WES AUDIO PANDORA: MULTIBAND 500 Series Compressor

[@mixbustv]

GET PANDORA: sweetwater.sjv.io/dabbZQ MIX BETTER: www.mixbustv.com/ CHECK THIS OUT ➡➡ shorturl.at/5GavJ

[@trashunicorn2308]

I am SO gonna get this one. I can't believe the price, unthinkable just a few years ago to have an analog MB this clean and precise at this price. AND digitally controlled wow Thank you for the video Dave, you're the best, always!

[@TRXST.ISSUES]

I get excited for a new plugin, can't imagine what it's like getting a new piece of gear 👀

[@i-mixed-up]

Hey, David. As usual you’ve delivered yet another stellar review; this time on an amazing compressor. Thank you for taking time to produce this review. Wes Audio is killing it; I just ordered this compressor today.

[@TheReal_E.IRIZARRY]

I'm still enamored by WES AUDIO's EQ hardware unit that David did a video on several months ago. It sounded way clean and way full.

[@tigranayvazyan5974]

This sounds luscious. My ears are in love...

[@adriandonal]

In your face, but still sounding very natural and smooth. Great engineering from Wes Audio, great review from you 🫶🏼

[@eddiec9439]

Thanks! David - I make up a certain portion of your audience that writes and records music for the pure joy and challenge of it. While, not a commercial venture, I'd still like to have my songs sound more competitive. Everything to date has been in the box with a very modest set up and modest Apollo twin interface. If I wanted to up my game and start with an updated interface like your MOTU and some 2 buss hardware, to what degree would you suggest it could improve the final mix quality? 5%, 20%...more? I know this is a difficult question to answer, but, would love your insight into the value that would add to the final result. Was considering 542's, Pandora, Dione and Prometheus as the initial hardware components for the 2 buss hardware. TY!

[@mixbustv]

Thank you for the support first of all! That is a killer combo right there, you will definitely hear a difference with those, I can't give you a percentage but I can tell you, the machines won't do anything FOR you, you will have to learn them and then you will understand what they give you. The 542s are probably tbe more "instant satisfaction" unit but again, you need to learn them and that will take some time.

[@eddiec9439]

@@mixbustv Understood! TY! Merry Christmas to you and your family!

[@kdavid6379]

Thanks Dave- for all your reviews on Wes I’ve now got a full rack of their stuff! Love it.

[@1loveMusic2003]

Tracking bass through the Pandora would be so great getting the low end consistent and the articulation popping the way the song needs.

[@mixbustv]

99% of cases I would not track with a multiband

[@1loveMusic2003]

@@mixbustv I'm curious why not? Usually a bass is tracked through a compressor then the low end usually needs more consistency after that. So LA-2A into multi kind of thing. Is it better to track clean in your opinion?

[@1loveMusic2003]

Phase issues at corner frequency maybe?

[@ArielNora]

I was waiting for this! MixbusTv & Wes Audio: you can't go wrong ever!

[@nilsliebich1822]

Danke!

[@mixbustv]

Thank you for the support 🙏🙏

[@RockstarRecStudio]

The two best in the business! This thing is so powerful wow

[@jason.martin]

Wes Audio is crushing it as always

[@simeonmatthews4584]

I’m listening to this on a phone and it sounds incredible. Wider, clearer and more detailed. I’m going to get rid of my ngBus and get one of these and the two eq’s. This thing is insane. Best 500 series compressor I’ve ever heard. They need to make a Titan 11 space unit now unless they’ve got another 3 unit 500 series in their sights

[@pluginhoarder]

6 minutes in and I already added to my cart 😅 great demo David! I think I’m pulling the trigger on this.

[@joeyf808]

Ordered mine this Morning.

[@aleksamrkela831]

Another work of art! It's inconvenient that it's three-slot, but it's worth the amazing sound!

[@ollykramer3673]

Wow, I wasn't expecting this! Amazing

[@riktascale4]

Very impressive and lovely tool.

[@dougleydorite]

I’m curious how this works doing the Andy Sneap C4 trick. Nothing else out there in the same price range so it might be worth it for tracking

[@1loveMusic2003]

That sounds amazing.

[@yurikalashnikov2460]

Nice. Wes Audio makes nice stuff. I’d like to see more full size 1u rack stuff from them.

[@TigroGumi]

I love you can use this just as a multi-band saturator and so many other things than just a multi-band... very much into getting this one

[@moimoi7531]

wow this is crazy piece ! would you advise to buy this one first over the dione or the rhea comp ?

[@johnsnyder4949]

i was surprised by the price. all the 500 stuff, my best analog gear, is wes audio after watching your reviews but for the money this is a winner......and ps have bella in more videos !!!!!

[@mixbustv]

I'll tell her!

[@johnsnyder4949]

@@mixbustv ive been working thru the last vocals couorse and its cheating you use her sone on it. shes really a dynamite performer and her songs have become really top notch but thanks for the content david

[@emilybeats6556]

Wes Audio slays! I still remember the very first time I head about them, from YOU with the Dione. You guys are THEE winning team!

[@MeanTrainingMachine]

Oh my this sounds so good!

[@CalebCuzner]

Question about the side chain filter on the low band - If you engage the filter, are you literally only compressing the low mids, with your deep lows not being effected? Or is it compressing the full low range, just by the amount triggered by the low mids? Asking because I often use multiband compression to control low mids, and am trying to wrap my mind around whether that is possible with this compressor.

[@mixbustv]

Yep, exactly. That's one thing I love about it. You're compressing only the low mid, subs remain untouched 👍 it's a great unit

[@MaximumLevelAudio-BrianKnop]

@MixbusTv Been eyeing this since the day it came out. I'd be really curious how you felt about the sound quality (width, depth, realism) of this vs. your Drawmer 1973!!

