This is a really nice review! It's so cool to have this kind of quality video about hardware, especially compressors! I really like the choice of music you make in your videos, it makes it very pleasant to watch and listen. And it allows us to hear the compressor acting in a very interesting context. Thanks for sharing, and keep it up, it's really good.🙏🏼
Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Sometimes it feels like choosing the right song takes longer than making the video haha...so, I'm glad the song choices are translating well.
I’m so glad you enjoy the history included in these reviews! I know a lot of people just want to get to the sound examples but I think it’s important to get a little back story too. I really appreciate you taking the time to comment, it means a lot!
Basically what this video shows is that you need a whole bunch of chandler gear! I own a pair of the germanium compressors and they are exceptional tone shaping compressors. But having the RS 124, and the 660 would just be the coolest thing ever…except for having a pair of each…..oh, and a Curve Bender and a TG1 Limiter…. 😄
That limiter just made the vocal sounds such a record. You pushed the limiter pretty hard on the vocal thats been already compressed before but it never choked the vocal. Chandler never lets ppl down. I think this box can be utilized in anything. The very first rs660 demo ever again. Thanks
We're on the same page man, I really didn't expect to use limiter mode on the vocal but when I did my first thought was "that sounds like a record." 😁. The vocal tracking chain was Wunder CM7 > Shadow Hills Gama 8(Iron) > Tubetech CL-1A.
Appreciate your reviews and just came across your channel and subscribed. I've dabbled in home recording the last 15 years with an Apogee Duet and Logic 8. Started adding some outboard gear from Warm Audio in recent years and man does analog gear impart something plug ins can't. Even when tracking your own vocals through things makes it more pleasing and fun. Nice to hear some of the higher end gear and your stuff and artists you work with sound great! Praying for healing and quick recovery!
Thank you so much for your prayers and your encouragement! I really appreciate you subscribing to the channel 👊🏼. You're spot on about tracking through some outboard compression, it can totally take the performance to another level! Thanks again for being here, I hope you find a bunch more content on the channel that will be helpful in your musical journey.
Nice one Josh! Thanks for the video as always! It's a very interesting peace of gear, the song was great too. THD mode was interesting, it adds harmonics but takes away harshness and brightness making the things sound more deep yet less harsh and listenable on the small speakers. And of course on vocals and drums it shines, it adds depth and smoothness that's hard to achieve itb.
Thanks Elias! Joey wrote and performed every single instrument and vocal on the track, he's awesome! I also enjoyed how THD didn't make things bright/harsh as that can happen pretty quickly with some other units when they are pushed to saturation. The RS660 definitely has tons of mojo available!
Honestly, i'm in love with the color. Not so much with the compression itself. Probably would've used it as a color box in THD mode. Thanks Josh! Wonderful review of a great product beautifully done. 🤝
Nice to see you at home recovering and enjoying what you like most Josh! That constant 3 setting seems to be usable for most things! Really impressed with this one! I need an advise please! If you could only buy one, would you say the RS660 will cover the RS124? Or do you see space for having both? Thanks again Josh!
Hi Fran, thanks so much for your kind words! It will take me a few days probably but I am editing my video now where I compare the RS124 to the RS660 on this same song. The short answer is that the RS124 is staying and the RS660 is getting returned. I would love to have them both at some point but obviously if I knew back surgery was on the horizon I would have never ordered the RS660 🤣. Some day I'll be able to keep all these beautiful compressors at the same time...sigh. I hope that next video will give you further insight into how the 2 compare and will help you make the best decision for how you like things to sound 👍🏼
@@SeawellStudios can't wait to check that video!!! I totally understand that you need to return it, but maybe in the future you can get another one! Hope you get well soon! Peace ✌️
Another excellent deep dive! These artists you're choosing are great, as well - both from a talent as well as contextual perspective. (I added 'With A Full Heart' to my Apple Music library yesterday, actually! Fantastic job, man!) I've had my eyes/ears on the Retro 176 for awhile now, and your demo/review from a year ago sold me on it as my next mono unit (I love the Vari Mu vibe and have a fully modded Manley but want something a bit more 'swiss army knife' for multiple applications). I also have some Chandler gear (TG channel strips and 16ch TG mixer) as I love the EMI/Abbey Road sound, and the RS 124 has naturally been a serious consideration. Now there's the RS660 to include in the mix. Man. haha My question is: If you were only able to have one of these, would it still be the 176 (which still seems the most versatile of the three to me), or has the 660 changed that for you? Thanks again for another highly informative and revealing video, Josh!
