Great demonstration vid, thanks. I have the RNC1773, and am still playing around with it to get the best effect. At the moment I am generally just using it for light compression during tracking; on the signal before it goes into my audio interface. Overall I thought the compressor effects in the video were quite mild (or am I deaf??!). I liked the clarity of Compression B on the vocals, only to find out it was stock software compressor - ha! As many know, the value of a compressor is best observed when you know what type of sound you are trying to get from it: from clean and open, to crushed and pumping. It's good to experiment with different instruments and different thresholds, ratios, attack and release times to understand the nature of the unit and how you can get from it the sound you hear in head. I think the 1773 will allow you to get the sound you want on most (all?) occasions.
-----" I liked the clarity of Compression B on the vocals, only to find out it was stock software compressor - ha!" I wasn't clarity, it was harshness. Same thing that always plagues digital effects, but which analog gear usually does not suffer from. What monitors are you listening through?
Good stuff, In all the shootouts it’s never as clear cut as this, every single one I chose the RNC clear cut, sounds more alive and interesting than the stock comps
it quite easy. all hardware compressor really level the signal compared to plugin. Before i was not into the analog vs digital until i purchased BLA Bluey. It's night and day vers common 1176 plugin. The hardware are always consistent and thick in the low mid
Yes, thanks for providing this test, as I'm thinking of buying the RNC and/or the RNLA. (Multiple units, probably.) I correctly identified which one was the digital version every time. I don't know why we still can't accurately mimic analog gear, but analog still sounds clearly better. Digital stuff is always harsher.
I guessed it right away. Hardware compressor sounded better with the drums, bass and whatever you through at it. Software compressor was just making the sound worse: narrow, shallow and distorted in some frequencies. I am getting the RNC!
nabbed this for $120 on craigslist. "super nice" button is what i use on the bus insert on my ssl big six, i use it to tickle the master, it's a tiny bit of color, but unopinionated. not sold on the drum release setting tbh, not how i would use it (even on drum bus). would HIGHLY recommend this unit for under $300. it will be over that soon and they're not exactly falling from the rafters.
@@Nicholas-Kent yes if I don’t plan to upgrade anything in a long time. It’s a great piece to enter hardware since it’s cheap relatively. If I plan to do music for a long period I would just start with 500 series modules. (They have a 500 series version as well)
The RNC sounds really good! Thanks for doing this. For the vocals, did you connect your preamp into the compressor with a ts cable? Then from the compressor to your interface with a ts cable?
@@SoundcastStudios Vocals don't have a lot of transients to tame. You should never put the attack time to it's minimum on a compressor unless you really need to. It takes away the clarity of the vocals and your vocals won't sound as upfront.
@@SoundcastStudios it CAN have a really fast attack time. You don’t have to crank the attack all the way down. And I’d assume most ppl don’t. Not for tracking vocals anyways.
@@blvkqmusicgroup There is definitely a general consensus/audio engineering knowledge that you set the attack time of compressors to the minimum for special cases where you want to tame the transients as much as possible for tracking/recording (usually drums). For mixing, hard clippers are better suited for taming transients than compressors or limiters. Vocals don't have a lot of transients you need to tame. Vocals have variation in dynamics that compressors are used to help smooth out. Setting a compressor attack time to the minimum won't catch the initial peaks of any loud transients, but it will clamp down hard as soon as it can, and that clamping down fast and hard kills the transients. Doing that to vocals kills the definition of the sound, as the rich tones of the transients are muted. When you put those vocals in a mix you will find that the vocals won't sound as upfront and rich, no matter what post processing you do, because you already lost the transients.
I have this unit and use it on the master bus. It’s “glues” the track by giving everything a similar eq and compressor setting. (Yes it does do some minor eq tweaks). But I mean, that’s what “gluing” means.
Many thanks, this little device goes definitely on my purchase list. In drums & bass the difference was so obvious.
Glad I bought both the RNC and RNLA
oooooo, do you prefer one over the other in more situations?
i was originally looking for a RNLA but found a RNC for a super nice price. sleeper hit.
Great demonstration vid, thanks. I have the RNC1773, and am still playing around with it to get the best effect. At the moment I am generally just using it for light compression during tracking; on the signal before it goes into my audio interface.
Overall I thought the compressor effects in the video were quite mild (or am I deaf??!). I liked the clarity of Compression B on the vocals, only to find out it was stock software compressor - ha!
As many know, the value of a compressor is best observed when you know what type of sound you are trying to get from it: from clean and open, to crushed and pumping. It's good to experiment with different instruments and different thresholds, ratios, attack and release times to understand the nature of the unit and how you can get from it the sound you hear in head. I think the 1773 will allow you to get the sound you want on most (all?) occasions.
it really is a great compressor. I still own mine. I just sold this version for the 500 series version. Same circuit just in a 500 series form factor
-----" I liked the clarity of Compression B on the vocals, only to find out it was stock software compressor - ha!"
I wasn't clarity, it was harshness. Same thing that always plagues digital effects, but which analog gear usually does not suffer from.
What monitors are you listening through?
