using channel strips on live gigs?

[earworm]

so i'm wondering,
this summer i'm asked for another PA set, and i got a bunch of channel strips that i could use i think,
joemeek vc8 , could put that on bass,
symetrix 528, could put that on vox

do people 'often' use channel strips or doesn't that happen for live PA's?

and how do you connect them, there's a 16-channel-snake coming from the stage, that goes into my mixing desc,
so i assume i treat the channel strips as ordinary compressors, using
the LINE IN and LINE OUT , on the insert of the (vocal or bass) channel...

then i just bypass the mixer-EQ , or use both...

or is it better to connect another XLR cable to the "returning snake" and connect that to the XLR input of the channel strip, so i use the preamp of that machine, instead of the preamp of the mixer,
then returning the line out of channel strip to line in of mixer...?

what do you suggest?

thanks

[boingoman]

People do use channel strips live. One question is does it sound better than what is on the board already. Another question is do you want to haul them around and hook them up. Both of those can only be answered by trying it out, pretty much.

Given a choice, I would run my mic line directly into the strip, and go into the line inputs on the board. You want the signal to hit your nicer preamp first.

I work in a club that sees a fair amount of visiting engineers. Many bring their own vocal strips, to get a consistent and quality sound from venue to venue, without worrying about the console they will find when they get there.

[earworm]

well, i don't mind putting them in my rack,
i got them, so wanna use them
i'll make sure i got some short XLR cables so i can easily connect the channel strips to the snake...

1) and ehm, what about phantom power, i got a mixer that has phantom on ALL channels (just a main on/off switch),

what happens if i turn it on and i got DI boxes connected to the stagebox,
can this harm a passive di-or bass?
and what's special about active di boxes? is that louder? or only for vocals or something....

2) do you ever use your subgroups instead of AUX to feed the onstage monitors? that way you got an easier controll over the volume,
but less control about "the guitarist wants to hear him louder..."stuff

my problem is that i only got 3 aux, and 4 busses,
for 4 monitors.... i'm thinking about renting another mixer,
or finding a decent solution...