Expander Gate/Dynamics III vs Drawmer Dynamics

[DaveSB]

Hi I was wondering if the Digidesign Expander Gate/Dynamics III is as good as the Drawmer Dynamics plugin.
Any comments about either would be great.

thanks in advance
Dave

[JFreak]

Drawmer is great!

[DaveSB]

Hi can you please say why and have you compared it to the new Digi version

[tonmeistermat]

My experience with dynamics III is not great. it sounds fine if you don't over use it, or if the sound you are processing is very clean. However if there is a little distortion or crunchiness in the track (as there often is in 'sync' sound in post work), the Dynamics III adds horrible harmonic distortion, and is almost un-usable. I don't know the Drawmer, but the focusrite (that is also bundled) is very good by comparison.

Mat

[JFreak]

Hi can you please say why and have you compared it to the new Digi version

Drawmer keeps the signal more alive, despite heavy compression. The gate section however is a little tricky with very fast opening times.

[crizdee]

Hi I was wondering if the Digidesign Expander Gate/Dynamics III is as good as the Drawmer Dynamics plugin.
Any comments about either would be great.

thanks in advance
Dave

Hey Dave, try the Sonalksis sv718 http://www.sonalksis.com/

Chris

[Steve MacMillan]

I really like the Oxford Dynamics for gating. It has all of the features you could want in a gate plus a built in lookahead so the gate isn't shaving transients.

STeve

[KingFish]

Dynamics III adds horrible harmonic distortion, and is almost un-usable.
Mat

I second this. Too bad though, as I really like the EQ III, I've never had any use for the EQ II, but I now use EQ III often, as a 1st "go to" the Dyn III is still back in the dark ages, sounds like the same plugin as the Compressor II - just with a newer GUI (I know it's not, but it didn't come as far ahead as the EQ did) Digi still has some work in the Dyn department, and when they get it down, just think of the ChannelStrip plug they could have with EQ III and a "good" Dyn IV" Build right into the Digi-Rack / Pro-tools

[minister]

I second this. Too bad though, as I really like the EQ III, I've never had any use for the EQ II, but I now use EQ III often, as a 1st "go to" the Dyn III is still back in the dark ages, sounds like the same plugin as the Compressor II - just with a newer GUI (I know it's not, but it didn't come as far ahead as the EQ did) Digi still has some work in the Dyn department, and when they get it down, just think of the ChannelStrip plug they could have with EQ III and a "good" Dyn IV" Build right into the Digi-Rack / Pro-tools

i third this.

the distortion is terrible and unsuable on dialogue or VO. i stopped using it -- except on my producer phone patch.

EQ III is certainly an improvement.

[JFreak]

Have you people tried the free/cheap compressor made by Steven Massey? It's not tweakable enough for all applications, but works nicely where a simple compressor is suitable.