Where does Compressor go in Signal Chain?

tju85

New member
Hey guys.

I'm looking to buy a compressor to put on the 4 channels of my interface.

I have a Yamaha 16/4 Mixer for Monitoring, and plug all 8 mics into a Firepod. If I got a Compressor, how would i plug the mics into the firepod so that the first 4 woudl run through the compressor.
 
Typically a compressor during tracking would go between the preamp and a/d converter or on an insert that does the same. But that would be one comp per track.
Did you mean to mix several mics into one track and compress that?
 
Out of curiosity, without knowing too much about compressors, why is it that you have decided to do this?
 
Well, this is what I planned on doing.

Buying a 4 channel compressor, and then running the kick drum, snare drum, bass guitar, and vocal through the compressor.

It's not that I don't know how the compressor works, I'm just confused on where it would go when I'm using the firepod (which is my interface) preamps.
 
Plug your mic's into inputs 1-4 then take the outputs 1-4 on the back and route them to the four channel compressor inputs, route the 4 outputs to inputs 5-8 on the Firepod and record those channels.
 
Well I was going to use the 4 channels for other mics. I guess I could plug the 1-4 channels in my mixer, and then send them through thte compressor into 1-4 on the firepod.

Would I really notice a difference in using outboard compressors vs. the digital plug in ones in Logic Express.
 
tju85 said:
Well I was going to use the 4 channels for other mics. I guess I could plug the 1-4 channels in my mixer, and then send them through thte compressor into 1-4 on the firepod.

Would I really notice a difference in using outboard compressors vs. the digital plug in ones in Logic Express.

Depends on which outboard compressors you use. Personally, I've not been overly impressed with plug-in compressors compared to other plug-ins. Compression is still something that hardware generally does better IMHO. If you use good outboard comps, then yes, you will notice a difference.
 
For purely compression purposes... plug-ins might even beat hardware (leveling, limiting, gating)... but for tone shaping... for "that" sound, you need the analogue circuitry of a seperate box...
 
Unless you buy really nice compressors, you will probably not see enough difference in hardware comps to warrant the possibility of misusing them to tape. The very nature of this question however still makes me wonder why the comps to begin with. Many people here seem to think that a comp is the best way to get good levels. The truth is, gain structre is the best way. If I were you, until you get the right setup with the right comps, I would track clean and then send signal back through the comps at the mix phase. The extra conversion is pretty minimal compared to misuse.
 
Back when we were recording with 16 bits it made some sense to use comp/limiters during tracking in certain situations. With 24 bits there's so much usable dynamic range that the only reason to use HW compression during tracking is for the sound of that compressor, without going through additional D/A and A/D. But doing so means you better get it right, and that means right in the context of the mix before there is a mix - something that takes a lot of experience.
 
TerraMortim said:
Listen. =) There are no rules. Just listen, when you hear what you like, do it.

:D Actually, when it comes to compressors there are 2 rules:

Never use a compressor before the mic preamp.

Never use a compressor after a power amp.

(If you think these rules are stupid or obvious, you haven't been in the music/recording biz long enough - I've seen people try to do both - many times - over the last 3 decades)


Scott
 
Beat me to it digit. There are plenty of rules! Some are made to be broken, and some may smoke your gear if you ignore them.
 
DigitMus said:
:D Actually, when it comes to compressors there are 2 rules:

Never use a compressor before the mic preamp.

Never use a compressor after a power amp.

(If you think these rules are stupid or obvious, you haven't been in the music/recording biz long enough - I've seen people try to do both - many times - over the last 3 decades)


Scott


I'll have to try that some time. :P I never track with compression, just don't feel like it. Compression is fun to abuse though, lots can be done badly with it. HURRAH!
 
mixsit said:
Speaker level into line level(?!) = "Lets all the smoke out" :rolleyes:
...and everyone knows that the smoke is what makes the components work... once the smoke is released... you've got to replace the component. It's just not cost efficient to to recharge them with new smoke
 
I recorded some bass and drum tracks last weekend and plugged the bass into a direct box, went from the direct box into a compressor/limiter, and then into the Omega recording interface.

I got a really good bass track that way. Smooth a glass.
 
Back
Top