TC Electronic C300 Rack Compressor AND Gate

[Dood]

Here, up for sale is what I think is one of the best compressors on the market, for any program material. It is now redundant as I have a built in compressor on a new rack and oodles of compressors on my Line 6 X3, so this would be overkill!!

The compressor is absolute child's play to set up. You don't even need to know how compression works! Simply select the program material you require from the preset list, such as 'Bass Guitar' and the processor will select either Full band or MultiBand compression with the optimal config settings (attack / release / side chain filter) for the material. There are TWO units in one box that you can either treat seperately, or chain one in to the other.

I am a BIG fan of parallel compression and this unit allows you to do just that, but on BOTH compressors which is really cool. You keep all your bottom end and power but are allowed to control the dynamics in a really natural way.

Anyway - there is so much more to explain - so please read through the individual tabs on the TC C300 page for a full list of specs. One thing I must note, which is great - doesnt need a horrible wall wart! Plug straight in with a proper mains lead!!!! nice touch!!

Here's the link [url="http://www.tcelectronic.com/c300.asp"]http://www.tcelectronic.com/c300.asp[/url]
Interestingly, one of the the spectral compression algorythms from the TC rack compressors is found in the new TC Rebel head - and that is ACE too!


[b]This page is worthy of it's own thread in the effects forum! A decent video set explaining compression and how this compressor works!! (including PARALLEL compression)[/b]
[url="http://www.tcelectronic.com/Files/Products/C300/default.html"]http://www.tcelectronic.com/Files/Products/C300/default.html[/url]


Manual should you wish to peruse:- [url="http://www.tcelectronic.com/media/C300_US_070307.pdf"]http://www.tcelectronic.com/media/C300_US_070307.pdf[/url]
Feel free to ask any questions and PM me with any interest.

[quote]Main features C300
Dual engine compressor or gate
High resolution input and gain reduction metering
Precision gating – ultra fast and click free
Balanced 1/4” jack I/O

Threshold LED indication
True dual mono, stereo or serial operation
16 source specific compression presets
16 gate presets sidechain tailored to match input source

High-end studio quality
Instant operation – select source and go!
Full on gating and compression mode
Multi-band compressor for maximum transparency
Digital S/PDIF I/O - for digital console connection
Dual band expansion - for non-percussive sources
Parallel compression - add extra punch to your drums
Precision de-essing

Presets
Composite
Use the composite preset when you have a complex or many faceted signal like a full-mix signal. You can use it in compressor mode or in expander mode and it delivers true multi-band processing. That means that the C300 does the work for you – what was previously a complex operation has now become a simple operation thanks to the optimized composite preset.

Female vocal
The female vocal preset is tailor made for high pitched vocals. Use it as a compressor or expander to bring out the sonic qualities of your taste. You’ll immediately be amazed about the audible perfection you can attain with this multi-band preset.

Male vocal
Male vocals can become a bit muddy due to their lower pitch. For optimal clarity and performance, you should apply this multi-band expander or compressor preset, which will bring out the true essence of your vocals.

Voc. Choir
If you want your backing vocals to stand out, while preserving the group like character that a band of singers have, the Voc. Choir preset will do the job. Use the compressor to control the gain of your source or use the expander to lower the noise floor.

Speech
For pure speech and oratory signals, you should use the Speech preset. It is optimized for signals with a lesser dynamic fluctuation than what you’ll find in e.g. vocals. The preset is a true multi-band preset in both compressor and expander mode.

Bass guitar
One thing that all bass players hate, is unintentional muddy-ness to their sound. The bass guitar preset will make sure that your bass is smack in the face. Apply this multi-band compressor or expander for great results on your bass sound. Now you can avoid the low frequencies triggering your compressor and retain the sonic qualities of your entire signal.

Electric guitar
Most often electric guitars have no problem getting through in the mix. But sometimes the sonic quality could be better, as the signal easily gets to loud or unwillingly distorted. The Electric Guitar preset works wonders as an expander/compressor in true multi-band mode.

Acoustic guitar
Acoustic guitars have a subtleness that is delightful to listen to. Yet sometimes subtleness is interchangeable with a lesser presence in the mix. The multi-band Acoustic Guitar preset gives you a compressor that will preserve the original subtleness and evenness of your instruments tone, and an expander that will lower the noise floor.

Horns/instrument
A horn section or for that matter a solo sax, can be quite a hassle to get just right in the mix. Apply the Horns/instrument preset and take advantage of a true multi-band expander/compressor. Use the compressor to align the difference in volume that you will find in e.g. a fast riff as compared to sustained tones.

Piano/keyb
Synthesizers, stage pianos and acoustic pianos have a huge pitch and dynamic range. That makes it genuinely hard to find just the right level for such instruments in the mix. For exceptional control and equality you should apply the Piano/keyb preset.

