opinions on rnc compressor

[village1]

Is the rnc compressor any good? What would you compare it to?

Thanks,

Giovanni

[Kev]

Difficult to compare it to something else, it has it's own way of doing things. It is a multi-stage compressor. I can't work out if it is multi-frequency. Pulling it apart tells you nothing as it has a large proprietry chip in there. But the rest is as you would expect.

It is very neutral for a compressor/limiter, tracks in stereo excellently. Is unbalanced out but IS very hot, +4 and then some.

SuperNice mode IS effective.

What you see on the controls and the LEDs does seem to be what you get.

For the money and for it's versatility, it is a must have.

[Corey Shay]

I didn't like it, and sent mine back. I wanted a good vocal compressor on a budget to get a good signal path into ProTools, but I found I got much better results compressing completely in the digital domain.

The RNC has 2 modes. The standard mode sounded overcompressed to me, not too nice on vocals, and the "Really Nice" mode sounded very weak, and the compressor's attack and release times I could not seem to make fast enough. Overall it just reacted slowly. I still stick with Waves and Bombfactory's compressors in PT until I can afford a real 1176.

[lwilliam]

I would say it's definitely better than my DBX 166 ($300) and much less colored than my JBL/Urei 7110 ($400). When switching the "bypass" button in and out, it really is hard to hear much difference unless you're really compressing (say, 8-10db). For a little smoothing at 3-6db of compression, it's very transparent.

I found it interesting that you need to completely change the threshhold, attack, and decay settings when switching from "normal" to "super-nice" mode. You can't just push the super-nice button for an a/b with the regular compression mode.

Super nice mode is kind of an extension of the DBX "overeasy" concept, using a three-stage compressor (single frequency band).

I've used it on vocal and bass guitar tracking, and it does seem pretty transparent. I used super-nice on vocals and regular mode for the bass. It worked very well for me.

Is it a Distressor or an LA2 - no way, but it's definitely better than anything else in it's price range (or triple it's price).

I also use Waves RenComp and McDSP Compressorbank when mixing, but its definitely more transparent than either of those. Sometimes, transparent isn't what you want, however...

[ July 20, 2001: Message edited by: lwilliam ]

[Kev]

I agree with Iwilliam and I too am using in place of my 166.
( What is a JBL/Urei 7110 ? I would like to know more about this ?? )

To Corey, your right, it doesn't do well with vocals but is still worthwhile on subgroups of drums or Guitars or a whole mix in the absence of a 1178.

On the subject of the 1176/1178 does any one know what the Dual FET device is in these units or a fair substitute as I would like to make one. I have been using an LA4 that I made on most of my vocal s but it is not fast enough for percusive stuff.

Back to the point. The RNC1773 is cheap and easy to use and worth a try out. Tracks well in stereo. You wont get that from two 1176's and you probably won't find an 1178.

[Beegster]

I would say the RNC is one of the best values out there. I have 4 distressors, 3 RNCS and a few other dbx, etc. I love my distressors and use them for just about anything, but before I purchased those all I had was those RNCs. I have never really used the regular mode, I have always used it in super nice. In super nice it gives a very clean compression for vocals and acoustic guitars. It sounds like 5x the price. The one thing that I didn't like about it was that it didn't really seem to stop the peaks even with fast attack times. I would record dynamic singers and would constantly be backing off the level to prevent digital overs on the convertors. The Distressors solved that issue. The release time is also very slow in super nice if that makes a difference to you. Bottom line, for the $ you can't beat it for clean transparent compression. Don't know if I would recommend it for percussive stuff, but then again I only used it in super nice. Keep in mind that it is unbalanced as well. If I need clean comrpession and I have used up my distressors, I don't feel bad to reach for my $170 RNC.

[Kev]

You have 4 distressors!!

Can I borrow one? [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[lwilliam]

I have to agree with several posts on the attack/release times in the supernice mode. I seem to always run them just about fully counter-clockwise (fastest attack and release).

The "normal" mode seems to follow the silk-screened legends whereas supernice has to be set pretty fast to be effective.

It is not a limiter.

I would never buy a DBX 166 over the RNC.

BTW, the JBL/Urei 7110 is a single-channel compressor with a distinctive coloration that is very nice for drums or percussion. It definitely fattens them up. I don't think it's made any more, but I've had several people on R.A.P. offer to buy them from me...

[Kev]

lwilliam , do you have a manual and in particular, A Schematic for that JBL/Urei 7110 is a single-channel compressor ??

Please, Please.

Send to me or the waltzing Bear web site.