I really appreciate your channel. As a fellow & cash strapped musician, RUclips vloggers advertise and market expensive outboard gear . $1000 + for a preamp etc. It’s refreshing that their cheaper counterparts still sound cool 😎 and can compete within the audio spectrum of music production. Keep up the great 😌 work
Thank you so much! I definitely try to show more affordable and used professional gear that I know from experience works well and sounds great! I also don't make many sponsored videos and there are probably more videos about used gear than new gear on the channel. I find used to be the best value but some new affordable gear is also great. Thanks again!
Thank you for this other video, it always opens my mind to new ways of using gear. In addition, using your own music to show the process makes it double interesting! Nice tunes!!
Thank you! I have worked really hard on building this channel in a completely organic way. I am lucky to have a lot of music I've made to use in videos I've also made a lot of songs just to use in specific videos which makes it even more fun. Thanks again!
The ART TCS can do that well. I was using the setting that puts the optical compressor before the VCA compressor. The TCS sounds extremely smooth due to the two types of compression stacked. I have 2 of them because they sound so good. It's usually my go to vocal compressor but sometimes I'll use an RNC for tracking if I want less color. The RNC kind of works the same way. In super nice mode it stacks 2 compressors together to be more transparent. It has less character than the TCS though.
I just bought your dual limiter. I just bought a house and am moving so it's going to be a month or so to use it but I watched your review on it and I liked the way it reacted.
I'm still moving and it's a huge project. I think you'll enjoy the Dual Limiter. It is more versatile than I thought as well. I'll get it out to you tomorrow. Thanks!
@@rocketsauce5067 it seems like they are to me with the Dual Limiter having a lot less noise and general dirtiness. It's like the style of compression of the Pye without as much grittiness and dirt.
Here at the comparison, I can see 3 or 4 pretty significant peaks on a waveform of a mastered version. Which sounds beautiful of course. But do you think ART Dual Limiter can really stop peaks? From ART Pro VLAII I know some of a behavior like this, is a tendency to create some peaks, which weren't there, although I love this unit. And also somebody in the forum wrote about Dual Limiter, that he needs to use alignment plugins afterwards on a stereo material. Is it any true? Another person wrote, that it has HF noise, which is pretty audible. How much audible by your opinion? I didn't notice anything special in your demo. On your settings i can see pretty significant output boost on it. Is it hard to get a unity gain without boosting a lot on Dual Limiter?
I haven't noticed any HF noise with the Dual Limiter. I was running it at fairly conservative settings so I'm sure it could stop peaks better than than what's shown in the demo. I think the Dual Limiter was one of the few things I sold when I moved so I no longer own one. I found it to be most useful to bring out toms in a mix using a gate in the dual Limiter submix of toms to make them pop out of the mix without running out of headroom.
On the big Soundcraft, the RNC was connected to 2 balanced points on the patchbay and the channel was patched to the RNC using the consoles built in TT patchbay which is balanced. With the Soundtracs Topaz or the Mackie, I used standard insert cables connected to the inserts on the console which are unbalanced. I also used the single cable method with my old Audio fire 8 inserts for video voice tracks. I can't remember exactly how that works but you use a single TRS cable and that handles the input and output to an insert without using a Y cable.
ART gear may not always have the cool factor but it usually sounds very good. The TCS is one of my favorites. I'm hoping to try out their new FET compressor The Transy sometime. I'm a fan of most of their gear including the Pro VLA.
ART gear sits alongside plenty of “high end” gear in my studio. I find it to be generally well-designed, quiet, and a great value. Sexy or bragging rights worthy? Probably not, but solid hardware that just gets the job done!
@@railwaymark2099 I really like ART and all their gear is well built and useful. The Vactrol compression design is probably their best sounding but I think the Dual Limiter is pretty amazing too. My TCS with the Opto and then the VCA combined is one of my favorite things to use on a vocal these days. Bests most plugins I've tried and gives me my own sound. The TCS is that purple kind of funky one but man that thing sounds very very good. I have two of them now since I like the first one so much. I'm surprised more manufacturers aren't able to make gear that sounds this good at these kind of prices. Or maybe everyone else that has the vibe or the hype factor are not actually making gear that's as good as we think for that kind of money.