Percussive
A full set of percussion instruments has a huge dynamic range that is very difficult to control. With the Percussive preset you can avoid any surprises that powerful and darker percussive instruments might dish out, giving you total control of the dynamic range.

Toms
Tom toms span from small and higher pitched sounds to large and lower pitched sounds. Their relatively high attack and short decay times requires advanced mixing techniques. With the Toms preset you have a specially designed full-band expander/gate and compressor that will do the job.

Bass dm
The bass drum plays many different roles. Depending on the style of music, you want it to be hard and powerful, full and punchy, or fast and furious. The Bass dm preset is a full-band expander/gate and compressor, which will make it easy to fit your bass drum to your favorite style and control it in the mix.

Snare dm
You’ve probably already experimented with the sound of the snare drum, in the quest for that signature sound that some of the world’s great drummers are known for. With the Snare dm preset you’re on the fast track to making your snare drum sound exceptional. The preset can be used as either a full-band expander/gate or a full-band compressor/limiter.

Hiss-Cut
Sometimes you might get a bit of hiss from an incoming source, especially when external devices are linked into a larger setup or if different electronic formats or ground policies are connected like consumer standards connected to professional equipment. To counter that you should use the Hiss-Cut preset. It kicks in when there’s no or next to no level on the input source, ensuring no noise in quiet pieces of the music. This preset is only featured in the gate/expander mode.

De-ess1
The De-ess1 preset removes all unwanted s’s that some microphones or singers have so much trouble with. You can use the De-ess1 preset in compressor/limiter mode only. It aims at a certain frequency range and it perfectly counterparts the De-ess2 preset.

Hum-Cut
As explained in the Hiss-cut preset description you can occasionally experience problems with hum in an incoming signal when you connect different types of devices. In quiet moments when the hum becomes a problem the hum can in a smooth and easy way be eliminated by using the hum-cut preset simply by adjusting the parameters. The preset can only be used in gate/expander mode.

De-ess2
The De-ess2 preset removes all unwanted s’s that some microphones or singers have so much trouble with. You can use the De-ess2 preset in compressor/limiter mode only. It aims at a certain frequency range and it perfectly counterparts the De-ess1 preset.[/quote]



[url="http://www.tcelectronic.com/c300.asp"]http://www.tcelectronic.com/c300.asp[/url]




Yours for a mere [b]£70[/b] + insured shipping or free pickup. (Price adjusted from £100 as per cm261's post below

[cm261]

Just a heads-up to you dood, this is available new from GAK for a mere £1 more than your asking price

[url="http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/c-300/69211"]http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/c-300/69211[/url]

[Dood]

[quote name='cm261' post='574675' date='Aug 19 2009, 08:23 PM']Just a heads-up to you dood, this is available new from GAK for a mere £1 more than your asking price

[url="http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/c-300/69211"]http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/c-300/69211[/url][/quote]


Thanks chap!!! Oh deary me!! Big loss to be made on this fella then! - Oh well.. shall we say £70 + postage then?

p.s. mine is in excellent condition!

edit - just realised - I reckon the C300 is better than the EBS Multicomp - and in this rack you are getting two in one box!

[Dood]

Actually - for this price - I think I'd be better off keeping it! - It's too good to let go for silly money!

Sorry, thank you for the inetrest, but I've got to withdraw it! ;o)

[Dood]

Back up!!!

I've finally had enough with racks! I want to swap this little fella for an EBS Multicomp!! heh heh!!!! - The new version with the True Bypass please! (Cash adjustment, obviously!)

£70+postage

[Dood]

Can I interest you in an amazing rack compressor! Infact, TWO compressors in one box! )

[ziggydolphinboy]

[quote name='dood' post='786019' date='Mar 25 2010, 04:43 PM']Can I interest you in an amazing rack compressor! Infact, TWO compressors in one box! )[/quote]

Hello there,
i am toying with getting a rack set up was thinking of the alesis qudraverb and a compressor,not sure about multi effects on bass,
i play in a soul band and occasionally a rock covers band and very ocasionally a funk covers band, i got a trace smx head and nice basses , so was wondering wether i should just tweak the compressoer on my head?
forgive me for being a numpty but am a right in thinking with compression you can get nicer tones ie for slap and tightness etc?
kindest regards
ziggy.

[Bassulike66]

Pm'ed, second dibs lol.

Edited March 25, 2010 by Bassulike66

[ziggydolphinboy]

[quote name='Bassulike66' post='786164' date='Mar 25 2010, 06:43 PM']Pm'ed, second dibs lol.[/quote]


pmd first didbs i think!!!
ziggy.

