ART Pro VLA II

[PelliX]

Hi there,

I've got a lead on a cheap ART Pro VLA II, presumed to be fully functional, etc. For most of my compression in the studio I'm using a TL 1295 (plugin) and some outboard DBX units. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with these units and can comment on their actual day to day performance? It looks like a nice bit of kit and the reviews I've seen are favorable, but we all know that's not everything.

Any feedback?

 

[Whizzercone]

It's a $400 compressor with tubes that don't really do anything. If it is really cheap and you really need another hardware compressor maybe. It might be ok for $100, but you can buy a few plug in comps for that money that are probably going to sound better and can be used on more than one thing at a time. FWIW YMMV

 

[PelliX]

It's a $400 compressor with tubes that don't really do anything.

I was wondering about that, we all know the Chinese "LED behind the valve things"... I would be a little surprised to see ART doing exactly that. How much "dem toobs colour teh sound" as they outline, I'm not so sure. Might be fun to roll a few weird ones through there and see if anything does any 'miracles'.

If it is really cheap and you really need another hardware compressor maybe.

They're just shy of 600 (euros) new here, I'm looking at picking this up for 300. I was actually looking at stereo/dual 1176 kits, but there don't seem to be any. Sacrificing 4U and about 1K for two homebrew 1176's doesn't really grab me. There are a couple of stereo models that obviously cost a deal more, but you end up paying a lot for whatever name is on there and the design rather than the guts.

It might be ok for $100, but you can buy a few plug in comps for that money that are probably going to sound better and can be used on more than one thing at a time. FWIW YMMV

I try to steer clear of (paid) plugins, plus I'm on Linux so the VST support is meager at best. You do make valid points, obviously.

Have you actually every played around with one and put it through its paces?