MClass Compressor vs Rack Extension Compressors

[househoppin09]

I guess it's fitting enough that Pulveriser's compressor would be "dirty", but what do you mean by that specifically? Just that it introduces its own separate layer of distortion?

[normen]

I guess it's fitting enough that Pulveriser's compressor would be "dirty", but what do you mean by that specifically? Just that it introduces its own separate layer of distortion?

Yeah, attack and release seem to work so quickly (and yet slow enough) that they always "dent" the wave and cause distortion. Hard to dial in a sound that doesn't distort (if its actually compressing).

[househoppin09]

Interesting. I wonder if selig or anyone has done an analysis of what exactly is going on in the Pulveriser compressor to make it do that? Some sort of nonlinearity in the attack and release, perhaps?

[normen]

Interesting. I wonder if selig or anyone has done an analysis of what exactly is going on in the Pulveriser compressor to make it do that? Some sort of nonlinearity in the attack and release, perhaps?

No, it's normal, you can do it with any compressor that has flexible enough attack and release, Pulverizer hasn't so you can't remedy it either

See that "dent" in the wave there, thats distortion. The sharp edges as well. (up is normal sine wave, down is with heavy/fast compression)

[househoppin09]

Ah okay, I misunderstood your description. What a difference a visual aid makes...

[FLVZ]

This thread is full of so much depth!

[ProfessaKaos]

I think I actually have one from CM magazine - Hornet Fat Fet. Need to give it a try.

Did you ever look into the Waves CLA-76, they have it on sale for $29usd. It is modelled after two 1176 hardware units of CLA's.

[ProfessaKaos]

It is a constant learning process and it's one thing that isn't really obvious to people starting out. You really can only understand something if you see it - or in this case hear it. So you start to build up a kind of analytical hearing but at the same time you have to keep your ability to just listen to the whole impression of the song without analyzing too much.

But I'm sure that Giles will agree that even after years and decades theres always moments where even with the best monitoring system you just listen and think "WTF am I hearing? What is the problem here? Why does part X sound meh?" and you just don't get it. And then later when you found the issue and switch back and forth you see - or hear - it clear as day and wonder why you didn't in the first place.

It happens constantly! I still have the occasional “turning the knob on the device that is bypassed” experience, I still tweak a compressor to death only to bypass it and find it sounded better before, I still get lost in a mix and have to put it away only to come back to it and hear the obvious ‘fix’ that evaded be previously.

That’s actually part of what makes music production fun for me - the fact that what you did yesterday is NOT guaranteed to work today (or even come close in some cases). I’d die inside if I had to do the same thing everyday…


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Story of my life with music.

[RandomSkratch]

I think I actually have one from CM magazine - Hornet Fat Fet. Need to give it a try.

Did you ever look into the Waves CLA-76, they have it on sale for $29usd. It is modelled after two 1176 hardware units of CLA's.

Yeah I know about waves' 76 plugins. I'm a fan of NI and they have one too but their classic compressors bundle is $200usd. I'm good with the free one I found so far. GUI is ugly but that doesn't seem to affect the sound

[Tryggvasson]

I disagree. Adding a free VST FET emulation on the master instantly changed my sound. As some producers say in interviews, the right compressor on the master bus instantly makes things feel like a record. I've had the same experience. With the Cakewalk LA-2A (now it's free in the PH shop), with the IK Multimedia LA-2A which sounds a lot better, the above mentioned FET, and a different, original, vintage design VST. I've even tried the IK MUltimedia's version of the SSL master bus compressor, and it sounds better, in terms of depth and transients, for the same settings, than the PH one. The MClass didn't come near any of those. Hence the need for the master bus SSL emulated compressor, in the first place, I imagine. Old generation, digitally sounding.

I used to believe it was entirely not the plugins, but how you use them. Now that I've tried a lot VSTs, the difference is huge, for the same mixing knowledge/settings. If we're talking about same generation, similar concept plugins, i agree, the difference is not that great - still noticeable as a 0-10% difference, though. But when you're talking about different generations, and about analog emulations vs. flat digital, the difference is striking.

[EdGrip]

Give the Klanghelm compressors a go - they make good stuff.
I was using MJUC jr. last night and it was just right. It's free, give it a try. Try to work out how it's different from MClass.
https://klanghelm.com/contents/products ... MJUCjr.php

I like their free saturation better than Saturation Knob too.

[syncanonymous]

I believe it’s more about WHY.
If you know WHY you want a compressor on a source, you’ll know if/when that question has been answered (and what device answers the question best).

It will always be about “what plugin” for me, just as it will always be about what color for a painter, or what movement for a dancer.


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I had a bit of an "ah-ha" moment the other day which goes in line with what you said (even though I've been involved in music for many years) which involved processing and what to use. It seems the why for many people is "to make it sound better" without even knowing what better is. In my opinion, visual things are much easier to process than audible so when painting for example, if your sky isn't blue enough to you, make it bluer. But with audio - unless you have something glaringly obvious or have an excellent trained ear, it's so hit and miss all the time. Plus watching youtube videos or even working in a studio with seasoned professionals can sometimes give you the wrong ideas without knowing the why. Although I know what a compressor does, I'm the last person to ask what kind of compressor to use for any case (but then again, it's all subjective right?). Look at painting brushes. There are so many different ones to use and it's (to me at least) very obvious to see what ones would work better for what cases but audio processors (dynamics) can be confusing if you don't understand what they can do. (Sorry rambling)

Personally, when using visual terms to attempt to explain sound, I regard compression more like Contrast on a particular object rather than color. EQ is more like Brightness and Color Saturation. Compression is harder to recognize than the obvious snare drum, bass sound or saxophone sound, it is a subtle detail. A musical arrangement is more like moving image than a static image. Color and Shape and Motion are instrumentation where I would relate color more closely associated with instrument timbre.

Audio spectrum is 11 times more complicated than visual light spectrum and no two people hear the same way so it is no wonder that we all have different ways of expressing our understanding of sound, let alone being able to convey those understandings

[jlgrimes]

Hi everyone,

Lately I’ve been trialing a lot of compressors in the propellerhead shop, many have pretty graphics, but one thing that bothers me is that none of them seem to make ANY real difference compared to the MClass compressor.

For example, I’ve just spend several hours comparing the Cakewalk CA-2A compressor to the MClass, and when I dial in similar settings, they sound identical. The cakewalk one costs €79 and looks pretty, so my mind wants to think it sounds better, but the rational side of me knows that it’s just sounds the same. I’ve had the same experience with Softube compressors, McDSP compressors, etc... they just don’t make any difference.
I’m not using super expensive studio monitors, and neither are my listeners, so I don’t want to use that as an excuse for not hearing the difference. In the end, if something sounds good, I should be able to hear it in an A-B comparison.

In Cakewalk’s promo video, they don’t compare the CA-2A with the MClass either, and bypassing the effect doesn’t sell it for me, I want to hear how it sounds BETTER than the free Mclass.

Does anyone have any material they could show me where you can distinctly HEAR how the any of the rack extension compressors sound better than the Mclass?

What sources are you trying to compress?

Vocals, drums, bass, guitars, busses, synths?

What type of sound are you going for?

Subtle harmonic enhancement, clean dynamic control, aggressive dynamic control, intentional pumping, transient shaping, punchyness?


Everyone uses compression differently. In light doses, the differences will be subtle usually and opinions will vary.

But many compressors excel at only certain specific tasks.

Some folks are very good though at using basic digital compressors to dial in their sound. If you are in that scenario, good because most aren't. But the better you are probably helps reduce the need for a whole stock of different compressors.