Great Vocal Compressor

HKC wrote:
> I am looking for a really great vocal compressor and after some researching
> there seem to be a lot of people who like the LA2A a lot. My problem is that
> I occasionally record more than one vocal at the time so I will have to get
> two which is quite expensive. That's why I wonder if anybody has any
> experience with the 2-LA-2, not an exact copy but not far from it (according
> to Universal who call it a Classic reborn much like the Drawmer 1969).
> I will mainly use it after my Grace m201.
>
>

You can still use a single LA2A. Just record the vocals dry then bounce
each one via the LA2A.

Cheers

Ian

I like the Summit TLA 100 for vocals. They say it's similar to the
LA2A but a little smoother. It's only a single channel too.
The Distressor is pretty useful aswell.
It depends on what you are recording to. I sometimes use a DBX 902 as
a "technical" compressor when recording. It works well and doesn't
have too much of a sound to it. Then I'll use something a afterwards
as an effect compressor, like the LA2A etc.

The Urei 1178 might be something worth looking at for a 2 channel job.

If you don't know what you want, get the Distressor. You can make it sound
remarkably like an LA2, but you can also make it sound like all kinds of
other compressors as well. It's not the solution for clean compression, but
if you want compression as an effect you can get an outrageously large number
of different effects from it.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Scott Dorsey wrote:
> If you don't know what you want, get the Distressor. You can make it sound
> remarkably like an LA2, but you can also make it sound like all kinds of
> other compressors as well. It's not the solution for clean compression, but
> if you want compression as an effect you can get an outrageously large number
> of different effects from it.
> --scott
>

Its also a hell of a lot more affordable! But I second the Distressor.
Great boxes. I've got three.

On Sun, 6 Jul 2008 19:07:45 +0200, "HKC" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I am looking for a really great vocal compressor and after some researching
>there seem to be a lot of people who like the LA2A a lot. My problem is that
>I occasionally record more than one vocal at the time so I will have to get
>two which is quite expensive.

Assuming you're recording to a digital system, you don't have to apply
compression while tracking.

Assuming you're recording to a digital system, you don't have to apply
compression while tracking.


Very true but I do think that the compressor adds something very positive to
the sound that I find plugins are lacking. I have most of the high end
plugins so I don't think it's a matter of using different plugins.
Also, I like to record, if possible, with a sound that sits well with the
rest so I only need to touch up the tracks with slight use of digital eq,
compression etc.
I record many bands where my work mainly is to capture the band and it's
just so much easier if everything sounds great at the stage of recording.
If I do pre-production I almost always record without anything but a preamp
to have maximum control while trying to figure out how the particular song
is going to sound.
Anyway, there seem to be no response to the 2-LA-2. Is it because noone has
tried it or because noone likes it. Reviews on it are very (very, very,
very) positive and desciptions of the sound is "silky smooth" which is what
I'm after but I would like to hear some first hand impressions if there are
any.
I have quite a few compressors already but not that kind of thing. I have a
TLA Indigo Channel strip, a Drawmer 1969, an Art, a Joe Meek VC1 and a few
more but the first three are very rock'n'roll which is fine for some stuff
but not always. Joe Meek is also nice but is in mono and like I wrote in the
original mail I am looking for a stereo unit that can be used as two mono
units.
>From what I have the read the Urei 1178 or the Universal 1176 have more grit
than the 2-LA-2 which is why I lean towards the later (I have plenty of grit
already having started out in th 90s where everything was distorted). On top
of that it's my understanding that the 1178 is more of a stereo unit than
two monos having shared attack and ratio.
The Summit TLA 100, is that the same as the one called TLA 100A. It's a lot
cheaper than the Universal, almost half price. If it's just as good then
it's very interesting.

On Mon, 7 Jul 2008 15:08:38 +0200, "HKC" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Assuming you're recording to a digital system, you don't have to apply
>compression while tracking.
>
>
>Very true but I do think that the compressor adds something very positive to
>the sound that I find plugins are lacking.

I meant you don't have to apply it WHILE TRACKING.

HKC <[email protected]> wrote:
>Assuming you're recording to a digital system, you don't have to apply
>compression while tracking.
>
>Very true but I do think that the compressor adds something very positive to
>the sound that I find plugins are lacking. I have most of the high end
>plugins so I don't think it's a matter of using different plugins.

Sure, but you can loop through the analogue compressor on mixdown as well,
rather than having to track through it.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Sure, but you can loop through the analogue compressor on mixdown as well,
rather than having to track through it.


I do most of the mixing "in the box" and rely a lot on total recall. I don´t
have a mixer with total recall (I have a Soundcraft Sapphyre) so unless it's
absolutely imperative I touch all the tracks up with plugins.
It's not a religion to me but most of my clients prefer it like this and it
is pretty fast especially in the very common situation where the client
thinks everything is great but..... the guitar solo is too loud, too low,
too trebly, too dull.
I am very aware that I could bounce the track before mixdown but like I
explained I do record a lot of bands who record everything pretty much live.
They come in and record maybe 4 songs with 3 takes of each and expect to get
a mix before they leave the same day .It's usually bands who either needs a
fast (and cheap) demo or have a need to get their material on tape maybe for
rehearsal reasons. It's basically a live recording with the option of
correcting the occasional bass note and almost always record the backing
vocals as overdubs.
Like I explained earlier I don't always record like this. If I do
pre-production or records that nobody is really sure how to approach I use
the more common (these days anyway) method of recording everything as
neutral as possible so it's possible to take the material in all directions.
Anyway this has very little to do with buying a vocal compressor. I have
considered the Distressor but the people I have spoken to seem to think that
since I already have a TL Audio compressor and a Drawmer 1969 I may want to
look at a cleaner solution and the LA2A keeps coming up.
Someone suggested and preferred the Summit TLA 100A which is in mono but not
quite as expensive the LA2A so maybe getting to of those is the way to go.

Still no response to the 2-LA-2, it must be new...

In article <48725a5f$0$56776$edfadb0f@dtext02.news.tele.dk>,
"HKC" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Someone suggested and preferred the Summit TLA 100A which is in mono but not
> quite as expensive the LA2A so maybe getting to of those is the way to go.
>
> Still no response to the 2-LA-2, it must be new...





My fave vocal compressor is a Teletronix Urei LA-3A. I got a got a pair
of them and one of them in particular is phenomenal on lead vocal.

Universal claims the LA3a made today is a pretty good clone of the
original. I haven't heard one. But if I were in the market for a vocal
compressor manufactured today, I would def audition one.

The other modern compressor I would entertain purchasing would be the
Crane Song Trakker. I spent an evening with one a few years ago and was
very impressed.

Regardless of what you end up with, you should try out the hardware
yourself and find what moves *you*. Cuz it don't mean a thing if it
don't tame that swing.






David Correia
www.Celebrationsound.com

david correia wrote:

> Crane Song Trakker. I spent an evening with one a few years ago and
> was very impressed.
>
> Regardless of what you end up with, you should try out the hardware
> yourself and find what moves *you*. Cuz it don't mean a thing if it
> don't tame that swing.

I thought the Great Vocal Compressor must be a new FMR product !

geoff

Actually I have just checked ebay and it seems that Summit TLA100A is fairly
easy to find second hand around $1300 which makes it even more tempting to
buy one of those, see if it lives up to my expectations and then maybe get
another one...or a similar one like the LA2A. No stereo operation then but
I´m not so sure I would ever use it in stereo anyway.
Now the problem is I live in Europe and we use 220/230 V. Does anybody know
if this can be switched internally like it can on most pro equipment.