So, I got Sonible smart:comp 2 for 50€ now. That’s very ok!
First impressions:
It really can do a lot of stuff that I totally don’t understand
The AI thing is not true AI of course. But everything is AI nowadays, why not this compressor? It gets some nice values to start with. The automatically set values are very subtle, not “in yer face”…
The visual approach helps immensely, but you still need to use your ears of course. In general the UI is great, both for setting parms and seeing results. So it’s actually great for learning!
Still need to figure out “normal” compression stuff, but the AI settings and some playing around with the style knob (cleaner or more dirty) and the color knob (darker or brighter) gets some nice tone…
There is a German review of the old V1 version: https://www.bonedo.de/artikel/sonible-smartcomp-test/
V2 is much better (according to other reviews, ie https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/sonible-smartcomp-2: “With that in mind, could Smart:Comp 2 be a smart (sorry!) choice for those dipping their first toe into the compression waters? Well, yes. The AI‑based Learn functionality is very impressive, producing suitably transparent results for almost any routine compression task, while helping you avoid some of the more obvious compression pitfalls. In addition, the very clever UI provides great visual feedback that can be highly instructive.”)
Got it from https://knobcloud.com/ - my new favourite site for software I don’t actually need…
When it comes to compression, I recommend taking a look at the emulations of Empirical Labs Distressor. (I am using Arousor by Eli ( https://www.empiricallabs.com/product/arousor/ ) But there are good alternatives.) The sound of that box is so cool for some applications. I snatched my copy of the original emulation for 69 bucks at Christmas. (So, yeah, they do discounts from time to time.)
ok so as long as we’re here i got a book on azon about mixing and the author recommends the fabfilter pro-c compressor plugin, mostly because he likes the metering on it. anybody know of it?
That was my first choice! All reviews of the pro-c 2 were great … but the Smart:Comp 2 had some convincing better reviews, also in comparison.
Also … 50€
Both have trial versions…
Yes, I have this one… my bass teacher talked me into it. It’s very good, but expensive. They have a few other very, very nice plug-ins (a multi-band compressor, an EQ, a limiter, …). While they are all equally expensive, if you own one of theirs you get more and more rebate on the next ones you purchase…
(Also: my bass teacher is spoiled…)
You know they are Dutch, right!?!? It was basically your civic duty to get their compressor
There is a reason why I was thrown out of the country
Sonible is Austrian … from a Dutch perspective not many good things came from Austria in the last 100 years!
But - thank you for pointing me to the FabFilter Pro-C compressor. The concept was exactly what I needed. And the Smart:Comp 2 is very much like the Pro-c, UI-wise.
My plan is to learn with the Smart:Comp 2 and use the Kiloheartz to verify my learnings.
Tonewise I do prefer the LA-2 compressor though. Cannot make neither the Smart:Comp 2 nor the Kiloheartz sound quite right (yet).
the book is good (i think?). haven’t really trialed any of his advice. but i really like the format, which is basically a down and dirty simple approach to home recording.
Well the point is - unless you are doing multiband compression, the line and meter on the Kilohearts plugin and the frequency domain graph on a full spectrum compressor are identical in terms of compression - they are showing you the exact same info, because all that matters on that entire graph is the actual peak. For single band compression, it’s actually a 1-dimensional problem tied to peak level, regardless of how you graph it.
The frequency domain graph becomes interesting for going multiband in terms of where you split the bands (or for EQ, filters, and many other non-compression things.) One thing it does show nicely I guess is the effect of the makeup gain but a time domain graph shows that too.
A time domain graph of the signal is actually interesting in all cases too, but all DAWs have that.
All of FabFilter’s stuff is really good. I wouldn’t say I would necessarily recommend them over other choices in all cases but they also will not steer you wrong.
It’s funny because I was just selling an outstanding full spectrum multiband compressor and EQ (iZotope Neutron), roughly same league (maybe a step down but not much) as a combined Pro-C and Pro-Q, for $30 - but you all missed it
Another solid choice for full spectrum multiband compression, yeah. Like Pro-C and Neutron it can do a lot of various modes of transient attentuation and shaping. But it is way beyond a simple compressor
Yes, not doubting the accuracy of this or your previous statement (that would be foolish of me ). It’s me who has been too vague in my own wording…
However, your statements also come from a place of knowing, and a lot of these concepts are painfully obvious to you, but for us who are only beginning to understand compression and related concepts, it takes a bit longer for bits to slot into the right places. What I like about the FabFilter interface (and similar plug-ins) is that it graphically shows the main important settings (the “compression algorithm” if you want). That “simple” input level-output level plot helped me immensely to “get” what threshold, ratio, knee etc meant and what they entailed. Before, these concepts had been rather abstract. And being able to see how this plot changes as I turn various knobs and correlating this to how my signal changes (and my sound changes) was super helpful for me.
I did see it, but I already own those FabFilter plug-ins, so…
These are not the same at all. tl;dr, don’t worry about any of this yet, just understand the fundamentals first.
Longer answer - the knee shape is for setting how the compressor transitions from linear response (no compression) to its full compression setting based on the level. Different shapes have different sounds. But you won’t be able to understand this until you understand the basics.
The Attack and Release curves are envelopes describing how the compression ramps up or down across the onset of offset of a signal in the time domain. Again, don’t worry about this yet, just think of attack and release as scalar time values for now.
). It’s me who has been too vague in my own wording…