I concur. I've been using a tube opto 8, a voice channel strip, and "the phantom" mixer for about a decade now. They've all worked flawlessly and sound good.
@@TwinCreekAudio i've been thinkin between the Pro VLA II, RNC and Warm Audio bus comp for an all around first analog comp, for multipurpose; tracking synths and drum machines, mixing stuff and then run a master thru too. Would be cool to hear what you'd pick out of these three and why? I don't think i could go wrong with any of them, but i'm happy to hear ppl's thoughts on them who have used them? which do you think is the most musical and which gives most/least color? oh yeah, I did have a dbx back in the day as a teenager but i was so young and dumb i couldn't make it work so i slammed the MPC1000 built in digi comp and it did the job well back then..
Thank you! Yes, I played all the parts on this song and most of the instruments on the rest of the album too. I am not the best musician but I started playing all the parts myself so I could record without having to worry about schedules and coordinating sessions with too many other people.
I'm curious if you didn't like the RNLA since it's missing. Maybe it's redundant since you have multiple VCA compressors already, including the VCA modes on the ART. But it's supposed to be vibey, I wonder if it's more colored than the Dual Limiter? Well I have the Dual Limiter but I consider it colored cause I push it a little hot for the drum bus.
I own a lot of the same gear you have. Btw: I believe the RNC (while very cool) is really just digital DSP controlled by analog knobs. Not really “Analog” compression.
As far as I know the RNC is digitally controlled but uses standard VCA so the signal path is analog. That still doesn't explain how Super Nice Mode is supposed to be like 2 compressors in series if there's only one VCA. Either way, it's a good compressor and I haven't noticed any latency so that leads me to believe it's a digitally controlled analog device. I could be completely wrong about that however. Very good observation.
I’m sorry but the only thing I heard were tuning issues and some eq things but cheap gear is like paper plates, it’s not gonna wow your guests but it will still hold your food and you don’t have to clean them afterwards and I’ve never heard of anyone being pissed off because someone dropped it on the floor, I’m not saying that in a side by side comparison the cheap gear wins but I’m saying that if you write a good song and eq and compress correctly the stuff in your rack isn’t the reason you didn’t get a million downloads it’s something you did or didn’t do and here’s my proof multimillion dollar studios are closing everyday with nothing but the best stuff but yet more than ever hits are coming from paper plate level studios because nobody cares how much you paid for your vintage LA 2A or the mic Henry the 3rd used to summoned the help a great song is a great song
Sorry you did not approve of the video or my tuning etc. The videos take a really long time to make so it's pretty hard to get every little thing right. Each take also had to be filmed when it is recorded so things would sync correctly. Plus I make these videos 100% by myself with no assistance. They take a long time to make which is why I kinda stopped making them now. Plus I've spent the last several years helping people in the comments and through email and phone calls. This channel is more about how to use the gear and that it sounds like. Sometimes the track I use for the videos aren't perfect but they are the ones I have permission to use in the videos. I don't have an LA-2A or much vintage high dollar gear but the things I have allow me to create pretty good recordings and mixes. My channel is more about the analog gear and how to use it. I can play several instruments but I don't play much anymore. I prefer working with other musicians and helping them achieve a good recording these days.
You sound like a sourpuss and I couldn't find any of your mixes on your channel. This RUclips video helped me find a hidden gem in the compressor lineup. And his song was a pleasure to listen to. Enjoy the music. Peace.
I really appreciate your channel.
As a fellow & cash strapped musician, RUclips vloggers advertise and market expensive outboard gear .
$1000 + for a preamp etc.
It’s refreshing that their cheaper counterparts still sound cool 😎 and can compete within the audio spectrum of music production.
Keep up the great 😌 work
Thank you so much! I definitely try to show more affordable and used professional gear that I know from experience works well and sounds great! I also don't make many sponsored videos and there are probably more videos about used gear than new gear on the channel. I find used to be the best value but some new affordable gear is also great. Thanks again!