I'm so glad you're finding these reviews useful, that's definitely what I'd hoped they would accomplish! I really appreciate you checking out more of Patrick's music. The vocal compressor during the mixes on "With a Full Heart" was the Retro Sta Level just to give you an idea of how it sounds in that context. When the Sta Level is the right fit(like on Patrick's voice) it is awfully hard to beat! The RS124 is such a great tone/sound that it never seems to not work, but it can be a little slow if it is your only vocal compressor. I tend to like to use 2 compressors on a lead vocal so quite often I'll do the RS124 followed by the Bluey. My love for the 176 is when that is your main compressor and you need it to work on any vocalist. There are times where I'll prefer the tone of the Sta Level or the RS124 to the 176 but the speed of those two may not work. It also depends if you're going to use it for tracking. If so, that's where the 176 will be the most versatile as well. So, if you have tracking comps nailed down and you're looking for a real statement piece to insert during the mix, then you'll also want to consider the Sta Level and the RS124. If you're looking for a vari mu to track and mix through and you want to do the least(sometimes no) volume automation in the mix then the 176 is the one! I would go with a 176, Sta Level or RS124 before the 660 personally. The 660 is more of a specialty piece once you have those other areas nailed down but it worked on the least vocalist I tried it on compared to the others. It is a very specific thing, but when it works it's awesome! I hope that helps!
@@SeawellStudios Thanks so much for the detailed reply - I really appreciate it. Ahh the Sta-Level. Another sought after piece. Okay, that all makes total sense. I do have some fast comps (distressors, PomPye dual mono, etc.) so I'll definitely be keeping that in mind, also. As for Patrick's vocal, whatever you have going on there is pure gold! What was your signal path in tracking? I was sorry to hear about that freak accident, Josh. Wow. I hope your recovery is going well. Cheers, brother.
Most all songs were the Korby KAT Mic(with 67 capsule and a vintage GE 6072 tube) into a Shadow Hills Quad Gama Preamp(Iron) followed by a Serpent Audio Splice MKII. "Lately" was tracked through a Flea 47 > Shadow Hills > Retro 176. "Something to Lose" was Korby > Shadow Hills > RS124. Sta Level during the mix on lead vocal on all songs though 👍🏼
@This Guy that's awesome to hear about the 500PRE, I haven't had a chance to try one yet! The thing with the 176 is that I can always make it work. It is just so versatile. There are times where the Sta Level, RS124 or RS660 will give a more pronounced tone that I may like better than the 176, but there are also times when they just don't work for a particular vocalist. So my answer is, if you can only have one grab the 176 but strive(like) I am to own them all at the same time eventually 🤑
@@bingybeats189 vocals that are kind of high mid forward(2k ish). A female vocal for example that you can hear at the end of my Sta Level review here: ruclips.net/video/SvgDF-bwPpY/видео.html The RS660 didn't sound good at all on that vocal. It's very much a speciality piece to me. If you have some of your favorites in place already and have the budget then it can be a cool piece to add that will be absolute magic on certain vocals but I would never recommend it to be someone's only hardware compressor. It's just not versatile enough in my opinion. I hope that's helpful!
@@SeawellStudios oooh gotcha. Well thats far better then not being fast enough because I can only imagine that a little deductive EQ would fix the issue? What I find so alluring about this compressor is the color is desirable(not all colors are) and that it makes the vocal "jump out". That makes it a huge time saver to say the least.
could you make another demo where you exaggerate the settings? some os the clipps where very conservative on the GR, and its hard to notice what its doing. i know that because is in the context of the mix, but it would be good. thanks to publish this video with us with a such special gear 😍. i really do want to hear more of it
I have a couple more videos coming up, one where I shoot it out against the RS124 and another where I use saturation mode on the vocal. Hopefully those will give you a better idea of how it sounds! Having said that, the way I used it here is how I think it sounds best and pushing it really hard was never something I liked. How much I pushed it in limiter mode on the lead vocal is about the extent of how far I could go with it.
Hey Josh! Not sure if you can answer this, but if you had to choose between the Retro 176 and the RS660, what would you choose? Two different animals, of course, but two good pieces for mixing vocals, right? The RS660 looks a little bit more versatile, but maybe I'm wrong. Looks that it would make a good addition to every instrument you pass through it. Anyway, thanks again for the great review and hope your recovery is going well. Cheers!