[@mixbustv]

The comparison would be more with my IGS Multicolore since they're both VCA multiband, as opposed to the 73 which is a fet. But price wise the 73 is closer. This is one of the most precise and the most versatile mb on the market, and it is insane at this price range. Super clean, unless you use the THD which is one of the best saturation out there. The 73 is more colored and broader stroke, softer and rounder, this is punchy and fast and aggressive but also absolutely transparent if you want

[@dpinskey]

Oh. dear. lord. Looks like I'm going to buy another chassis to free up three spaces in my Titan rack for this beauty!!!

[@kos.studio9304]

Thanks David for your review. Santa came early this year then. Only wondering how to connect in the back of the titan rack last in/output of the three or any in/ out of the xlr ? Definitely a buy.

[@mixbustv]

It uses two channels only of course. Specifically the first two slots ins and outs. You don't connect the third because you wouldn't have the physical space for another module anyway

[@nilsliebich1822]

Nice one! Do you have any doubts about phasing? Can you please share this presets, going to pull the trigger on this soon. Thank you

[@mixbustv]

What do you mean with "phasing"? Every analog (or non linear phase plugin) multiband will have normal crossovers which will have the normal effect of a crossover. This one has 6db slopes, like most analog MB compressors so the xover shifts are irrelevant, UNLESS, you parallel things which nobody with basic knowledge would do with a MB. Sure I can share the presets.

[@nilsliebich1822]

@@mixbustv thanks for the answer, yes that was I thinking of, but with 6dB should be finde... sounds very nice in you're video, I think I'm going to pull the trigger on this!

[@nilsliebich1822]

@@mixbustv My unit just arrived, its really amazing...

[@GeertSamuel]

Sounds great. I’m just curious if they maybe could’ve fitted this in 2 slots instead of 3. Might as well be a 19” unit with this size.

[@mixbustv]

If they could fit it in 2 they would have lol. No it couldn't be a rack version unless you want to pay for the power supply adequate for a unit like this. The whole point of the 500 series is to have a shared PSU

[@GeertSamuel]

@ i know what you mean. But on average taking an API rack it would cost you around 360€ for the 3 space unit (on average the api 500’s are around 120€ per slot). The could build a pretty decent psu inside a 19” for that amount. Didn’t want to be negative on this unit, because wes makes great stuff. I was just wondering if maybe 19” would’ve been better.

[@johnsnyder4949]

so u would definitely look at this as something for mastering primarily ??

[@mixbustv]

Any complex material. So mastering for sure but I love MBs on vocals if they're unruly, piano, groups. The beauty of clean and transparent is that it goes well with everything

[@konjstip6156]

Hi Dave, did you try Wes Audio Timbre? Their take on Retro Sta? I'm thinking of grabbing one for tracking vocals.

[@mixbustv]

It's the only unit they make that I've never tried

[@konjstip6156]

​@@mixbustv Thanks for your answer Dave, and do you have any intention of trying it in the future?

[@LarryLobo]

Multiband from Wes. Sold! Fack!

[@ludovicmorelon6771]

Pretty amazing!

[@KreativeDevices]

Straight 🔥

[@JLP-333]

Good thing i have two Cranborne 500ADAT

[@jason.martin]

Would you use this in conjunction with the NG Bus compressor on the mastermix?

[@mixbustv]

That's actually exactly how I have it patched it right now (until I get the new Wolff Patch hooked up), right before the NgBus

[@jason.martin]

@@mixbustv That's great ! I was thinking of doing a similar set up. I am curious on the Wolff patch system vs flock audio as well

[@mbpublishing9195]

I'm not sure... lol you make everything sound good man. Just joking, this thing is fire!

[@dovin2]

Can you use each channel independently?

[@mixbustv]

No you can't its stereo not dual mono

[@byus6928]

Can you process mono as well?

[@mixbustv]

of course

[@byus6928]

@ most def getting this unit to add to my Hyperion and Dione! Great video mixbus!

[@ivansanmiguel4607]

How do you manage the mono signals? Sorry by my ignorance, and thanks in advance.

[@ivansanmiguel4607]

From the manual: “Pandora is true stereo Compressor -that means that detector circuits of each channel are working the n a summed signal in the side chain circuit. That makes it impossible to work in dual mono mode -we can’t process to independent tracks on each channels simultaneously -like kick and snare for example-. However it’s entirely possible to work with only one mono channel at a time.”

[@rrs731]

No reason to even watch any other channel at this point haha Fantastic review as always, such a great unit wow

[@alexgruszka1744]

so, Pandora or IGS Multicore ? :)

[@mixbustv]

How much money do you have? Cause the price difference is quite large.

[@alexgruszka1744]

@@mixbustv hi. I already bought a Multicore :) I'm asking for Your opinion (it's really important to me ) :)

[@BradleyGagne]

🔥

[@simonanthonymusic6992]

Weirdly enough, I have three slots free. It’s like a calling. Who am I to deny fate?😂😂

[@mixbustv]

exact!

[@barrymagner713]

Daaaaaamn...

[@connorharris1900]

Could you please shake up the song material i’ve heard HB motel 609 times.

[@mixbustv]

No, you know why? Because if people want to compare compressors throughout the years you have consistent material and it eliminates the biggest variable.

[@FrancoAmorto]

So the real question here is : between the IGS Multicore Analog Multiband Compressor and the WesAudio Pandora which one do YOU PREFER ?

[@mixbustv]

Is that the real question? One is $1300 USD the other is $3500 😂 and second I just got this lol give me a minute.