Behringer composer vs. Behringer MDX-1000
Jay Levin
> Well, I know the Composer has got LED meters for ingoing signals, and
> a pair of simple gates as opposed to the '1000. But according to this
> salesman the gates are almost useless since the only parameter you
> can adjust is the threshold...
Not true in my experience -- particularly in running full stereo mixes
through the Composer, the gate is invaluable. It allows me to set
precisely how I want the last note or two to decay, and how the initial
attack and any "breaks" in the music are shaped. (I admit I often obsess
over this kind of stuff.)
Plus, any compression raises the noise floor of your recording, so you'd
better get the gate if your tracks are even a bit noisy. On both
single-channel and full-mix compression, I find it to be an almost
essential tool. (Plus, I recommend the Composer in particular very
highly, among those in its price range.)
I am considering the gateless Autocom right now for channel compression,
but only because I have four other channel compressors with gates already.
Regards,
JSL
Mads Olsen
So I finally decided to buy the Composer. But when I phoned this
norwegian firm to order one, the salesman said: "What do you want the
Composer for? Buy the MDX-1000! It does the same jobb for 2/3 of the
price."
Well, I know the Composer has got LED meters for ingoing signals, and
a pair of simple gates as opposed to the '1000. But according to this
salesman the gates are almost useless since the only parameter you
can adjust is the threshold...
Is this right? And if so: should I forget about those "nice, flashy"
LED's so that I can afford some additional XLR-XLR cables in stead?
m...@kreftreg.no
Mads Olsen
Larry Collins
>Hi!
It sounds like this salesman has a surplus of 1000's to move.
The gates are FAR from useless, unless you're in love with Hiss, and
threshold is the only dial to turn, but you can choose fast or slow
release time, and that seems sufficient, without a dial.
Gating can also cure bleedover problems between channels on analog
tape, and I've used it more than once to cut out the sound of a
vocalist's breathing being picked up by a mic.
I get a TON of use out of the Composer's "Useless Gates" .
I wouldn't CONSIDER a mixdown without a peak limiter, though a
compressor/expander can be set to pretty much do peak-limiting.
The expander is one of the "useless" gates, though, so I would guess
that the 1000 doesn't have one.
If you want to buy less box for less money, go ahead, but the Composer
costs more because it IS more. The only useless feature I've found is
the "ducking", because I don't use it for DeeJay work, so have no need
to get the music reduced to background when vocals start, even though
I do voice-overs.
Go for the Composer.
Skeeb96
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