It would even be better not to sum through your DAW but rather use analog gear, a console or be dedicated summing mixer to actually get "that analog sound".

 

I agree with db music" not with escaping" but it does also depend on what genre and what writing/programming style you have as me personally much of the time as i usualy program dnb or energetic music to say the least,So im always usually mixing directly into the limiter or im appling alot of compression overall to shape the tone early on as opposed to mid or late mix if that makes any sense......
And of course if you sculpt your sounds using comp and overdriving stuff via limiting etc etc ,if you then switch it off it will indeed sound shit,unless the settings used are minimul.......
Compression can be a really tricky thing but once you get to grips with whats actually happening to the signal,you can apply it to pretty much wherever and whenever you want, Thats not to say its always needed or will sound any better tho....
Anyway i did give your mix a listen and to be quite honest your Extremely close in terms of overall tone/mix etc with that reference tune...

 

Look Jaymz.. the same principal of logic for you to claim someone should start the mixing process by mixing into a master bus compressor with -4db of gain reduction applied in advance is like recommending that someone mix all their tracks into a master EQ with curves and cutoffs applied in advance. If the tracks have to be shaped to conform to any global spectrum that isn't neutral the true mix will be out of proportion in the ugliest way possible if you disengage whatever you have on the master. How much control do you think you have if you start a mix with global compression applied and when you change one thing on any channel it effects all? You don't start a mix having anything on the master out because it removes your ability to make discrete changes on a per channel basis. You need to wake up.

 

Last edited: May 6, 2016

that wasnt my claim bubba you need go back a read again ;) that was the claim of another! so get ur shit straight befor you post things i didnt say >>WAKE UP lol you wake up dude

 

That's not you on page 2 cosigning for the other guy huh? Must be somebody else who calls themselves Jaymz in here.

 

lol what i said has nothin to do with what he said my man... but what you said so dont dodge the question lol Look if you dont use compression on your master bus then Hey! good for you Big Ticket ..... point in fact is>>>> alot of us in the field DO use it on the bus as personal preference, and been doing so for Decades... so you dont use it ? well thats your preference, an nothing more

 

I saw plenty of youtube videos and read plenty of articles on sound on sound with well-known producers/engineers who produce/mix with a Master Bus Comp enabled right from the beginning that they mix into for a certain feel or aesthetic. I think it's just a do or don't do thing depending on personal preference and style.

 

I see what you mean. I too have a similar approach. I get into the hard limiting, mainly for my percussion in that particular channel and up the volume pretty high. As for the rest of the mix, like synths, subs and melodies, they tend to stay in a reasonable volume level. But as far as the master channel, it is left alone until I'm completely done the mix. All that is present on that master is a gentle limiter. Hell, you can use as many limiters as you want really! Mastering and mixing has certainly changed since the early 2000's. They didn't hard limit like they do now! But I would totally have to agree with you when it comes to genre. It really depends. If I were to do a mastering on a band, I would probably have a different approach and I wouldn't be compressing so hard with drums and such.

Thanks for the input on my mix and master. I'm going to get that analogue sound for the next track going with my new solid slate plugins and see how that goes!

 

Sorry for my late responce mann...
What i would suggest to you is not to use just one limiter or compressor on whatever channel your applying it too!....."I will explain".....

Ok so your programming edm based stuff...So those times when your applying limiting or compression to bulk up and kinda bolster the sound out n ramp it up like mad.Instead of using one limiter at the end of your chain and one compressor before hand.
"Try 2 or 3 even" i mean two or even 3 comps n limiters set at much lower settings which when all run together gives the same effect but sounds much clearer and way way easier to mix into a project,do you see what im getting at or am i not making sense to you??

That said i do only employ this technique with decent comps n limiters....dunno if i could achieve the same thing with sub par fx

 

Last edited: May 7, 2016

Mixing into a master bus compressor is a typical thing, but ALWAYS having the master bus compressor "working", I daresay, is probably a bit more challenging but definitely not impossible..

Here is a quote from Peter J Moore, mastering engineer , who works with some acoustic performers, like Diane Krall
on an SOS interview

Peter: "I would recommend that mixers get into the habit of using proper mix-bus compression. This will allow me to dynamically process less and still achieve the desired quality and average output level. Think of compression as a really good paint job on a car. It's better to have many thin coats of paint, rather than one thick coat.

As has been mentioned, mixing into a compressor can be simply for tone..
For instance, Shadow Hills Compressors have a few distinct tone flavors even before the compressor engages.

It's the same thing with consoles. For instance, if you know what an SSL 9K sounds like and you know what a Never 88RS sounds like, you probably know what song will go with which console.. SSL will sound probably tighter and with sharper punch vs the 88RS more mellow sound with rounded low end..

But don't expect to get a truly nice 'tone' from sub $300 compressors.. I've tried so many, and I know Lindell was mentioned, probably the 7X-500, but that's a FET compressor, ala 1176, which isn't really used for Masters since their attacks are "usually" too fast or aggressive. An ideal master compressor would just barely change the transients, and in a pleasing way.. kind of like 'compressing' the transients so it feels more impactful.

That kind of effect you want in your price range, possibly a bit more, can most likely only safely be gotten from a DIY project or a plugin, which probably won't sound as good or will sound great, but not have the exact tactile controls of its hardware equivalent, ala Acustica

anyway.. I think has been factually shown that mixers can do it both ways.. I think it might be prudent to just wait until we receive the song that we need to mix and then decide which way would work best for that particular song..

