Master Buss Compressor

I fancy getting a new vst toy in the form of an SSL master buss comp. I see that the waves ssl bundle is pretty cheap at the mo, just wondering how you guys think it compares to say Cytomic Glue or Steven Slates VBC which is only $84 for a bundle of 3.. Or are there any other gems that could be contenders?
 
Cheers
 
bibs

The SSL Duende Native ...who would know better how a console sounds then
the Manufacturer..

IK Buss Comp...quite nice...

The Waves SSL Bundle is $184 at Plugindiscounts...no brainer at that price if you're using Waves...
as you get the E and G channels and the Buss Comp...

And the PC4K Buss Compressor from Cake...

This seems to be the MOST modeled Buss Compressor out there...I know there are more...

I've never heard of the Kotelnikov.
Definitely going to check that one out.

i use Waves Rennaisance comp for master buss compression, 
i mix into it from the start.
it's very smooth and transparent.
 
sometimes i'll use C1, for very mild compression, 
typically 1.25:1, 2db of reduction max about 50ms attack and 80 release or ARC release

bitflipper
Tokyo Dawn's Kotelnikov is definitely a contender, and it's FREE. Don't let the free part put you off; it's as good as anything out there for mastering.

I have to whole heartedly agree with BitFlipper on this one.  I have the Gentlemen's Edition of the Kotelnikov (it is still at an incredible price point) and it is an insanely transparent and versatile compressor with advanced features that make it ideally suited for mastering purposes.  The ability to both manipulate low frequency input content and shape the frequency response in a wide band dynamic way is incredibly powerful.  A sleeper product that should definitely be given a close look. IHTH....

Well I listed 6 different comps in my earlier post, and then just used the PC4K Bus comp in the Pro Channel. It's a very underrated compressor. Why in the hell do I own so many compressors?

THanks guys, you have all been most helpful. I have downloaded all the demos plus the freebie. So far i am enjoying the slate vbc and the freebie the most.

Kotelnikov takes a little effort to wrap your head around because it's fundamentally different from most other compressors. It's actually two separate compressors, one having a peak detector and the other an RMS detector. They share a common attack value but each has its own release time. 
 
Balancing the two compressors is accomplished via a "Peak Crest" knob. This more or less determines your peak-to-RMS ratio, otherwise known as the crest factor. Crest factor is actually much more involved than that, and is greatly affected by attack time, compression ratio, threshold and knee shape. But the "Peak Crest" control does let you moderate the compressor's effect on peaks, depending on whether you want to have a crisp, punchy mix (high crest factor) or just a very loud one (low crest factor).
 
Placing a compressor on the master bus normally has the effect of lowering the crest factor by raising average RMS (and perceived volume). Up to a point, lowering the crest factor is desirable for most genres. It's what's often referred to as "gluing" the mix. But just as you learned by assembling plastic model cars and airplanes as a kid, there is an optimal amount of glue, beyond which you just get a gooey mess. Too much glue compression will also result in a gooey mess of a mix.
 
Granted, sometimes that's exactly what you're after: a loud master at any cost. Kotelnikov makes it easier to dial in just how much of the micro-dynamics you're willing to sacrifice in the name of loudness.

bitflipper
Kotelnikov takes a little effort to wrap your head around because it's fundamentally different from most other compressors. It's actually two separate compressors, one having a peak detector and the other an RMS detector. They share a common attack value but each has its own release time. 
 
Balancing the two compressors is accomplished via a "Peak Crest" knob. This more or less determines your peak-to-RMS ratio, otherwise known as the crest factor. Crest factor is actually much more involved than that, and is greatly affected by attack time, compression ratio, threshold and knee shape. But the "Peak Crest" control does let you moderate the compressor's effect on peaks, depending on whether you want to have a crisp, punchy mix (high crest factor) or just a very loud one (low crest factor).
 
Placing a compressor on the master bus normally has the effect of lowering the crest factor by raising average RMS (and perceived volume). Up to a point, lowering the crest factor is desirable for most genres. It's what's often referred to as "gluing" the mix. But just as you learned by assembling plastic model cars and airplanes as a kid, there is an optimal amount of glue, beyond which you just get a gooey mess. Too much glue compression will also result in a gooey mess of a mix.
 
Granted, sometimes that's exactly what you're after: a loud master at any cost. Kotelnikov makes it easier to dial in just how much of the micro-dynamics you're willing to sacrifice in the name of loudness.

It definitely seems more complicated to use than most compressors, i shall relish learning how to use it effectively and will most likely upgrade to the gentlemans edition. The feedback II compressor looks great too. Thanks for the overview Dave. It definitely gets rave reviews, talking of which, would love to see one of this on soundbytes if you ever get the chance? 

Just when we thought we had too many compressors, Cakewalk is about to offer a new one! And despite my best intentions, I'll probably download a demo and get it! How many compressors do we need!?

wizard71
 
It definitely gets rave reviews, talking of which, would love to see one of this on soundbytes if you ever get the chance? 

Good idea, wiz. Lemme roll that one around in my head a bit, and see if there's enough there for a couple thousand words.