Hardware compressor for s2400

S2400
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Hey all, I’m looking to spend some coin on a good hardware compressor. I’m writing house. Can be from 140bpm energetic prog/ tech to 125bpm groovy swingy house. I have some modern gear ie Roland boutiques, tr1000 and korg opsix, and some classic gear ie jp8080, some emu modules… all this summing through Allen Heath zed mixers summed to a ssl six and then into cubase.

I want to try unify all the parts; drums synths pads and gel them together and add some warmth and add some snap to my drums. I was looking at the ssl bus+. I have also seen the Tegeler Crème might be a good contender. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

What are you guys using with your s2400?

Hardware suggestions only please.

thanks x

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I usually use Ableton’s Glue Compressor, which is apparently based on the SSL G series bus compressor. If I were to get a dedicated hardware compressor, it would be that.

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Im pondering on wether to buy a behringer 369kt or not.

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Yeah I’m leaning towards the ssl, just from being so impressed with the six mixer. I Can’t find a store that can audition them for me, and vids online are mostly rock and hip hop based. I’d really like to hear a few in action before I commit to spending $2-3k AU.

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I use a Rockruepel CompOne, a rare german boutique VariMu here, which retains the lowend of the kick really tight for a tube comp. But its more 5000,- up used.

Personally, for solid state stuff, i would look into API, or more modern, Elysia stuff. Their stuff is exceptional good. Never was a big fanboy of SSL myself (and the Tegeler Audio stuff too…)

I would consider TK Audio for ‘SSL sound’ alikes.

For tubes I would definitly consider a HCL Varis, the best cheap vari mu out there imho. Great unit.

But choices might hugely be influenced from where youre located at.

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Thanks for the reply, mate. Probably a little out of my price range, but I’m gonna check these other options out.

Appreciate it.

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In general:

  • vca - controlled, fast, precise, smack.
  • fet - harmonic distortion, fast, aggressive, punchy, edgy.
  • opto - slow, glue, smooth, good for macro-dynamics.
  • vari-mu - generally slower but not always (e.g. rockruepel is fast), smooth, less-pronounced effect, slow knee, used a lot in mastering/ stereo bus.

Then there’s saturation as a form of compression, such as tube compression from something like a thermionic culture vulture.

I vote API 2500 or Kush UBK Fatso, both of which I have never used but would like myself lol.

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Thank mate. Appreciate the reply.

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I use the Behringer 369, and even though it’s a plastic Behringer, I’m very happy with it and would recommend it.

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Better than a compressor would be you becoming a god at mixing… I say practice that.

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Cheers mate,

Fellow TR1000 user who makes house and techno. Curious how you’ve found the 2400 in terms of the goals you were originally after.

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Not sure what you wanna know exactly. It’s my favourite piece of gear to program and play. I pretty much record everything through my s2400.

I would love some more ADSR options for the gate on the pads when triggering samples. Feels a little rigid compared to the sampler in cubase in regards to how you can sculpt the envelope to give you more control options for the envelope. Mainly for recording in vocal chops. Doesn’t seem to record exactly how I’m pressing the pads. (Hoping the team can do something with it in a future patch) they may have recently, I think they did mention it. I’m still on an older driver.

I have a midi clock issue with my tr1000 in my setup that I’m hoping Roland will patch in the next driver update, so I haven’t really used it other than recording drums into daw and then exporting them into my s2400. Pretty much all my drums and vocals and pads and bass go through it at some point before recording in my daw.

SSL six was also a big upgrade. You can push the channels hard and sounds dope. Not like my Allen and heath desks. If I could redo my setup I would piss off the zed desks and get a big six.

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Appreciate the reply. I kept the question broad, as I was curious for you to shine light on the details that matter most to you.

All of which are what I’m taking an interest in.

Live looping while slaved to a midi clock is a big draw from me. And the sonic character, and internal sequencing I’m also keep to take advantage of.

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I just noticed that we both have the Big Six SSL. If I can further ask:

  • What is your signal routing going into the 2400?

I’m using the Bus out to the MPC Live 3. But the hindrance is that it doesn’t record while being slaved to an external clock.

  • Is it accurate that step recording currently isn’t supported? Meaning, do you have to press stop record when you want to end a take?