If your were stuck on a desert island and could only have one compressor which one would you choose?

(Assuming you also have a micpre, a mic, a tape deck, some tape and a coconut milk powered generator, and some singing mermaids worth recording.)

So what I'm asking is what's your favorite all around compressor.

No such thing.

Distressor is flexible and sounds good, but the DSP sidechain is un-repairable, so it's a bad choice for a desert island.

FMR RNC is pretty good and pretty flexible, but there are much better devices for specific tasks.

1176 sounds great on certain things, not so hot on others.

DBX 160X is about as close as you can get. Not horrible on anything, but it isn't my first choice for much.

Of all the ones I've had a chance to try, I'd go with the UA optical compressor that comes with the 610 series. I heard a Chandler demo online and that sounded stunningly good.

LA2A!!!!!

(steve is right, but if i only had an LA2A, i would be pretty happy)

steve wrote:No such thing.
Distressor is flexible and sounds good, but the DSP sidechain is un-repairable, so it's a bad choice for a desert island.

Why is it not fixable?


Regards,
David

spoon wrote:

steve wrote:No such thing.
Distressor is flexible and sounds good, but the DSP sidechain is un-repairable, so it's a bad choice for a desert island.

Why is it not fixable?


Regards,
David

Can you write and compile new firmware from scratch?

Just what came to my mind...

Drawmer MX30, I guess.


No wait, Avalon VT747 - 'cos no matter how bad something sounds, you put it through this and it's just better.

let's forget the island.

i vote distressor. it's simple to use, flexible and is a wonderful tool.

i got the new chandler germanium comps and they sound quite nice. The added wet/dry feature (internal parallel compression) is brilliant. They aren't as precise and "tool" like as the distressors though.

and i agree that the dbx160x never sounds bad. it works quite well, sounds good and is cheap.

Yes! - Everybody the island part was just meant to be funny!!!


If you had a studio with only one compressor what would it be????

What is the deal with the new chandler germanium line? Didn't many manufacturers use germanium transisters in their products back in the 1960's and before?