[Owen]

If this has not gone I will take it. Not sure where I am in the dibs line.

[Dood]

Hey guys! I'll just check my PM's as it's late and I'm all confuzzed! I'll see who is first in with the dibs! I'll reply to the comp questions properly when I can concen-mental-trate tomoz!

[Dood]

kk, BassULike has first expression of wish, Owen next, Ziggy is asking about compression useage, which I intend to give a good reply to tomorrow! )

[Dood]

Hi Ziggy, sorry for taking a while getting back to you - It has been a busy day!

Ok, well - I believe the SMX head has the Dual Band compressor on it? Or not? - It's a pretty good compressor on the head. It's not a 'personal favourite' - but, like the EBS Multicomp it compresses bass end and treble end seperately. The C300 is able to do this but also compress a third middle band of the audio spectrum as well which I feel is better in some ways. A lot of bass guitar 'power' (want for a better description) is in those low regions, including lower and upper mids. Maybe the crossover point of a normal dual band compressor leaves too much of a gap in the spectrum 'untouched' for certain playing styles?

I would defintely spend time with the SMX - maybe undertsand a bit more about multiband compression and how it can effect your bass tone at the end of your signal chain. Too much compression in the bottom end Vs top end can make your bass sound thin and strangled. Too much compression on the top end but not the bottom end may lose you defintion - so It's a balance between 'control' and tone!

[quote]forgive me for being a numpty but am a right in thinking with compression you can get nicer tones ie for slap and tightness etc?[/quote]
I don't want to sound like I am teaching granny to suck eggs, but yes - though don't expect compression to make a bad tone good. Certainly compression can really help bring a smoothness or uniformity to the different dynamics of the slap technique. For example, I change from 'thumb up' technique to 'thumb down' technique in parts of songs. Both have different tones on my basses along with different volumes for, say, pops and strums. A compressor can tidy up those ragged peaks and smooth proceedings nicely. 'Tightness' is a good description. I find that a lot of compressors on the market don't handle 'sub' bass that well - but this is actually a good thing. If you've ever played a bass amp with far too much sub 30Hz boost on it - the bass tone will sound wooly as the speakers flap about, desperately trying to reproduce sounds that they physically can not. Thus, the side effect of using a compressor is filtering out those useless sub bass sounds from reaching the amp in the first place. The speakers can then concentrate on reproducing frequencies they *can* and - as you say - the Bass sounds a lot tighter!

I use compression for slap techniques - tapping and also simulating clean guitar parts (on 6 & 7 string) It can even out strummed parts and also bring up the volume of tapped parts so they are loud enough to switch from normal fingering wihout too much of a volume drop.

Certainly a multiband compressor is far better for these techniques than a full band (Alesis 3630, DBX 160 as examples.)

The C300 can do Full Band and Multiband compression, along with noisegating seperately on both channels. Then there is parallel compression.....

I've typed this out quite quickly, so if there is anything that doesnt make sense - shoot me a question or 3!

[ziggydolphinboy]

Hi Dood,
Thank you for my reply it explained a lot,
im gonna work on my trace head a bit as im trying to save for a 5 string, and after tonights gig i have realised i could do with a five for definate.
(im not a great slap player and although my sei is easy as helll to play the top string gets in the way,But i need a five to get under the keys)
So ill take myself out of the dibs for this
kindest regards
ziggy.

[Dood]

Ah no problem Ziggy! - I hope I have been of help I defintely agree with having a fiver to get under those keyboard tones!!

[ziggydolphinboy]

[quote name='dood' post='787678' date='Mar 27 2010, 09:54 AM']Ah no problem Ziggy! - I hope I have been of help I defintely agree with having a fiver to get under those keyboard tones!![/quote]


yea i had a warwick dolphin 5 sntcs with a peizo on it,
but after getting my sei, shuker and my jazz 4 it didnt do it for me!!! (although i played a dolphin 5 pro in the gallery and that did sound cool)
but last night my top string on my sei got in the way a bit!!!!
so ill be up 4 a five but im broke as we alll are
and theres so many nice ones on here to chooose from.
!!!!!!
cheers for advive guvnor.
ziggy.

[deksawyer]

Bit confusing as to whether this has been nabbed yet or not - I'd like to buy it and can pay today whatever method you prefer.

cheers

D.

[Dood]

[quote name='deksawyer' post='788532' date='Mar 28 2010, 02:29 PM']Bit confusing as to whether this has been nabbed yet or not - I'd like to buy it and can pay today whatever method you prefer.

cheers

D.[/quote]

Apologies! I completely forgot to update the thread! I'm afraid the Compressor is now sold and very soon to be on it's way to it's new home!

Thank you everyone for your interest.

Dood.

[Owen]

Sadness.