Please advise on limiter/compressor

[dougc]

I am reading about the need for a good limiter in addition to checking constantly for voltage when powering my T48. I have the Behringer Super-X for the crossover, EP2500 for the amp. Do I need an additional limiter? There is one for sale in my area for $50 NIB: The Alesis 3630 compressor/limiter. I don't have a voltmeter, so I would have to buy one. The Alesis has both input/output metering.

Thanks
Doug

[jcmbowman]

I am reading about the need for a good limiter in addition to checking constantly for voltage when powering my T48. I have the Behringer Super-X for the crossover, EP2500 for the amp. Do I need an additional limiter? There is one for sale in my area for $50 NIB: The Alesis 3630 compressor/limiter. I don't have a voltmeter, so I would have to buy one. The Alesis has both input/output metering.

Thanks
Doug

The alesis 3630 (I have one) is not really a limiter - and it's a barely passable compressor. Don't get me wrong - it's a staple of my B rig, and it's saved my butt a few times, but for true worry-free operation, look for something with a brick-wall limiter, like the DCX2496.

Side note - The Alesis 3630 is one of the most universally panned compressors on the market. I only keep mine because I'm still building up my A rig, and for my B rig any compressor is better than no compressor.

[AntonZ]

The alesis 3630 (I have one) is not really a limiter - and it's a barely passable compressor.

I cannot speak from personal experience like John can, but I do know it has also been referenced to as "dirty 6 dirty".

[netwerks]

http://cgi.ebay.com/DBX-166-COMPRESSOR- ... 3a5d472055

[Ron K]

I also have an Alesis 3630 and to be quite honest it works just fine.It can be set as an RMS or Peak and you can use hard knee or over easy.

The correct settings as a Limiter would be selecting the Peak setting and hard knee settings.
Adjust the attack time to the lowest setting .1 which is plenty low for a limiter. Ratio would be set at infinity:1 which would also be standard for a peak limiter.

Release time to 200-400 ms would be plenty but I like around 330.

I've never found this unit to be dirty at all but a lil noisy when used at higher levels where the signal to noise ratio seams to rise a bit. Just match the gain structure and you shouldn't have a problem.

The dirty units I have seen in any gear usually had a problem like blown caps somewhere in the input op-amps circuitry or bad or cold solder connections on the boards.

The Alesis is not my main goto compressor especially since switching to an O1V for FOH. But I do occasionally patch it in when I need it on instruments or crappy players who cant control their own dynamics. Sometimes you need more then 1 type of dynamics control on a single channel and the O1V cannot do more then 1.

Would it work as a peak stop limiter? Yes. Is it the greatest tool? No but acceptable if set up properly.

I also have the DBX 166A in my side rack. IMHO the peak stop circuit is not very good. Its a soft knee design which lets a good bit of energy through. However for use on subs it would probably be fine. I wouldn't trust it to protect my $280.00 JBL diaphragms but I never use limiters anyways!

I do like the 166A as a guitar compressor. It seams at home in that duty. Not very good on vocals either. The Yamaha onboard designs are far better IMHO. My favorite vocal compressor is the DBX 160.

I cut my teeth on a Fairchild 670 back in the day.Worked for just about anything you needed it for.Very sweet studio unit.

[dougc]

Thanks for the info guys. I know there is alot out there that does more, and I should get something better from the start. I don't have the dough to spend now. Maybe next year. I'm just wondering if the 3630 do what I need it to do: to protect a sub only

Ron, I don't need anything fancy, I just want to limit only a sub so I don't blow it. It's only for parties, not live music. The 3630 is right down the street for $50. Do you think it would be OK for this, or just get a voltmeter from radio shack for $25 and keep my eye on it. I have less than a week before I need it, so I can't really order anything

[Gregory East]

It's a lot cheaper than a new 3015LF. Set it like Ron said and it will do the job you can't do manually unless you're "The Flash" comic book superhero. "Keeping an eye on it" is not an option.