Extensive compressor reviews and FAQ

ART MDM-8L: I'm only reviewing this because I happen to have it around; it's not something you'd use in an onstage rig. This is a rackmount limiter with eight completely independant channels, intended for use in multitrack digital recording. Each channel has its own in/outputs and controls, and can be stereo linked with an adjacent channel. There is both a compressor circuit and a peak limiter per channel, but the only controls are threshold and output level, so it is not very versatile. Most of the limiting and comp functions are "program dependant", automatically varying based on the signal coming in. The "MDM mode" switch sets all of the output levels to the same setting.
 
This is a terrifically quiet and transparent processor, and it does its comp/limiting job very well, with natural smooth action and few artifacts. The highs and lows are not as bright or full as I'd like, but they aren't bad at all. All in all, if you need an easy-to-use comp/limiter for your multi-channel setup, this one does a great job, quiet yet effective.
 

 
 
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