Sony Dynamics or MCDSP Compressorbank

[Johnny Jam]

Just downloaded the Sony dynamics demo to compare it with my wonderful compressorbank ver.3
I matched the the Sony kick preset to Mcdsp CB1, switched of the warmer effect on the Sony plug, and expected Sony to beat the crap out of Mcdsp. To my surprise I couldn't hear any difference. In fact I was able to improve the sound on Mcdsp by adjusting the knee to my liking.
I did the same with snare, bass and guitar and not once did Sony dynamics sound better than Mcdsp compressorbank IMHO.
I'm not sure if I am disappointed with the Sony plug, or just happy to have comfirmed the quality of Mcdsp. Anyway, I pretty sure my wallet will stay in my pocket this time....

[Aquarius]

Hi !

Good idea to compare it with Mc DSP !
Just downloaded the demo...I'll let you know in the next few hours.... [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

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I've had the dynamics beta for a few months and through many sessions / mixes both at 48K and 96K. I love the McDSP Comp Bank and still use it quite a bit.. Also love the BF Farichild for some tracks. I usually prefer the Sony for clean / detailed / focused, and the Fairchild for colored / round, or McDSP for ease of use and general purpose.

I too was underwhelmed at first, but I think some of this was due to the high expectations I had (given how much the Sony's Oxford + GML Eq has changed the quality of my product), and that I was expecting to see magic at first use...

I also think that compressors and dynamics are harder to understand and deal with than something like an EQ... Anyone can tweak an eq and immediately get an idea on how it works, but dynamic processors really take time and experience to get used to how they work and each type usually has there own vibe... The LA2A and 1176 (HW units) are standards partly because there's only a couple of controls, so you either get a good sound or you screw up the sound or you leave it off the track... So I think it takes some time to get into a comp more so than a mic selection or eq selection... I'm still figuring when to track with an 1176 or LA2A or DBX or nothing at all, (and I'm really looking forward to getting a GML comp soon)...

I also think that the since the purpose of a dynamic processing is more for level control and shaping, rather than massive tone control (like an eq), that unless you want to squash something, you really want the dynamics process to do it's job without you hearing it working...

So, with the frame of mind, I changed my expectations for expecting magic to just seeing how it works.

I like having the abiity to mess with all the sections if I have a track needing comp + gate + limiter + warmer.. It's easy to hit the buttons and call up the different sections..

I like the comp's 3 modes and find classic is really great for some things. I like the control it gives you.. I think you can dial-in more precision than any other plugin I used.

I use the warmer some of the time, but prefer to focus during tracking on mic and preamp selection to get a good sound from the start.

My main uses so far are vocals, snare, bass, guitar. It sounds good on other tracks, but some of those tracks I prefer nothing, or I put a McDSP on it, cuz it's easy and something I used to doing... I've also been using it sometimes on the mix bus.

In all cases I think I can get more focus and precision from the Sony than other plugins I have. It's not something that I would use to add color (like the Faichild or Ren comps), it's more for transparent control without hearing it work, or for squashing with a more neutral effect than having a sound of it's own..

It's become a crictical part of my mixes. The McDSP comp bank is also an excellent tool and I'll continue to use it (I've been a user for several years, and very familiar with it), but the Sony dynamics can do some really great stuff and I find it more and more useful and critical the more I use it...

I just finished a project at 96K (HD3 192) that sounded really good... EQs are primarily Sony Oxford & GML (vocal, snare, kick, overheads, toms, bass, elec guitar), a few BF Pultec (love this for acoustic guitar & piano) or none... Comps McDSP or Sony on the snare and bass, BF Fairchild or Sony on the vocals, Sony on the elec & acoustic guitar and piano.