Sound:
For what this unit does, it sounds great. First off, I'm not a professional engineer. I'm a singer/musician/songwriter. My main setup is an AKG 4000C or 2 AKG 451s run into a MOTU 828 run into my PowerBook. I'm looking for a compressor to get a full, thick sound and a strong signal with no peaks into my computer from the start, instead of taking 10 takes of a song because 11 of them peaked, so I borrowed one from my local music store.
So here we go...
The preamp is great. While not tube, has a thick, rich, strong, clean sound with lots of versatility, meaning it does all the things it says it does.
The little EQ section is handy. I thought I'd never use it, but when I fiddled around with it I realized that yes indeed, there's a frequency range don't want to include in the recording. I used it to take out some mids, producing a much smoother sound than my mic is capable of reproducing with no EQ.
The compressor is nice and thick, strong, and very clear even when loaded into the red A LITTLE BIT.
Both the preamp and the compressor gave a great sound used in tandom: really thick, strong, expressive, and after I adjusted the input on the 828, not one peak all night. It was SOOOOO nice to have a "peak-free" recording session.
So why only an 8? The sound you get with the features on this unit is great, but there are features lacking that if included, would produce a FAR more superior sound.
Feature:
The pramp--fine.
The EQ--insufficient. There's a sweep feature, but you can't control exactly how much the frequency is cut, only "small curve" and "deep curve". So you could never cut out any specific problem causing frequency. And there is only one band. For me, an amateur, I think it's best not to cut out any frequency I'm not totally sure of right from the beginning because you can't get it back later, but I can imagine needing a better EQ in the not so distant future.
The compressor--very inadequate. There are no separate attack and ratio buttons. This makes for a total lack of versatility. That coming from an amateur is pretty bad, I think.
On the upside: LOTS of ins and outs, and the digital in/out means that this unit can act as an insert. You can apparently run a signal out of your computer into the unit, then out of the unit, back into your computer, all in the digital realm. Actually, any way you want to use this thing in your studio, there are ins/outs to facilitate it.
Quality:
Sturdy, well crafted, lots of attention to detail on all the things they DID include in this unit.
Value:
Well here we go, the nitty-gritty. There are TWO channels on this thing. It's like 2 compressors in one. If you play guitar and sing, there's 2 channels. If you have 2 vocalists singing at the same time (I did this last night to great effect) then it's great.
This was designed for people like me: I had no compressor, now I've got 2, they sound great, they make my recordings sound SOOOO much better, and I can record a strong signal without peaking. Yeah, I can't control all the aspects of the compression and EQ I want, but then again that may be a good thing if I don't know what I'm doing.
The thing I'm thinking now...the future. Will I want a better one in 3 years from now. The answer is yes.
The Wow Factor:
It has, undoubtably, and very sexy design, it's easy to use, flexible, and produces great results.
Overall:
I love the sound and ease of use.
I don't like the lack of control in the sound.
I'd get tired of this unit fast I think.
If it were a little cheaper than it is, I'd be more tempted, but for just slightly more, I can buy 2 dbx 376s and be happier in years to come. I just can't imagine being happy with the lack of control.
BUT!!! If you're looking for a 2nd compressor, like you already have a good one and you want another one for multiple track recording, or you want to compress those stereo overhead mics you have, DON'T hesitate to pick this one up.
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Sound:
It sounds really nice, the preamps are top quality, and instruments as well as mics sound nice and full through it. The mid eq sweep does a nice job of removing unwanted 'rumble' in the low-mid range that you get with mic'ing acoustic guitars and such. The compressor is nice and relatively transparent.
Feature:
Happy with the features, since I knew what i was paying for, and had researched the item before hand. Like other people have said, a little more in the eq dept. as well as an adjustable 'attack' for the compression would have been nice, but i guess the unit was designed to be more plug and go than the average compressor.
Quality:
This is where the product DOES NOT shine. Like someone else mentioned, the second preamp was shot and some of the knobs felt shaky right out of the box. I am now awaiting a replacement unit. The unit looks and feels solid, but it is obvious that outsourcing stuff to ROC really diminshes the quality reputation of an otherwise awesome company. Sometimes, you just gotta keep it in house.
Value:
I will still give this unit high marks for value, as you can't get 2 focusrite pres, eq, and direct monitoring for this price anywhere. it's a great value for small studios nonetheless. just pray you get one that works.
Manufacturer Support:
I did not deal directly with focusrite on this one, only with Zzounds. I'm not 100% thrilled with their support; they basically said, 'well it's a blem unit, so you can either contact focusrite or pay more for a good unit' (a 'good' unit? I thought this was functionally good)?. Whatever - at least shipping was free.
The Wow Factor:
it looks damn cool, gotta say. blue backlit VU meters and a brushed steel face make it the coolest looking thing I own. the only thing cooler is the focusrite red, if you can afford it.
Overall:
Time will tell. if the new unit holds up, i'm sure it will always be useful in my studio or for off-site applications. another engineer i know totes his around in a portable rack case and takes it with him everywhere.
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