aphex dominator ii

[tv]

Oh yes, I forgot (eh, dang .... )!

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1pzvapaR1E

 

[Script]

Are any of you guys using one of these or do you have a peak limiter that you like and doesn't cost 2500 USD.  I would love to have something clean to just grab a few db's of overs on my mixes.

Have it, but don't use it much. Can't help feeling that program material sent through it tends to sound a bit grainy and that the stereo image suffers a little bit too. Maybe too many opamp stages in this unit (many 5532/5534)? Well, all in all just too many components, I guess. There are some mods for the Dominator, but a full-fledged overhaul is pretty time-consuming. A stereo Pico might indeed be a good choice (much cleaner).

If you don't mind ITB, maybe some Voxengo stuff... but just a suggestion.

 

[dandeurloo]

Yeah, I have some nice ITB limiters for shaving some peaks off but I would prefer to do a little in the Analog domain since I do some much that way already.  Thanks for the feedback. 

 

[barclaycon]

Never really been a fan of Aphex 'level control' stuff like the Compeller, Easyrider or indeed Dominator. I know that they claim to have great 'transparency' but they don't sound like they are having that much effect on the signal or controlling level that well.
Most of the time you want a compressor or limiter to handle the signal level - raise up the low level stuff or prevent peaks. Then you might also want to add density and change the tone of the signal as well.
None of the units I've mentioned seem to do that in a particularly pleasing way EXCEPT for the clipper on the Dominator which does actually shave peaks off quite nicely.
It's an LED clipper. Worth looking at.

 

[vineyardgray]

Never really been a fan of Aphex 'level control' stuff like the Compeller, Easyrider or indeed Dominator.

This is off topic:  Ever tried the Aphex Expressor?  I have a pair of 9651 Expressors (these are the Dbx 900 series module version) and I love them.  You're right, they don't do any tricks such as add harmonics, or do density or tone, or give you anything that wasn't already in the audio you're compressing - but - these things do gain reduction very well.  Fast, and smooth even at high gain reduction.  Contains an adjustable expander circuit to stop the bass from affecting the treble frequencies too much.  Clean enough for most purposes (I understand Jim Williams has a Mod of some sort to further improve cleanliness). 

I have never tried the 661 Expressors (which came out when you couldn't sell something unless it had a starved plate toob in it, which they do).  I have looked into them, though, and have read that the circuit allows you jumper around the toob, so I may pick a couple up if I can get them on the cheap.

I have Dominator II modules as well, but they just seem very heavy handed for most purposes.  Plus I have some sort of weird feelings about "clipping" - which I equate with "truncation" - which just feels wrong to me.  Strangely, I have no problem using any other technique to utterly mangle audio; just giving my waveforms a haircut gives me the heebee-jeebees. 

 

[dandeurloo]

I have a pair of the 651's that Jim Modded.  I use them all the time.  They are very good!  I haven't tried them on the mix yet because I usually have them on something in the mix.

 

[Gold]

The Dominator is a pretty good box. It was designed for broadcast and has heavy handed RF filtering and some other stuff added for convenience that can be cleaned up. It's not squeaky clean.

I bought one and sold it immediately but that was over 10 years ago. I'd look for a clean compressor with a high ratio and call it a day. The Dominator won't get you that much more. Maybe with very dense mixes because it's two band.

A few red lights never hurt anyone if it sounds good. I'd just let it clip and lower it a little later if someone has some number they want to see.