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(Mike Rivers) writes:
In article writes:

Sure. I'm completely aware of this, but with suitable ratio and attack/
release times you can usually achieve a measure of dynamic control without
excessive "loss of life."

I thought you would. You've been around for a while. But "usually" and
"excessive" are the operative (or non-operative) words here.

You might have missed my original point -- the concern was that even with
NO GAIN REDUCTION, with the audio just looped through, I noted this sonic
loss with the RNC.

That's unusual. I don't notice it with my RNC, but then I don't go
A/B-ing everything I connect. I only patch in the compressor when I
think I need it, and then I expect a certain change in the sound
because that's what I'm after. Since most of what I decide needs
compression either has too much "sparkle" and I'm trying to get rid of
it or it's something rather flat that needs the attack punched up a
bit.

Agreed completely. My "finding" with the RNC was not immediate; I never
suspected it at first because I don't really use compression on a daily
basis. But on later playbacks (days later) something kept bugging me
consistently about the sound of the various tracks I'd compressed within
the mixes, so much so over time that I went back and started playing with
the settings thinking I was whumping on it too hard. But no matter what I
tried, including no GR, the sound had been dulled.

And the problem being present with no GR was the clue.

Pull the critter out of the line and the sweetness came back again. The
old Quad-8s I used many glacial aeons ago (both optical and VCA-based
models) never seemed to alter the overall life of the track (unless you
really hit them hard), nor did the LA3A I used from time to time (I think
it was a 3, might have been a 2).

It may simply be apples and oranges. The RNC hits a price point that
perhaps means some corner cutting in certain areas that isn't a
big problem in many applications but is apparent in others.

But isn't the DBX 1066 even less expensive? I don't think it's a

Nope. List on the 1066 is around $500-600 I think, while the RNC was under
$200 (at least when I got it). That probably gave a few more dimes to the
DBX parts budget, such that the 1066 can use XLRs and have some additional
features such as independent channel GR controls, expander, and peak
limiter as well as compressor for each channel.

I haven't peeked inside, but perhaps DBX even opted for slightly better op
amps on the I/O buffers. That and the connectors alone might be what I'm
hearing.

Also, judging by the weight near the power inlet the thing might have a
slightly beefier power supply.

matter of cost, it's what the designer was after. Chances are you
wouldn't like an LA2 where you like the dbx either. If you've found
the right tool for your applications, there's no reason not to use it.
I'm not knocking it.

Understood, and of course the same applies to the RNC.

Frank Stearns
Mobile Audio

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