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Mastering compressor

Effero

New Member
Hey guys,
what would be a good choice for a mastering compressor out of the UAD arsenal for electronica (house, trance...)?
Any tips how to do a mastering set up using 1176LN for this purpose maybe?
 

taylor

Active Member
i 2nd those choices (LA2A, neve)... but, i'd definitely put a limiter after them... and apply your compression just slightly.. (not too much!) tho, i hear the Neve colors the more you push it. (i haven't bought it yet)
 

Arys Chien

Active Member
Try everything when you're working on a new song. The longer I use these compressor plug-ins, the more difficult I found it to name one \"the best vocal compressor\" or \"the best bus compressor\". :wink:
 

taylor

Active Member
of course we'd love to have the Manley's.. but he was talking out of the \"UAD arsenal\"....
 

F5D

Active Member
I just tried the uad neve compressor on my trance track's master bus and it worked well. I cannot say that it's a mastering compressor but it glues things nicely depending on the dynamics of the track. It may not work if you have all tracks compressed already and playing loud on all frequencies. Anyway, I would use a multiband mastering compressor + limiter. I haven't purchased the MD3 yet so I use TC master x3 which sounds good enough for my own masters. UA Precision limiter works well after master x3 but I only had a chance to try the demo. I hope sony will at some point release their limiter for powercore or something and will purchase it.
 

Big Harpe

Active Member
Arys Chien said:
Try everything when you're working on a new song. The longer I use these compressor plug-ins, the more difficult I found it to name one "the best vocal compressor" or "the best bus compressor". :wink:
Out of all the vocal comps I've used the LA2A is the best, IMHO. I am still thrilled with the quality of that plugin. It is still my favorite.
 

Arys Chien

Active Member
Big Harpe said:
Out of all the vocal comps I've used the LA2A is the best, IMHO. I am still thrilled with the quality of that plugin. It is still my favorite.
For faster rock music, I can't get a right sound with the LA2A. Most of the time the 1176LN is much better for this purpose.

For slow ballad, sometimes the Fairchild 670 does better.

And I can't find an "absolute rule" for my choices. That's why I said that in my previous post. 8)
 

PodBoy

Member
I'd think this is the perfect application for the Precision Multiband.
For example, you'll be able to get maximum thump for your techno-trance without squashing the rest.
 

Effero

New Member
Thanks,
I'm wary of multiband compressors. Very powerfull and according to Bob Katz, to be used only if you can't go back to individual tracks in the mix to work on separate elements.
 

rydan

Active Member
Well, I know it's not UAD, but, well, Sonalksis SV-315. It's a great compressor! Works both on individual channels and as a bus compressor. Perhaps not as character-full as some of the UAD comps, but very good sounding, with it's own, rather transparent, character. Complemets the UAD:s nicely, and for my material (mainly electronica in different shapes and tastes) i actually prefer it over the Neve as master bus comp...
 

BTLG

Established Member
no ones mentioned the precision limiter.

as far as I can tell that's the closest thing we've got to a mastering compressor. I'd probably never even go to the LA2A for something like that, the attack on it is far too flubby for a 2 mix appliction. The 1176 is far too colored for that kind of thing for me as well.

the only plugs i really like across the 2 mix are the PSP vintage warmer, the Fairchild, and the Neve 33609. The L2 is alright sometimes, but on some material it should be called the L2 Ultra-Transient Destroyer.

Then again, that could be my misuse of it.

Matt
 

WildCowboys

Active Member
the la2a has a 10ms attack time in compressor mode and a very slow release. not what mastering engineers usually use on a two buss. attak is too fast and release too slow...

neve much better suited for that. same goes for the urs and waves ssl emulations. good starting point are attack times around 30-50ms and release between 100-300ms, GR around 2-4dB depending on how obvious you wanna make it.

a 2buss comp does not replace a limiter, it´s different tools for different purposes.

if you are looking for a cheap but very good sounding hardware alternative try the ART PRO VLA, dirt cheap and does just that thing on the mix...

Rock on!
Pat
 
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