Hello FosterClub..
Why (for example) do you have so many compressors? You can't do everything with a digital compressor, DMG trackcomp and a multiband? Is it a question of collecting? Obsessive compulsive problems? Or do you really need more than 3 compressors? No, it's not a criticism, and not even one FosterThread.. I'm just curious..

 

You assume that many people use more than 3 compressors at home, how do you know that?

Why isn't there just one type of bread? Just one PC brand? Just one orange juice manufacturer?

The answer is variety rather than ideas, competition and technological progress.

If you have several suppliers and one fails, you can just go to the next supplier who offers a similar product. Competition always leads to lower prices. Everyone tries to sell their product, some with great success and some with less success. Some products are also further developed and adapted to modern systems.

I currently use 2 compressors.

 

the day you learn "to feel" a compressor and not just "to hear" it you will understand

 

Because of relying on perception.
It is as "patatern" said, it's the result of just trying to feel it, rather than actually evaluating if it's senseful or not.
I just highly doubt that someone will really "understand" the result then.

 

Seen in some video.. Read somewhere.. Come on, are you serious? Try asking anywhere (What's your favorite compressor?) and they will list one for each month of the year!

lol..

 

Do you really believe in this thing? It seems more like a placebo effect..

 

Yes, relying on feelings can definetely result in making fallacy-based actions.

 

They are a strange discussion partner, they usually do not respond to the arguments at all and distract with emotional assumptions that do not represent any knowledge.

 

I generally use only a 3 but from time to time I like to try others.

 

Because plugins are free.

Many people are poor and having lots of plugins means you sometimes feel like you're rich. Rich in plugins.
You also never know when the Internet will be shut down and you can leave something to your descendants.

You should also test plugins to see if you can use them, if you can use them or if they are any good - you can always delete them!

 

Actually, I don't. A while ago, I realized I had plugin overload. I don't need 12 compressors when I have two or three I know how to use really well, so I don't download more. Same with softsynths. I have a lot of the best ones, not to mention a lot of great hardware. I'm not going to waste time downloading another wavetable or fm synth when I already have plenty that do the job.

 

The first virtual compressor for DAWs was developed by Steinberg for Cubase in 1996.

28 years later here in the forum, it's no longer about what it does and how to use it, but why so many people own several.

 

I test almost anything that MAY replace my favorites.
But at the end, i delete MOST and keep only a few.

As an example, i stopped using Waves : too many choice.
Same with most plugins suites.
Same with reverbs : i replaced almost all (apart convolution) by Valhalla verbs.

But i still use different saturation/distortion ... because i clearly EAR a difference on this point.
I use them as "color palette".

And i totally understand ppl more sensible to dynamic using several compressors with different response, saturation output ...
May be not 12 anyway

As a side note, why there are a BUNCH of compressors, EQs ... and on and on, modeling OVER limited "niche" sound ?
Whereas you can reproduce them with more "generalist" ones ?

We already seen a thread here about those "limited" reproduction.
Why ? To sell several instead of one.

That's why the market is over saturated with 1176 compressors : a name, a nice sound ... but very limited at the end.
See the settings (ratio buttons ... LOL) :

 

There are a lot of free synths that could do the same thing, no? On the high seas we say pirate for 3 compressors then ye is pirate!

 

I would have sworn, well I know I was, using Digidesign tdm plugins with Opcodes great StudioVision as a front end prior to Steinbergs introduction of vst's (and I'm certainly not putting that forward as a rebuttal or anything, as yeah, I guess while virtual, it did require additional hardware in the form of nubus cards etc at the time), but yeah, to your greater point... agreed completely.

Ultimately, stock compressors have come a long way, certainly for utility competence, and I do try out different color compressors, or ones with functionality that couldn't be done before, and dip my toe in the water on them to see if they could change my workflow paradigm etc... but ultimately I choose to, or rather 'aspire' to, if you know what I mean, to keep that list small, as it's ultimately knowing your tools well and being able to use them, than it is always having the latest greatest what is coming around the corner plug... I think it's in our nature here to always be waiting for Godot, but when it comes down to brass tacks, there are certain tools we know well under pressure that may not be "best", but we know how to use to get us there...

 

I personally use TrackComp 2 and FabFilter for everything. I've picked up a bunch of plugins over the years, it's fun to collect and test them, some of them have really cool features. But I don't think the slight differences in sound are worth the hassle of installing and learning to use all those different tools. So I eventually ditched everything and kept just what I believed to be enough.

Anyway, I've done a bunch of blind tests, and I've learned that most of what I thought was great about a plugin had to do with UX. A lot of the biases and preferences I used to have were totally debunked by these tests, so I highly recommend people to do their own.

 

Actually you need 4 types of compression

 

i'm a poor musician so i only use these :

 

A little note guys/girls.. Yes, it's really nice to have the chance to try so much stuff.. My curiosity was more about those who have had this hobby/job for a long time, and despite having already tried many, he uses many, and is still hyped for yet another 1176.. Anyway, it's a useless thread, because obviously everyone does what they like best.. I just find it strange and counterproductive to have too much! Sorry for my English..

 

imo it seems very similar to when you start making a lot of money. at a certain amount you can go pretty much anywhere and buy what you want; but ive learned just because you can get something, doesnt mean you need it

where a lot of people with excessive funds just consume out of boredom or to have something to do and talk about - unless you have some greater purpose to strive for, having that excess can easily become a cycle of consuming, getting a rush from the new thing, that getting old, going back to being bored, repeat

it seems like the same psychology to me