Thank you for this other video, it always opens my mind to new ways of using gear. In addition, using your own music to show the process makes it double interesting! Nice tunes!!
Thank you! I have worked really hard on building this channel in a completely organic way. I am lucky to have a lot of music I've made to use in videos I've also made a lot of songs just to use in specific videos which makes it even more fun. Thanks again!
Late to the party….the sound on this leaves the eardrums wanting more. It’s sounds so smooth!
The ART TCS can do that well. I was using the setting that puts the optical compressor before the VCA compressor. The TCS sounds extremely smooth due to the two types of compression stacked. I have 2 of them because they sound so good. It's usually my go to vocal compressor but sometimes I'll use an RNC for tracking if I want less color. The RNC kind of works the same way. In super nice mode it stacks 2 compressors together to be more transparent. It has less character than the TCS though.
Sounds really good Grady. Keep on rocking.
Thank you!
I just bought your dual limiter. I just bought a house and am moving so it's going to be a month or so to use it but I watched your review on it and I liked the way it reacted.
I'm still moving and it's a huge project. I think you'll enjoy the Dual Limiter. It is more versatile than I thought as well. I'll get it out to you tomorrow. Thanks!
I've been watching the pye compressor videos. I wish someone had both and would see if they are at all in the same realm.
@@rocketsauce5067 it seems like they are to me with the Dual Limiter having a lot less noise and general dirtiness. It's like the style of compression of the Pye without as much grittiness and dirt.
Here at the comparison, I can see 3 or 4 pretty significant peaks on a waveform of a mastered version. Which sounds beautiful of course. But do you think ART Dual Limiter can really stop peaks? From ART Pro VLAII I know some of a behavior like this, is a tendency to create some peaks, which weren't there, although I love this unit. And also somebody in the forum wrote about Dual Limiter, that he needs to use alignment plugins afterwards on a stereo material. Is it any true? Another person wrote, that it has HF noise, which is pretty audible. How much audible by your opinion? I didn't notice anything special in your demo. On your settings i can see pretty significant output boost on it. Is it hard to get a unity gain without boosting a lot on Dual Limiter?
I haven't noticed any HF noise with the Dual Limiter. I was running it at fairly conservative settings so I'm sure it could stop peaks better than than what's shown in the demo. I think the Dual Limiter was one of the few things I sold when I moved so I no longer own one. I found it to be most useful to bring out toms in a mix using a gate in the dual Limiter submix of toms to make them pop out of the mix without running out of headroom.
May I ask what cables did you connect your FMR RNC?
On the big Soundcraft, the RNC was connected to 2 balanced points on the patchbay and the channel was patched to the RNC using the consoles built in TT patchbay which is balanced. With the Soundtracs Topaz or the Mackie, I used standard insert cables connected to the inserts on the console which are unbalanced. I also used the single cable method with my old Audio fire 8 inserts for video voice tracks. I can't remember exactly how that works but you use a single TRS cable and that handles the input and output to an insert without using a Y cable.
Analog is heart of source .
I love my analog gear!
As unsexy as ART gear is, I have to admit it is pretty solid. I have the PRO VLA II compressor and it has been the secret ingredient many times.
ART gear may not always have the cool factor but it usually sounds very good. The TCS is one of my favorites. I'm hoping to try out their new FET compressor The Transy sometime. I'm a fan of most of their gear including the Pro VLA.
ART gear sits alongside plenty of “high end” gear in my studio. I find it to be generally well-designed, quiet, and a great value. Sexy or bragging rights worthy? Probably not, but solid hardware that just gets the job done!
@@railwaymark2099 I really like ART and all their gear is well built and useful. The Vactrol compression design is probably their best sounding but I think the Dual Limiter is pretty amazing too. My TCS with the Opto and then the VCA combined is one of my favorite things to use on a vocal these days. Bests most plugins I've tried and gives me my own sound. The TCS is that purple kind of funky one but man that thing sounds very very good. I have two of them now since I like the first one so much. I'm surprised more manufacturers aren't able to make gear that sounds this good at these kind of prices. Or maybe everyone else that has the vibe or the hype factor are not actually making gear that's as good as we think for that kind of money.
