Cakewalk RE-2A and Selig Leveler

[Rook]

Interested to hear people's experience with these. They basically do the same thing, right? The Selig Leveler seems to have more options...is there anything the RE-2A offers over it?

[K1TTENM1TTEN]

They actually do not do the same thing, to a point, haha!

So the RE-2A is basically an emulated vintage compressor (leveling amplifier is old jargon for compressor) minus the ability to adjust the attack. It is a SUPER simple compressor, as it just allows for control over threshold/peak reduction and output gain. RE-2A also warms up signal a bit. From experience this RE is best used light doses after something like let's say FET. RE-2A works "top-down" so it works from the signal's peaks and squashes them down.

Leveler, on the other hand, is a killer tool that works the opposite (it typically goes "bottom-up"). It allows the user to mathematically adjust the desired lowest db signal and evenly boost it to be the same as the desired highest db level. Though this can give a similar effect as a compressor, it is doing much more, as it allows you to target specific db ranges instead of just squashing everything. Leveler does not color the signal, but leaves it as pure as it comes in.

There is also a couple of amazing tricks that the Leveler is capable of, such as an infinite sustain - if you "abuse" Leveler by placing two in a row after a patch. For this example let's say a piano patch, you can adjust the first Leveler to boost the lowest parts of the sound (-32db area) and boost it up to -1db, and then set the second Leveler to target -32 again and to boost it to -1db, and max out both Leveler's wetness. The result will consistently boost the lowest noise signal of your piano's sample, giving you the ability to hear everything that decays as it actually sounds in full volume giving you a very reversed/pad-like effect. A typical compressor simply would not allow you to do this, and especially not the RE-2A

Hope this helps

[Rook]

Oh okay, that helps a lot! I guess I thought the RE-2A was an upwards compression kinda thing too. Sounds like the Selig is what I'm looking for.

I know the RE-2A is used a lot on vocals. What else is it good for?

[Tincture]

I tend to use RE-2A on vocals, then Leveler. (squash and lift)

The RE-2A is GREAT on guitar! and at times the Leveler works well afterwards as well. Depending on material.

I'd loath to be without either

[gak]

If it would ever go on sale, I'd love to give it a shot

[nikolafeve]

RE-2A is one on my favorite RE. Sounds fantastic on almost everything
It's a must have

[JNeffLind]

I've heard a lot of good things said about the RE-2A but for my money the Leveler is far superior. If you want some warmth or whatever else there's lots of ways to add it that give you more control than RE-2A. The Leveler is the more precise tool and allows even a mixing noob like me to notice clear improvements. I'm sure RE-2A is good in its way, but it's an emulation of something old. Leveler is new and improved when it comes to compression tools.

[joeyluck]

I actually bought Selig Leveler for vocals and use it on just about everything but... As it's intended to be used on anything. I suppose it always depends on your recording techniques from start to finish and the vocalist/voiceover artist you are working with as to what tool is best for you or the job. Great to have tools that work in different ways.

So, if you're one of those people battling over "this or that," Leveler is a no brainer because there is no other that operates the way it does.
Have at least one 'upwards compression' tool in your toolbox. And that said, it's good to have a compressor that works the way Leveler does not... RE-2A being an outstanding option.

[K1TTENM1TTEN]

I know the RE-2A is used a lot on vocals. What else is it good for?

Everrryyythiiinnnggg. Haha, but seriously, it is probably one of the best REs out there. I was lucky enough to have bought it the one time that it was on sale, and have never regretted it. It is killer on acoustic guitar, vocals, and adding warmth to about anything, but especially anything that is natural sound based (strings, woodwinds, brass, etc). It really shines when it is used in combos. For example, my go-to quick magic combo before I bought Leveler was RE-2A to TSAR-1. These two really bring life to a patch instantly and can make a shoddy sampled instrument sound like it was made out of pure gold. That being said, the RE-2A is still gold by itself (after all, it is an amazingly accurate simulation of a unit that would cost you over $2k that most big studios have at least one of).

Don't get me wrong, I love Leveler as well. These are both absolutely "must-haves" in my book. Both have totally changed the way my mixes sound in a very very positive way. Unfortunately, you just missed Leveler being on sale for 50% off. I might recommend waiting for the Black Friday sale (if you can wait that long) and pick up the Outboard Rig, as it will probably drop in price to $150 as it tends to, and in that bundle you get all three of Selig's top-notch REs, as well as a handful of other REs that are great to have in your arsenal, all for about the same price as it would cost to pick up all three of Selig's REs alone. But I'd recommend picking up (or at least trying) RE-2A, as it is unlikely to see it go on sale again (I have not seen it's price drop in nearly two years). This being said, I also paid full price for all of Selig's stuff before there was a bundle with them all and have no regrets.

[joeyluck]

I tend to use RE-2A on vocals, then Leveler. (squash and lift)

I actually gave this a shot using the Leveler coupled with other compressors. I must say I do like the result! I've actually been lifting and then squashing.

[Tincture]

I tend to use RE-2A on vocals, then Leveler. (squash and lift)

I actually gave this a shot using the Leveler coupled with other compressors. I must say I do like the result! I've actually been lifting and then squashing.

That's cool to hear. I just imagined that the Leveller would have a more consistent 'level' to work at if some of the biggest peaks had been reduced first. The RE-2A, Leveller and MP5 really are stand-out REs for me.

[friday]

Hi folks

in the starting of rack extentions RE-2A was also a favorite of mine. But i realized after mastering in a pro studio that i had some ultra short transients with very loud peaks, which did not allow to get a loud master. After doing some research i found out that it was in tracks where i used RE-2A to heavy! So i did some more tesing and in the end i came to the result, there is no saturation algorithm in that comp that prevent you from this problem. So if you like to use it i give you the tip of only use it in the range of -2 to -6 dB ! I have attached a picture with the behavior of some compressors when you use them extreme (-20 and more db) . Yes you never will do that, but it gives a good picture about the behavior, when there is a saturation algorithm that helps to prevent you from this extreme transients.... thats something beautiful from the analog wold

[Rook]

So, maybe posting this was good luck, since the RE-2A just went on sale shortly after!

Needless to say, I just bought it and trying it out now in a track I'm re-working. Holy cow! This thing is awesome! Using it right now on a bass track and it THUMPS!

Thanks to everyone for the responses and sharing your experience. Talk about good timing, huh?

EDIT: Also wanted to add that I definitely plan on getting the Selig Leveler too. Must have them ALL! Lol

[selig]

I tend to use RE-2A on vocals, then Leveler. (squash and lift)

I actually gave this a shot using the Leveler coupled with other compressors. I must say I do like the result! I've actually been lifting and then squashing.

That's cool to hear. I just imagined that the Leveller would have a more consistent 'level' to work at if some of the biggest peaks had been reduced first. The RE-2A, Leveller and MP5 really are stand-out REs for me.

The leveler works from the top down, and has absolutely no problem "lifting" 48 dB of gain. The LA-2a style limiters can get nowhere near that amount of gain (half as much at best in my tests), and of course will begin to sound "compressed" as it does so (luckily it's about the best sounding compression out there IMO).

My approach is to use the Leveler when I want things leveled (or to increased loudness), and a compressor when I want the sound of compression, which I DO love!

[Tincture]

I never meant to imply that leveler needs any pre-treatment... It definitely can reach down a long way. It is also lovely and transparent. Like you say I just like the sound of the RE-2A before leveler on vocals.

I went back to an old track a few days ago and used your master comp s/c hp technique and redid the mastering at the same time. I think it sounds so much better now and the mastering involved leveller giving 6db of gain at 30% wet... Really liked the result.