Should I add an optical compressor to this collection?

Hi all. . .

I decided that I am going to be doing a lot more stereo recording than single tracks in the not-too-distant future (mostly on acoustic guitar and piano, etc.). Hence, I have just sold off or am in the process of selling off a few pieces of "singles" (UA 6176, etc.).

My mic pres (as of tomorrow, actually, as more gear arrives then) will a Great River MP-2NV, a Grace 201, and a D. W. Fearn VT-2.

My compressors are a Crane Song STC-8 and a Manley Variable Mu.

Obviously, all of this gear is stereo.

My question is if I should be adding an optical compressor to the mix or if that would more or less be a superfluous expense at this point. If you think that an opto would be a nice thing to have, please give me your recommendations as to what you think would be particularly nice to own given my current preamps. If an opto really is requisite for great vocals, then a mono unit

A Pendulum Audio OCL-2 is one of the sweetest sounding compressors I've ever experienced... it should go very nicely with the other hardware you're about to receive.

Best of luck with it.

Nothing that osunds good and is built well is a superfluous purchase IMHO. It's all about choices, the more you have, the more you want.

At the risk of spoiling Fletcher's lunch, I must say that I've really enjoyed using the Millenia Media Twin Com, which is optical. (My only other optical is a Meek SC 2.2)

What I like about it is that it is incredibly transparent, and you have the choice of using a tube or solid state signal path. I love it for tracking, especially where "invisibility" is desired.

I know Fletcher finds it "boring". It's certainly possible that I too might prefer the Pendulum if I ever get a chance to try it. But the Millenia works nicely for what I want it to do, and they also have excellent customer support.

You can also swap out the tubes if you want more color, but I haven't tried it myself.