Thanks, I'm glad you found the review helpful! I've reviewed a bunch of Vari Mu comps on the channel(and have used a bunch more before doing the RUclips thing) and the RS660(in limiter mode) brought an excitement to the vocal that was unlike anything else I'd heard. It really was something special! If someone is just getting in to outboard and is buying their first vari mu comp, I usually recommend the 176 just because it is so versatile. It is the fastest of the bunch and can lock any vocal you throw at it into place. Having said that, tone wise I don't feel it gets into that special territory that I find with the RS124, RS660 and Sta Level. So, if you have something with speed already like an 1176 or Distressor then I'd go with the RS660. If you'd like to stick to 2 channels , I thought the Retro Revolver was really great and very versatile! I hope that helps and doesn't further complicates things 😁
@@SeawellStudios i love chandler gear ! i have lots of it including the 124, love superfuse . love the TG1 but this FOR ME is too dark .the herchild has tons of vibe but with a lovely clear top and the side chain is killer ,tons of flexibility ,i got the 670 and it has transformed my workflow .Great channel , stay well
Are you thinking of this one that's 25k? www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/660comp--fairchild-660-tube-limiter-compressor The Chandler in this video is $3399, while not cheap...I don't think it will quite get you a car these days haha.
This is a really nice review! It's so cool to have this kind of quality video about hardware, especially compressors!
I really like the choice of music you make in your videos, it makes it very pleasant to watch and listen. And it allows us to hear the compressor acting in a very interesting context. Thanks for sharing, and keep it up, it's really good.🙏🏼
Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Sometimes it feels like choosing the right song takes longer than making the video haha...so, I'm glad the song choices are translating well.
Your reviews, history and demos are the best man, keep goin, this stuff is so helpful!!
I’m so glad you enjoy the history included in these reviews! I know a lot of people just want to get to the sound examples but I think it’s important to get a little back story too. I really appreciate you taking the time to comment, it means a lot!
Basically what this video shows is that you need a whole bunch of chandler gear! I own a pair of the germanium compressors and they are exceptional tone shaping compressors. But having the RS 124, and the 660 would just be the coolest thing ever…except for having a pair of each…..oh, and a Curve Bender and a TG1 Limiter…. 😄
Haha, I agree! I love Chandler gear. The germanium compressors bring out a massive low end that I haven’t found elsewhere.
That limiter just made the vocal sounds such a record. You pushed the limiter pretty hard on the vocal thats been already compressed before but it never choked the vocal.
Chandler never lets ppl down.
I think this box can be utilized in anything.
The very first rs660 demo ever again.
Thanks
We're on the same page man, I really didn't expect to use limiter mode on the vocal but when I did my first thought was "that sounds like a record." 😁. The vocal tracking chain was Wunder CM7 > Shadow Hills Gama 8(Iron) > Tubetech CL-1A.
This is a fantastic review. Uau dude!!!What a sound!!! BTW congratulations to the band. Thanks you
Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed the review and I appreciate your kind words.
Appreciate your reviews and just came across your channel and subscribed. I've dabbled in home recording the last 15 years with an Apogee Duet and Logic 8. Started adding some outboard gear from Warm Audio in recent years and man does analog gear impart something plug ins can't. Even when tracking your own vocals through things makes it more pleasing and fun. Nice to hear some of the higher end gear and your stuff and artists you work with sound great! Praying for healing and quick recovery!
Thank you so much for your prayers and your encouragement! I really appreciate you subscribing to the channel 👊🏼. You're spot on about tracking through some outboard compression, it can totally take the performance to another level! Thanks again for being here, I hope you find a bunch more content on the channel that will be helpful in your musical journey.
Nice one Josh! Thanks for the video as always! It's a very interesting peace of gear, the song was great too.
THD mode was interesting, it adds harmonics but takes away harshness and brightness making the things sound more deep yet less harsh and listenable on the small speakers.
And of course on vocals and drums it shines, it adds depth and smoothness that's hard to achieve itb.
Thanks Elias! Joey wrote and performed every single instrument and vocal on the track, he's awesome!
I also enjoyed how THD didn't make things bright/harsh as that can happen pretty quickly with some other units when they are pushed to saturation. The RS660 definitely has tons of mojo available!
Honestly, i'm in love with the color. Not so much with the compression itself. Probably would've used it as a color box in THD mode.
Thanks Josh! Wonderful review of a great product beautifully done. 🤝
I agree with your thoughts here and I appreciate your kind words! Thank you so much for your continued support of the channel.
Thanks you brother
You're so welcome! Thanks for checking out the review.
Thanks man
You're welcome! Thank you for checking out the video.
@@SeawellStudios you I watch all your reviews lol. We pulling for you man.
