Delay Comp myths

[Kris75]

I just wanted to start a thread about PDC. I have some people tell me that they don't hear a difference when PDC is on. The fact is, you won't 99.9% of the time. Most plugs that come with PT have 0 samples of dly. The EQIII, COMPIII, ect. One of the few plugs I use that causes delay that needs to be compensated for is the GATE. It has 88 samples of delay.

You will hear people say that PDC will make your mixes sound better. That is only true if you are using plug ins that cause dly on multi mic sources, or a plug in that has a huge amount of DLY.

For instance, if you are using SMACK! you will incur 1 sample of dly. If that is only on one vocal you will not even notice it. If it is on a multi mic source than you would need PDC.

If you are using a limiter on your master fader, then PDC really does nothing for you. It is on the final output track.

Now that I've said that, I am so happy I no longer have to nudge tracks in order to use the gate! SWEET!

Not sure why I started this thread, probably because I am in love with PT9!

[getz76]

You don't use Ozone4, eh? :)

[SKI]

Why did you start this post?
Because it goes along with why the arguements for ADC would get out of hand.
Not everyone is creating the situation or having to deal with the problem.
We all preetty much know all the plugs that were the big delay makers and dealt with them accordingly while others didn't use plugs that caused the problems.

Now that it's here lets see how people find new ways to complain or say they don't see a difference, while others like yourself ease back in their chair with a smile.

[Kris75]

Originally Posted by getz76

You don't use Ozone4, eh? :)

No, but if I did, it would be on a single stereo file, not on multiple tracks in a mix. Just my own personal workflow though.

[formfunction]

Originally Posted by Kris75

Not sure why I started this thread, probably because I am in love with PT9!

Then call it ADC, not PDC. If only because that is what we have called it since it came out! It is great isn't it?

[Kris75]

Originally Posted by formfunction

Then call it ADC, not PDC. If only because that is what we have called it since it came out! It is great isn't it?

Yup! I use pdc because people get confused thinking I am talking about conversion! ADC it is!

[daeron80]

If you mix real drums, you probably use gates more often than not, and any read-ahead gate will require delay for obvious reasons. Maybe IK improved it later, but my version of TRacks EQ has 96 samples of delay. I use it a lot, but sometimes I avoid it when I'd like to have used it, just so I don't have to deal with the delay. I forget which, but there are one or two others I use semi-regularly that require compensation. ADC (not A/D, just to be clear! ) will decidedly:

1. speed up my workflow and
2. help keep me in the creative zone (you know, doing music instead of math?)

both of which should result in better sounding mixes.

[getz76]

Originally Posted by Kris75

No, but if I did, it would be on a single stereo file, not on multiple tracks in a mix. Just my own personal workflow though.

Usually. But Ozone4 can be used in a lot of situations other than that. It is actually rather flexible.

It is nice to be able to use it on a single track (say vocals) without having to worry about manually compensating.

"Auto" as an option is always nice. :)

[Ramtitam]

If I would turn off ADC in my mixes it generally would sound awful because there will suddenly be timing problems all over the place.

[wcody]

If anyone is using Universal Audio's UAD card(s), PT 9's ADC is an absolute Godsend. It works perfectly on my Mac/Digi 002/UAD-2 quad. No more mucking about with Mellowmuse.