 

I often do that with my drums. I will use separate compressors on my kick and then a glue compressor on all the percussion to "glue" the sounds together and compress them more, then one of my FAVORITE things to do now is use a transient shaper. I use it a lot to tighten up the transients so there is room for the rest of the mix. Probably the most important tool beside my cytomic glue compressor when it comes to making beats. I also use a lot of limiters for the drums to ease the sound and not hard clip it.

 

Well, I think that this topic has strayed completely off course. To get back to the point :

I think that you should save your money and buy a TK Audio BC1S. It's sn SSL clone with built-in (switchable & stepped) SC-Hpf.

Since giving anyone one's advice in this forum warrants outrageous disagreements, I'll just say to go to gearslutz, and research different ways to use your "Hardware 2-buss Compressor". Experiment, and most importantly, have fun learning what works for you.

 

I've got these Vintage Compressor by NI. I haven't really even used them all that much, but they look to be good for that analogue hardware sound:

https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/effects/vintage-compressors/

 

Those probably sound great.

Just an FYI, those compressors are used for tracking and/or mixing, not on the 2-buss.

Maybe do some research on the different kinds of compression - FET, VCA, Optical, Tube, Vari-Mu, and PWM.

And then, some research on the compressors that have been used the most in the past 60 years.

Both sets of info will give you a good idea of what kind of sound all of the "newer" hardware and software developers are going for.

With that being said, there are no wrong ways to use a compressor. Patch it in an experiment. I've know a couple of people who have ran a pair of UREI 1176, and also Purple MC77 on the mix buss before. There is no wrong way.

Look at Cytomic "The Glue" too.

If you find a software solution that you like, then you just saved yourself a bunch o' money!

 

I didn't read all the replies, so I don't know if anyone already talked about the dbx 163. You can probably get a pair of used dbx 163 for $300 and they really give stuff some movement and analog vibe. It's my favorite cheap buss comp and there's nothing easier to use in the world.

 

Well there is a lot of options available, So choosing which suits you best will come down to a matter of taste as well as how much you're willing to spend. Here are some that I have, like a lot and use often FWIW:
http://www.fmraudio.com/rnc.html http://www.fmraudio.com/rnla.html http://www.fmraudio.com/pbc.html
That is a really nice trio which you'll still have plenty of change left over from £1000
If you're into API's amazingly great but amazingly expensive 25000 stereo bus compressor then this is the way to go, A quality unit in it's own right but even better with the API based circuitry inside, The 'Thrust' part in particular really sets it apart. Top notch I would say: http://www.jdkaudio.com/r22.html
Drawmer's 1978, One I really like a lot: http://www.drawmer.com/products/70s_series/1978_tone_shaping_compressor.php
Drawmer 1968 MkII Mercenary Edition, A valve and FET design, Is more pricey than the 78 but well worth the extra shekels in my very humble honest opinion if a compressor with plenty of character on tap is desired, Very solid option
Elysia Xpressor,Discrete and pure class-A, Offers everything that a good stereo mix compressor should do along with a 'warm' mode which adds in some great sounding, classy saturation.
For a pair of total classics without paying through the nose for original units or Universal Audio's reissued versions, You could do a lot worse
than a either a pair of Warm Audio's UREI 1176 based or Teletronix LA-2A based compressors/levelling amplifiers:
http://www.warmaudio.com/#!wa76/s6bvt http://www.warmaudio.com/#!wa-2a/q1bfg
I love this for the price and just solid, dependable performance using THAT Corporation VCA based circuit, Ideal as a master bus/out compressor is the Chameleon Labs 7720 classic DBX-esue due to the same VCA but a lot more modern and for the money it's extremely difficult to complain about anything it offers.
dbx's 160A, A pair of them, Again one I really like: http://dbxpro.com/en/products/160a
Although now in 500-series format, If you can track one down then try to as they can be had for great prices and are tso much awesome in one 19 rack unit space of dynamic domination, I love mine: http://valleypeople.com/dynamite.html
Golden Age Projects Comp-84, It is extremely difficult to poke any holes in it for the price to performance ratio but you'll need to grab a pair though. Also it is heavily based on a certain AMS Neve design, So it'll depend whether it'd work for you or not.
A really quality update on an old but still just great sounding Decca 1977 in-house built limiter circuit but at the same time truly modern,
DAV Electronics BG4 Stereo Compressor/Limiter

I'm absolutely certain there are some things which have slipped my mind but I'm almost certain the fellow members will have plenty of sound advice and suggestions, Hope that is of some use

All the best to yourself and all as always

Dean

 

They certainly seem to be popular. My local music shop carries them....hmmmm

 

You're just a looser if you don't buy and use this. Everything else sucks and you will NEVER ever record anything worth letting anybody listen to in your whole life. You will sink in despair and never get out of bed, chain watch Judge Judy reruns and eat only potato chips breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sell your car, all your worldly possessions, do anything in order to get this compressor or else your life will never have meaning, nobody will like you and your sneakers will start to smell like rotten cheese. Mark these words or pay the price.
http://vintageking.com/shadow-hills-industries-mastering-compressor

 

Ok, I'll take your word for it! lol

 

Now you might laugh at this, like i did initially, but i just discovered a cheap gem. And it's a Behringer! Look out for the Behringer T1952. It's a compressor/gate/limiter but also has a tube stage in it too, meaning you get tube warmth to the sound too. I was dismissive when i found this unit recently, but was pretty amazed when i listened to stuff being put through it, and in a good way!

https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=179949