@@henryhuynh2099 I know and I appreciate it each time! 😁
Wow…. On the lead Voc that thing was almost as smooth as a CL1b…..when the needle got buried it stayed quite smooth
Lead vocal was where I was most impressed with it for sure!
Nice to see you at home recovering and enjoying what you like most Josh! That constant 3 setting seems to be usable for most things! Really impressed with this one! I need an advise please! If you could only buy one, would you say the RS660 will cover the RS124? Or do you see space for having both? Thanks again Josh!
Hi Fran, thanks so much for your kind words! It will take me a few days probably but I am editing my video now where I compare the RS124 to the RS660 on this same song. The short answer is that the RS124 is staying and the RS660 is getting returned. I would love to have them both at some point but obviously if I knew back surgery was on the horizon I would have never ordered the RS660 🤣. Some day I'll be able to keep all these beautiful compressors at the same time...sigh. I hope that next video will give you further insight into how the 2 compare and will help you make the best decision for how you like things to sound 👍🏼
@@SeawellStudios can't wait to check that video!!! I totally understand that you need to return it, but maybe in the future you can get another one! Hope you get well soon! Peace ✌️
Another excellent deep dive! These artists you're choosing are great, as well - both from a talent as well as contextual perspective.
(I added 'With A Full Heart' to my Apple Music library yesterday, actually! Fantastic job, man!)
I've had my eyes/ears on the Retro 176 for awhile now, and your demo/review from a year ago sold me on it as my next mono unit (I love the Vari Mu vibe and have a fully modded Manley but want something a bit more 'swiss army knife' for multiple applications).
I also have some Chandler gear (TG channel strips and 16ch TG mixer) as I love the EMI/Abbey Road sound, and the RS 124 has naturally been a serious consideration.
Now there's the RS660 to include in the mix. Man. haha
My question is: If you were only able to have one of these, would it still be the 176 (which still seems the most versatile of the three to me), or has the 660 changed that for you?
Thanks again for another highly informative and revealing video, Josh!
I'm so glad you're finding these reviews useful, that's definitely what I'd hoped they would accomplish!
I really appreciate you checking out more of Patrick's music. The vocal compressor during the mixes on "With a Full Heart" was the Retro Sta Level just to give you an idea of how it sounds in that context. When the Sta Level is the right fit(like on Patrick's voice) it is awfully hard to beat!
The RS124 is such a great tone/sound that it never seems to not work, but it can be a little slow if it is your only vocal compressor. I tend to like to use 2 compressors on a lead vocal so quite often I'll do the RS124 followed by the Bluey.
My love for the 176 is when that is your main compressor and you need it to work on any vocalist. There are times where I'll prefer the tone of the Sta Level or the RS124 to the 176 but the speed of those two may not work.
It also depends if you're going to use it for tracking. If so, that's where the 176 will be the most versatile as well.
So, if you have tracking comps nailed down and you're looking for a real statement piece to insert during the mix, then you'll also want to consider the Sta Level and the RS124. If you're looking for a vari mu to track and mix through and you want to do the least(sometimes no) volume automation in the mix then the 176 is the one!
I would go with a 176, Sta Level or RS124 before the 660 personally. The 660 is more of a specialty piece once you have those other areas nailed down but it worked on the least vocalist I tried it on compared to the others. It is a very specific thing, but when it works it's awesome!
I hope that helps!
@@SeawellStudios Thanks so much for the detailed reply - I really appreciate it.
Ahh the Sta-Level. Another sought after piece. Okay, that all makes total sense. I do have some fast comps (distressors, PomPye dual mono, etc.) so I'll definitely be keeping that in mind, also.
As for Patrick's vocal, whatever you have going on there is pure gold! What was your signal path in tracking?
I was sorry to hear about that freak accident, Josh. Wow. I hope your recovery is going well. Cheers, brother.
Most all songs were the Korby KAT Mic(with 67 capsule and a vintage GE 6072 tube) into a Shadow Hills Quad Gama Preamp(Iron) followed by a Serpent Audio Splice MKII. "Lately" was tracked through a Flea 47 > Shadow Hills > Retro 176. "Something to Lose" was Korby > Shadow Hills > RS124. Sta Level during the mix on lead vocal on all songs though 👍🏼
@@SeawellStudios Perfect choices, apparently. Ahh yes... I'm loving the idea of the Sta level as an insert on the lead vocal. Thx!
Great to see you up and about Josh! You're headed to a desert island and can only take one RS124, RS660, or a Retro 176... Who makes the trip?
Thanks! If I can only have one it will probably always be the Retro 176. Speed + tone for the win!
