McDSP FRG or Moo Compressior?

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Wobbleburger
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27 Nov 2018

I'm moving away from Mace due to the UI and... I'm just not a fan. I'd likely going with FRG -4RE or MooTube. Is it worth doing both? Notable differences?
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Loque
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27 Nov 2018

Get the bundle. Yea, they are different. Mostly in response and control. FRG is one of my favorite for subtle and hard driven things. Moo is moo... Boring... C670 is a good bus or master compressor, a good allrounder that works in most cases.
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Marco Raaphorst
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27 Nov 2018

try them first, they are totally different compressors

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Wobbleburger
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27 Nov 2018

Marco Raaphorst wrote:
27 Nov 2018
try them first, they are totally different compressors
Yep, I'll have to do that! :)
In the 90s, my midi music was on the Baulder's Gate site. That was my life peak.
Reasonite since 2000. My music (and my old midi) can be found here:
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sdst
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27 Nov 2018

1-Cakewalk- not available

2-McDSP FRG-4RE Compressor

3-Red Rock Sound C1-L1 Vintage Compressor


for me those are the three best RE compressors

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motuscott
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27 Nov 2018

I was trialling the RE160 and looking for something I already owned that did something similar. The Moo did nice things to an unruly electric bass guitar line.
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Loque
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27 Nov 2018

sdst wrote:
27 Nov 2018
1-Cakewalk- not available

2-McDSP FRG-4RE Compressor

3-Red Rock Sound C1-L1 Vintage Compressor


for me those are the three best RE compressors
Off topic, but C1-L1 is based on VST Molot which is free.
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challism
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27 Nov 2018

I agree with Loque, the McDSP bundle is the way to go. Don't overlook C670, it's fantastic. So is the FROG.
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motuscott
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27 Nov 2018

challism wrote:
27 Nov 2018
I agree with Loque, the McDSP bundle is the way to go. Don't overlook C670, it's fantastic. So is the FROG.
Can the Moo get a little love around here?
Yes, the bundle.
OK I'm a compressor nut
Who’s using the royal plural now baby? 🧂

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Marco Raaphorst
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27 Nov 2018

motuscott wrote:
27 Nov 2018
challism wrote:
27 Nov 2018
I agree with Loque, the McDSP bundle is the way to go. Don't overlook C670, it's fantastic. So is the FROG.
Can the Moo get a little love around here?
Yes, the bundle.
OK I'm a compressor nut
I am an absolute Moo lover. Like it more than the other 2 of McMSP.

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Loque
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27 Nov 2018

Marco Raaphorst wrote:
27 Nov 2018
motuscott wrote:
27 Nov 2018

Can the Moo get a little love around here?
Yes, the bundle.
OK I'm a compressor nut
I am an absolute Moo lover. Like it more than the other 2 of McMSP.
I think Moo is very specific to some audio material. I guess bass or a bus with heavy bass, which needs more whhooooom sustain and not a whomppp... Maybe i gonna try in future here and there again how it sounds, just need to remember not to turn the knobs too fast because of the bug.
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Marco Raaphorst
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27 Nov 2018

Loque wrote:
27 Nov 2018
Marco Raaphorst wrote:
27 Nov 2018


I am an absolute Moo lover. Like it more than the other 2 of McMSP.
I think Moo is very specific to some audio material. I guess bass or a bus with heavy bass, which needs more whhooooom sustain and not a whomppp... Maybe i gonna try in future here and there again how it sounds, just need to remember not to turn the knobs too fast because of the bug.
it's variable-mu design. it's great for unnoticeable compression on voices for example, or on the whole mix. it can do fader like compression, super slow. if you want compression as an effect, the Moo is not interesting. but if you want unnoticeable compression nothing beats Moo except for the Klanghelm MJUC.

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TritoneAddiction
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27 Nov 2018

I think all 3 McDSP compressors have their place, but I definitely use FRG the most. In fact FRG is probably my favorite compressor, not only from the McDSP stuff but from all my compressors.
You push it really hard yet it sounds very natural imo. Great for drums and bass sounds.

strangers
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27 Nov 2018

challism wrote:
27 Nov 2018
I agree with Loque, the McDSP bundle is the way to go. Don't overlook C670, it's fantastic. So is the FROG.
I wish I grabbed the bundle instead of just C670. Gas doesn't let you double check for bundles sometimes. I grabbed C670 last year and use it on my busses very often. Great comp.

Mr. Watts
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27 Nov 2018

If I had to choose only one mcdsp compressor it would have to be the frog. With the 670 coming in second. The moo doesn’t get much use over here though I’m sure it is great as well. As others have said already if you can get the bundle that would be the best option. I rarely use any other compressors.

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Marco Raaphorst
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28 Nov 2018

Will push myself to use the 670 more. Let's see what happens.

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minilog
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28 Nov 2018

They are different as already mentioned but I really only use the FRG out of the bundle. I have other comps for different things (RE-2A, Softube FET, DCAM, etc.).

drloop
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28 Nov 2018

Marco Raaphorst wrote:
27 Nov 2018
Loque wrote:
27 Nov 2018


I think Moo is very specific to some audio material. I guess bass or a bus with heavy bass, which needs more whhooooom sustain and not a whomppp... Maybe i gonna try in future here and there again how it sounds, just need to remember not to turn the knobs too fast because of the bug.

it's variable-mu design. it's great for unnoticeable compression on voices for example, or on the whole mix. it can do fader like compression, super slow. if you want compression as an effect, the Moo is not interesting. but if you want unnoticeable compression nothing beats Moo except for the Klanghelm MJUC.
I’m a Moo lover too. Use it most on vocals. Great but not exciting. :)

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moggadeet
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28 Nov 2018

A bit off-topic, but did you consider the DCAM ones? No fancy UI, but I find them both more usable and technically superior: they allow parallel compression, built-in saturation, side-chain filtering and tone control through the bias settings.

