were are my aux sends and returns... soundcraft

[wp001]

hey i just bought a soundcraft spirit studio (16channal discontinued) im trying to send my to my out board compressor and i use INS for sends and then AUX-1 to return but i have no controll on the volume or anything its just being sent and dosnt seem to be returning.? n/m i found my sends now what are my returns????

[bennychico11]

first, usually a compressor is used as an insert, not an aux send

however, returns will probably be located in the master section of the mixer

[wp001]

okay so i go from "insert" form whatever channal i want into "input" on my compreesor then back into the board via were?

[bennychico11]

Originally Posted by wp001

okay so i go from "insert" form whatever channal i want into "input" on my compreesor then back into the board via were?

you use an insert cable, which is a Y cable.

Inserts send signal out a TRS end of a cable (along the tip) to a TS end. Then back out another TS end which returns to the Ring of the TRS end. Inserts come back in at the same point they left in the mixer.
The reason you want to generally use inserts instead of auxes for dynamic based effects is because inserts replace the signal you originally had, while auxes just blend wet and dry signal together. You don't want to EQ or compress a signal and then just lay it back on top the old signal...what was the whole point of you EQ/compressing it then!
Auxes are generally used for time based effects...like reverbs.



*note I said 'usually'...feel free to break the rules if you want to hear how it sounds.

[wp001]

ok well thats problem for me at this point becuase i do not have any Y cables handy. how else would i be able to connect my compressor?(thats why i was thinking aux send/return) untill i get some more Y cables.

[wp001]

arg how can i do this.....

[bennychico11]

you can use the aux sends then...but I'd recommend turning down the channel that has the dry signal on it and just using the aux returns for that track.
or you can patch the main output into the compressors and return that somewhere else (like a soundcard or whereve you're recording to)...but I'm sure you want to utilize the main outs for the monitors, right?