@This Guy that's awesome to hear about the 500PRE, I haven't had a chance to try one yet! The thing with the 176 is that I can always make it work. It is just so versatile. There are times where the Sta Level, RS124 or RS660 will give a more pronounced tone that I may like better than the 176, but there are also times when they just don't work for a particular vocalist. So my answer is, if you can only have one grab the 176 but strive(like) I am to own them all at the same time eventually 🤑
I was pretty impressed by the limiter on the vocal, before you even said anything about it in the video. Sounds great...
That was definitely the standout for the 660! It didn't work on every vocal I tried it on but when it did it was magic!
@@SeawellStudios Im really curious, what kind of vocals did it fall short on?
@@bingybeats189 vocals that are kind of high mid forward(2k ish). A female vocal for example that you can hear at the end of my Sta Level review here: ruclips.net/video/SvgDF-bwPpY/видео.html
The RS660 didn't sound good at all on that vocal. It's very much a speciality piece to me. If you have some of your favorites in place already and have the budget then it can be a cool piece to add that will be absolute magic on certain vocals but I would never recommend it to be someone's only hardware compressor. It's just not versatile enough in my opinion. I hope that's helpful!
@@SeawellStudios oooh gotcha. Well thats far better then not being fast enough because I can only imagine that a little deductive EQ would fix the issue?
What I find so alluring about this compressor is the color is desirable(not all colors are) and that it makes the vocal "jump out". That makes it a huge time saver to say the least.
could you make another demo where you exaggerate the settings? some os the clipps where very conservative on the GR, and its hard to notice what its doing. i know that because is in the context of the mix, but it would be good. thanks to publish this video with us with a such special gear 😍. i really do want to hear more of it
I have a couple more videos coming up, one where I shoot it out against the RS124 and another where I use saturation mode on the vocal. Hopefully those will give you a better idea of how it sounds! Having said that, the way I used it here is how I think it sounds best and pushing it really hard was never something I liked. How much I pushed it in limiter mode on the lead vocal is about the extent of how far I could go with it.
@@SeawellStudios thanks a lot! i would love to see you dial-in the settings while the song plays, but if its not possible, i will be good!😃😃
I have the highland dynamics bg2, do you think this would be different enough to get this to?
Since the BG2 is also a RS124 style comp, maybe this comparison will be helpful: ruclips.net/video/9m1aJBwtxns/видео.html
Can you post a video of showing the circuitry 🙏
Sorry but I didn't keep it so I can't post a pic of the circuitry. I kept the RS124 for now but do plan to add the RS660 back in later.
Hey Josh! Not sure if you can answer this, but if you had to choose between the Retro 176 and the RS660, what would you choose? Two different animals, of course, but two good pieces for mixing vocals, right? The RS660 looks a little bit more versatile, but maybe I'm wrong. Looks that it would make a good addition to every instrument you pass through it. Anyway, thanks again for the great review and hope your recovery is going well. Cheers!
Thanks, I'm glad you found the review helpful! I've reviewed a bunch of Vari Mu comps on the channel(and have used a bunch more before doing the RUclips thing) and the RS660(in limiter mode) brought an excitement to the vocal that was unlike anything else I'd heard. It really was something special! If someone is just getting in to outboard and is buying their first vari mu comp, I usually recommend the 176 just because it is so versatile. It is the fastest of the bunch and can lock any vocal you throw at it into place. Having said that, tone wise I don't feel it gets into that special territory that I find with the RS124, RS660 and Sta Level.
So, if you have something with speed already like an 1176 or Distressor then I'd go with the RS660. If you'd like to stick to 2 channels , I thought the Retro Revolver was really great and very versatile! I hope that helps and doesn't further complicates things 😁
@@SeawellStudios Your shootout now got me thinking I should get an RS124. Arghhh
My apologies 🤣🤣🤣
i just tried one and i found it to be too dark ! compared it to the herchild and bought the herchild ,better for me
I appreciate you sharing your experience with the Herchild! That's one I would like to check out eventually as well.
@@SeawellStudios i love chandler gear ! i have lots of it including the 124, love superfuse . love the TG1 but this FOR ME is too dark .the herchild has tons of vibe but with a lovely clear top and the side chain is killer ,tons of flexibility ,i got the 670 and it has transformed my workflow .Great channel , stay well
You can literally get 4 compressors and run them in stereo for the price of this....pretty redundant, might as well buy a new car =))
Are you thinking of this one that's 25k? www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/660comp--fairchild-660-tube-limiter-compressor
The Chandler in this video is $3399, while not cheap...I don't think it will quite get you a car these days haha.