIGO adage immediately comes into play here...If you don't understand the proper usage of the tools (no matter how "pristine", "boutique" or "expensive" they are) the end result is probably going to be disappointing...

Philip,

Have you tried the URS Console Strip Pro?

It's an absolute legend.  The presets will certainly work and if you've got the time to learn it then your results will shine.

Thanks Vinski and Batsbrew,

Batsbrew, your last vox mix that I listened to was quite awesome.  (I use the sonitus compressors for everything, too.)
The DBX M-6 is a consideration ... I'm not sure it would work for laptops though.

Vinski, The URS Console Strip Pro has got my attention.  I'll research it.  It may require Window's XP vs. Window's 7/64 ... that is a deterrant at present.  I found that out after getting a iLok temp license for it.

to me, it's much more important to have an external compressor, that handles the frequencies and levels BEFORE it ever hits a convertor.

that's what i use the DBX MC-6 for.


it's doing two things:
1. setting levels before the convertor, and controlling peaks.
2. applying FLAVOR to the track.


it's a one shot deal, tho.

if i don't get it right tracking, i can't go back and undo it.


i use the ITB compressors only for getting tracks to gel.

i like the idea of multiple levels of very light compression, more than one level of massive compression.

i will compress going in.......
then on the individual channel....
then across the vox buss......

but i have a system that is dialed in, knowing in advance how i'm going to do it.
you can't do this willy nilly.