I concur. I've been using a tube opto 8, a voice channel strip, and "the phantom" mixer for about a decade now. They've all worked flawlessly and sound good.
@@TwinCreekAudio i've been thinkin between the Pro VLA II, RNC and Warm Audio bus comp for an all around first analog comp, for multipurpose; tracking synths and drum machines, mixing stuff and then run a master thru too. Would be cool to hear what you'd pick out of these three and why? I don't think i could go wrong with any of them, but i'm happy to hear ppl's thoughts on them who have used them? which do you think is the most musical and which gives most/least color? oh yeah, I did have a dbx back in the day as a teenager but i was so young and dumb i couldn't make it work so i slammed the MPC1000 built in digi comp and it did the job well back then..
Love your music, too. Do you play all instruments??
Thank you! Yes, I played all the parts on this song and most of the instruments on the rest of the album too. I am not the best musician but I started playing all the parts myself so I could record without having to worry about schedules and coordinating sessions with too many other people.
How are you connecting the PRE573 on top? Are those like 500 series that need a card slot for the back?
It's connected to 2 of my patchbays. One for the mic input and the other for the output.
I'm curious if you didn't like the RNLA since it's missing. Maybe it's redundant since you have multiple VCA compressors already, including the VCA modes on the ART. But it's supposed to be vibey, I wonder if it's more colored than the Dual Limiter? Well I have the Dual Limiter but I consider it colored cause I push it a little hot for the drum bus.
It's not that I don't like the RNLA, I have just never used one before so I couldn't compare. I've heard they are very good though.
I own a lot of the same gear you have. Btw: I believe the RNC (while very cool) is really just digital DSP controlled by analog knobs. Not really “Analog” compression.
As far as I know the RNC is digitally controlled but uses standard VCA so the signal path is analog. That still doesn't explain how Super Nice Mode is supposed to be like 2 compressors in series if there's only one VCA. Either way, it's a good compressor and I haven't noticed any latency so that leads me to believe it's a digitally controlled analog device. I could be completely wrong about that however. Very good observation.
@@TwinCreekAudio yeah. I love mine. Pretty much permanently on my guitar bus. Seems odd to put it there, but it works for me. Lol. Take care neighbor!
@@AndrewCCM I haven't used my RNC on guitars very much but I should probably try it. Thanks again and take care!
Is u doing brother
Better but I'm not doing much right now other than moving. Will be back with new videos one day soon!
I’m sorry but the only thing I heard were tuning issues and some eq things but cheap gear is like paper plates, it’s not gonna wow your guests but it will still hold your food and you don’t have to clean them afterwards and I’ve never heard of anyone being pissed off because someone dropped it on the floor, I’m not saying that in a side by side comparison the cheap gear wins but I’m saying that if you write a good song and eq and compress correctly the stuff in your rack isn’t the reason you didn’t get a million downloads it’s something you did or didn’t do and here’s my proof multimillion dollar studios are closing everyday with nothing but the best stuff but yet more than ever hits are coming from paper plate level studios because nobody cares how much you paid for your vintage LA 2A or the mic Henry the 3rd used to summoned the help a great song is a great song
Sorry you did not approve of the video or my tuning etc. The videos take a really long time to make so it's pretty hard to get every little thing right. Each take also had to be filmed when it is recorded so things would sync correctly. Plus I make these videos 100% by myself with no assistance. They take a long time to make which is why I kinda stopped making them now. Plus I've spent the last several years helping people in the comments and through email and phone calls. This channel is more about how to use the gear and that it sounds like. Sometimes the track I use for the videos aren't perfect but they are the ones I have permission to use in the videos. I don't have an LA-2A or much vintage high dollar gear but the things I have allow me to create pretty good recordings and mixes. My channel is more about the analog gear and how to use it. I can play several instruments but I don't play much anymore. I prefer working with other musicians and helping them achieve a good recording these days.
You sound like a sourpuss and I couldn't find any of your mixes on your channel. This RUclips video helped me find a hidden gem in the compressor lineup. And his song was a pleasure to listen to. Enjoy the music. Peace.