C1 Compressor

“This compressor does great soft-knee compression and does wonders as an expander. I use the expansion subtly, like a transient designer, even on the master buss; it really makes tracks jump out of the speakers into your face. Setting the filter with the C1-SC component helps as a corrective tool to soften harsh sounds without muffling the track. Using the gate with different thresholds for opening and closing avoids false triggering; in circuit language, this is called hysteresis and is reminiscent of the Neve V-Series channel gates. That feature, along with setting the sidechain filter, keeps my gate performing as I want it to.”

“C1 has different modes that are very easy to use, including a great gate. When used with a sidechain, it’s a problem solver, especially for bass. I can find the bass frequency that allows the compressor to not pump on the bass. I can find the frequency with the high-pass filter that allows me to compress the bass and have the low end making the compressor trigger. A real workhorse of a compressor.”

“I love using this compressor to pinpoint trouble frequencies that bother me on a vocal.”

“I use C1 compressor often on percussion. It’s so simple, and has all the graphic information I need. It’s a classic who never gets old. I love it just as much as the C1 Gate component: my all-time trusty noise gate for vocals and backgrounds.”

“This is an invaluable compressor. I mainly use it on vocals and guitars. It’s very transparent, and good for anything that needs fast release compression.”

“I use C1 when I have an unusually noisy amp or pickup. I start out with the HF Noise Reduction preset and tweak away the noise.”

“I've been using C1 on bass, guitar, and all vocals, including Kanye West’s.”