@@antiHUMANDesigns hi, JBL LSR2328P
monitors; 1in tweeter, 8" woofer powered speaker.
funny i leant towards comp b on the vocals too
Good stuff, In all the shootouts it’s never as clear cut as this, every single one I chose the RNC clear cut, sounds more alive and interesting than the stock comps
yes!! it definitely has a pleasant sound to it. i love it
But your gain reduction doesn't seem to be matched. How did you set this up and check?
Vocals Results RNC 1773 "Super nice"... is SUPER NICE!!!
Got the RNC especially in the vocals. Very nice video and a very nice compressor.
Thanks!
it quite easy. all hardware compressor really level the signal compared to plugin. Before i was not into the analog vs digital until i purchased BLA Bluey. It's night and day vers common 1176 plugin. The hardware are always consistent and thick in the low mid
Now it makes me want to hear it on the Mix Bus :)
funny you say that, just did a video doing just that
ua-cam.com/video/iz7FG7-6Rgs/v-deo.html
Yes, thanks for providing this test, as I'm thinking of buying the RNC and/or the RNLA. (Multiple units, probably.)
I correctly identified which one was the digital version every time. I don't know why we still can't accurately mimic analog gear, but analog still sounds clearly better. Digital stuff is always harsher.
Not only harsh but flat
I guessed it right away. Hardware compressor sounded better with the drums, bass and whatever you through at it. Software compressor was just making the sound worse: narrow, shallow and distorted in some frequencies. I am getting the RNC!
It’s a great compressor
It's a really nice compressor.
@@CC-fi3pp😉
With super nice buton sound even better on vocals
nabbed this for $120 on craigslist. "super nice" button is what i use on the bus insert on my ssl big six, i use it to tickle the master, it's a tiny bit of color, but unopinionated. not sold on the drum release setting tbh, not how i would use it (even on drum bus).
would HIGHLY recommend this unit for under $300. it will be over that soon and they're not exactly falling from the rafters.
The crash cymbal blooms on the RNC, its muted on the software.
That is a really nice compressor, gotta say.
It is! Completely agree
i think its great for tracking vocals! i think imma get one
@@sanxulian it is! It’s clean and safe
Would you still buy this now if you had the choice or choose something else in the under 1k range, mate?
@@Nicholas-Kent yes if I don’t plan to upgrade anything in a long time. It’s a great piece to enter hardware since it’s cheap relatively.
If I plan to do music for a long period I would just start with 500 series modules. (They have a 500 series version as well)
@SoundcastStudios Appreciated, what 500 series would you recommend as a comp if going with the latter option?
@@Nicholas-Kent depends how bold you are. I do the like RNC 500 since it’s clean but I prefer the CAPI FC526 cause I’m a fan of saturation
The thresholds don't seem to be the same, at least on the drum example. Am I mistaken? Naturally, that'll make a difference...
does it beat the Drawmer 1978 in audio quality?
Not of course not
@@georginikolov1141 so when producing for clients, recomended better using the "Drawmer 1978" instead?
The RNC sounds really good! Thanks for doing this. For the vocals, did you connect your preamp into the compressor with a ts cable? Then from the compressor to your interface with a ts cable?
No preamp. I went out of the interface, into the compressor, back into the interface. I used all TRS cables.
I couldn’t tell which was which, but I know EZDrummer when I hear it.
Why do you have the attack time set to minimum on your vocals?
tame the transients
@@SoundcastStudios Vocals don't have a lot of transients to tame. You should never put the attack time to it's minimum on a compressor unless you really need to. It takes away the clarity of the vocals and your vocals won't sound as upfront.
People compress vocals with 1176s all the time and that has really fast attack time.
@@SoundcastStudios it CAN have a really fast attack time. You don’t have to crank the attack all the way down. And I’d assume most ppl don’t. Not for tracking vocals anyways.
@@blvkqmusicgroup There is definitely a general consensus/audio engineering knowledge that you set the attack time of compressors to the minimum for special cases where you want to tame the transients as much as possible for tracking/recording (usually drums). For mixing, hard clippers are better suited for taming transients than compressors or limiters. Vocals don't have a lot of transients you need to tame. Vocals have variation in dynamics that compressors are used to help smooth out. Setting a compressor attack time to the minimum won't catch the initial peaks of any loud transients, but it will clamp down hard as soon as it can, and that clamping down fast and hard kills the transients. Doing that to vocals kills the definition of the sound, as the rich tones of the transients are muted. When you put those vocals in a mix you will find that the vocals won't sound as upfront and rich, no matter what post processing you do, because you already lost the transients.
Yes sir it is! 🤘😎⚡⚡⚡⚡
I have the 500 series model now, still great!
@@SoundcastStudios Yeah I used the RNC on a DI bass track in a recording and it sounded awesome.
I have this unit and use it on the master bus. It’s “glues” the track by giving everything a similar eq and compressor setting. (Yes it does do some minor eq tweaks).
But I mean, that’s what “gluing” means.
Listen the release on bass sound much better with nice compressor
RNC, hands down the better
does add a nice color
@@SoundcastStudios I'd say it does not TAKE AWAY the nice sound!
show ins and outs next time you review audio gear please
That info isn’t hard to find with a quick google search
Hah, you can hear the singer gulping at the end of the take