FG-X Compressor

[Studdy]

Is anyone using FG-X as there main bus compressor? It seems to glue quite nicely from what I can tell. Anyone mixing into the FG-X Compressor and Then applying limiter at the end? Slate released a bunch of bus compressors so it made me wonder if anyone uses the FG-X compressor. Thanks.

 

[cfh11]

i dont like it much. usually ozone or sdrr wins out for me. i do like the limiter though when the mix calls for it...

 

[mva801]

I love FG-x, but rarely use the compressor. I usually use Slate VBC or waves SSL for that, and use FGx for the awesome meters and final limiting.

 

[wishtheend]

I've only had it on the 2buss, and before VBC I would use it but only .5db. When I do use it, I only use the gain section, but have been digging the AOM Invisible Limiter a lot more lately all together.

 

[Studdy]

Just bought VBC

 

[MultiM]

I use it a lot actually, I really love the meter in this plugin

 

[akarawd]

If you are referring to the compressor part of the plugin, then a dB or less
should be more than enough to do the job, while maintaining the colour of your
main compressor (should come before FG-X). In other words it's a transparent compressor.

Hope this helps,
T.

 

[Cephara]

I used FG-X's compressor for awhile, but never really liked it. I bought VBC and loved the analog characteristics they emulate, and for a mix buss compressor, worked fairly great. Recently I found a multiband/eq-matching compressor that just seems like the best damn mix buss vst ever: ProAudioDSP DSM v2. Youtube it. I don't normally use it, but if I'm just doing a quick demo because I'm bored and not working on anything serious, this plugin lets me aggressively compress, yet still come out great.

 

[Machinated]

its nice for some subtle taming before everything gets smashed. sure it could be used for more but it does the job well for a to reduce the dynamic range a little bit.

VBC has way more character to it and I use that as my main 2bus comp on the majority of mixes.

 

[FrankTheSmith]

I always put it at the end of the chain.
I usually have the compressor barely attenuation like 0.5db and smash the shit out of the limiter part.
The lo punch, detail and dynamic perception are pretty sweet.

 

[atoragon]

in my opinion the compressor in the fg-x is really, really good for mastering.

 

[PD-Baraka]

I use FGX in general as the last plug of my whole mix.

I have no rules though.

But it is a solid plugin everyone should have imo.

 

[frazzlepuff]

I've used it a bit in the past but generally just using the limiter and hamming into Waves SSL for bus comp.

 

[Matt-Steele]

Ever since Slate himself helped point out the shortcomings of Ozone in my own work, he's made me a believer in the FG-X.

The breakthrough for me was to turn all the knobs off and not begin with an existing preset. IMO... the majority of options in the FG-X are quite unnecessary for most applications and actually can be detrimental to the quality of the plug in. You really need to know how to use it effectively on your own source material. It's easy to make it distort your bass with some settings.

As for the compressor in the FG-X, I do not use it. I'm a fan of the UAD SSL buss compressor. I think it's the best sounding plug in buss compressor I've tried. I love what it does to the low end of a mix! I also have VBC but the UAD SSL wins out since I'm not a fan for how the VBC handles the high end.

My 2cents.

 

[Studdy]

IMO... the majority of options in the FG-X are quite unnecessary for most applications and actually can be detrimental to the quality of the plug in.
My 2cents.

Please explain further what features you are referring to.

 

[Matt-Steele]

Please explain further what features you are referring to.

You should begin your FGX session with all limiter knobs at zero except for the hard/soft slider which Slate says to leave alone in the center and of course your desired gain level for your mix. Everything else really is unnecessary unless your mix isn't ready to go.

 

[Old Man Doom]

You really need to know how to use it effectively on your own source material. It's easy to make it distort your bass with some settings.

Man, I was pissed at FG-X (just got it recently) until I started to realize that my mixes sucked, not the limiter/comp. I was getting some nasty distortion from my low end, especially when I tried to bring my tracks up to a more commercial level. I'm still frustrated with it, but it's caused me to work on my mix balance a lot more now, which is probably a good thing anyway.

That being said, I like the comp section. I use it every time: under 1 db gr, just like Slate suggests. Definitely helps smooth it out before the limiting.

 

[Matt-Steele]

Man, I was pissed at FG-X (just got it recently) until I started to realize that my mixes sucked, not the limiter/comp. I was getting some nasty distortion from my low end, especially when I tried to bring my tracks up to a more commercial level. I'm still frustrated with it, but it's caused me to work on my mix balance a lot more now, which is probably a good thing anyway.

I was exactly where you're at! Steven helped to show me that my mixes didn't need any of the additional settings to help maintain the punch, and he helped me understand how to use the FGX without getting the bass of my mixes to distort. In the end, I think I am getting better results with FGX now than I did with Ozone, but I have to admit Ozone was a lot easier and got to a commercial volume with less fuss, but the final mix was always slightly more desegregated than FGX (when it was used properly).

 

[ArthurD]

I use 2 kinds of compression, but I hate FG-X comp. I sold that plugin. Ozone and Fabfilter wins on Slate's mastering plugin, IMO.
I insert one VBC (usuallt Grey) as my usual mixbus.
When mastering I use another Grey or RED, with attack on fastest and releas about 400-500 ms, in parallel.
Next thing is Fabfilter pro L clipping and Ozone. Easy -5db without distortion