Compression (AGAIN!) Before EQ or After EQ???

[jaynm26]

Do you set your compression below EQ or after? Some say set it after all the sound correction then boost all the good stuff with comp after. Others say place comp first and get a think level sound 1st, cause if eq is first the freq that are boosted will trigger the EQ first and will result in inaccurate compression.

[CrowsofFritz]

There isn't a right way to do this.


Do whatever you want. Like you said, though, different chains give different sounds.

[ashcat_lt]

EQ before compressor to shape the way the compressor reacts. Maybe pull out some low end to add focus to the mids, or to stop the thing pumping so much. Or boost the bass to induce pumping. This EQ will sort of be undone by the compressor, but make the comp do different things.

EQ after the compressor to adjust the frequency content of the compressed signal.

Sometimes I do a "pre-emphasis/de-emphasis" thing. Apply EQ first to tailor the comp action, then comp, then EQ again opposite of the first.

[ashcat_lt]

Oops! Double post.

[ModernMixing]

I didnt really do this on purpose but i think over time it just happend and now I just feel comfortable doing it that I dont wanna change. I do most of my cutting prior to compressor and then boosting after. I guess I just like that sound better. But sometimes I boost into the compressor. Do what works for you. You'll build routines over time.

[mixsit]

To build on Ashcat's lead consider the compressor sees' not just the dynamic and freq content of what your feeding it, also to some degree what kind of eq'ing you're doing.
If the tweaks don't generally alter the freq response -perhaps more accurately the energy content as the detector see it- it won't matter much.

The compressor's detector circuit also may also have a filter in the detector circuit' (likely in most cases- I don't know..) That can also shape the compressor's response to your input.

Then there's examples of comps offering user detector filtering (or you add your own into the side chain patch. This is like having a work-around to tailor it's response rather independently of the input's content... and leads to creative ducking, and all sorts of frequency selective tone shaping (on simple signals anyway-) from a single wide band dynamic control.

[mixsit]

I didnt really do this on purpose but i think over time it just happend and now I just feel comfortable doing it that I dont wanna change. I do most of my cutting prior to compressor and then boosting after. I guess I just like that sound better. But sometimes I boost into the compressor. Do what works for you. You'll build routines over time.

Every once in a while I try flipping the sequence just to see if it helps get stuff to sit better. Sometime you hear it -for the better or worse, sometimes no

[bouldersoundguy]

The compressor's detector circuit also may also have a filter in the detector circuit' (likely in most cases- I don't know..) That can also shape the compressor's response to your input.

The dbx 166a has a "contour" switch that puts a high pass filter ahead of the detector. It's useful for bass, bass drum and full mixes when you want it to react more to the mids and highs than the lows.

[Mo Facta]

Depends on the source sound.

What if the source sounds good enough to compress without EQ?

Cheers

[mixsit]

?
Like as in.. what if it doesn't need comp either?