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rgdaniel
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28 Nov 2018

I just bought the McDSP bundle. Lots of good reviews here, and a decent price for the three of them, and I only had the stock compressors plus one Efector, so why not, right?

Well I spent some time listening to DrOctoRex bang away on the default drum patch while I tried each of the three new compressors, and I'm wondering what I'm missing. By the time I gain-match them so they're not just getting louder/softer when I toggle the bypass switch, I'm hard pressed to hear much, if any, difference. I think I understand the basics of compression, and I've been able to get good (if still subtle) results in other contexts with the mClass compressor and with the SSL master bus compressor, but I'm clearly missing something with these McDSP compressors. I'm not blaming THEM, I'm just trying to manage my expectations and/or figure out WHY I'm not getting very noticeable or desirable effects. I also tried a stock synth loop or two in the DrOctoRex, same sort of ambiguous result.

Do I just have an untrained, unsophisticated ear? (Two ears, actually, but you get my point.)

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TritoneAddiction
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28 Nov 2018

rgdaniel wrote:
28 Nov 2018
I just bought the McDSP bundle. Lots of good reviews here, and a decent price for the three of them, and I only had the stock compressors plus one Efector, so why not, right?

Well I spent some time listening to DrOctoRex bang away on the default drum patch while I tried each of the three new compressors, and I'm wondering what I'm missing. By the time I gain-match them so they're not just getting louder/softer when I toggle the bypass switch, I'm hard pressed to hear much, if any, difference. I think I understand the basics of compression, and I've been able to get good (if still subtle) results in other contexts with the mClass compressor and with the SSL master bus compressor, but I'm clearly missing something with these McDSP compressors. I'm not blaming THEM, I'm just trying to manage my expectations and/or figure out WHY I'm not getting very noticeable or desirable effects. I also tried a stock synth loop or two in the DrOctoRex, same sort of ambiguous result.

Do I just have an untrained, unsophisticated ear? (Two ears, actually, but you get my point.)
If you're compressing drums, start with FRG.

The other two has a much slower gentler compression that suits other material better.

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Loque
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28 Nov 2018

rgdaniel wrote:
28 Nov 2018
I just bought the McDSP bundle. Lots of good reviews here, and a decent price for the three of them, and I only had the stock compressors plus one Efector, so why not, right?

Well I spent some time listening to DrOctoRex bang away on the default drum patch while I tried each of the three new compressors, and I'm wondering what I'm missing. By the time I gain-match them so they're not just getting louder/softer when I toggle the bypass switch, I'm hard pressed to hear much, if any, difference. I think I understand the basics of compression, and I've been able to get good (if still subtle) results in other contexts with the mClass compressor and with the SSL master bus compressor, but I'm clearly missing something with these McDSP compressors. I'm not blaming THEM, I'm just trying to manage my expectations and/or figure out WHY I'm not getting very noticeable or desirable effects. I also tried a stock synth loop or two in the DrOctoRex, same sort of ambiguous result.

Do I just have an untrained, unsophisticated ear? (Two ears, actually, but you get my point.)
If you drive them low, all compressors sound the same, nearly. FRG sound close to FET if your crank all knobs, where C670 still sounds smooth in every situation and you do not get much pumping. FRG is also good for shaping, making things snappy - try it on a parallel channel, low attack, low threshold, quite fast attack. C670 gets the job done, even on complex frequency filled material. Oh, and FRG is nice for side-chaining, because you have a good control about the shape.

I cannot say much about Moo, since i dont get used to it. Its way too smooth for me, but as i learned the last days, it seem to be good for very transparent and smooth compression without pumping.
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rgdaniel
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28 Nov 2018

Thanks guys. With fresh ears this morning, I'm starting to feel it... I guess I just don't like the sound of heavily compressed drums, where all the stuff in between the hits gets raised in volume and kind of smears the overall sound. But I was able to dial in a more subtle, compromise sound with FRG just now, just enough to make the needle dance a little, the kick and snare pop a little but without smearing the whole thing into a mess.

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motuscott
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28 Nov 2018

I'm thinking many of the drum loops are already maximized hence not much of an effect. I remember trying the same thing with the same results and it wasn't until I tried other sounds or my own uncompressed drum tracks that I started to have my Michael Brauer moment.
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minilog
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28 Nov 2018

motuscott wrote:
28 Nov 2018
I'm thinking many of the drum loops are already maximized hence not much of an effect. I remember trying the same thing with the same results and it wasn't until I tried other sounds or my own uncompressed drum tracks that I started to have my Michael Brauer moment.
Good point. I love driving single drum hits through FRG that I made individually with their own processes. It takes a while to know when you should use compression. FRG is actually my single drum channel comp but I would be using something else for what you're essentially wanting bus compression for. That said, I advise not reaching for a compressor unless you can hear why. Not just to make the drums fat as they say on YouTube.

Edit: reply to rgdaniel

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