Compressors

[John Smooth]

I recently aquired 2 compressors. A DOD 866, and an Alesis 3630 (I'm sorry I didn't know!) My plan is to use one unit in the main inserts and the other unit for indivigual inserts.My mixer in a Mackie 32x8. The main insert connection is fine but when I insert compression into an indivigual channel there is no effect actually the channel goes silent. What am I doing wrong? and /or what is the best set up for 2 compressors?
thanks in advance

JS

[MISTERQCUE]

1st,DESTROY the 3630! 2nd, what comp are you using in the main insert and what kind of cable are you using?
I use 4 comps,3 of which are dual-mono's and the RNC.
I use the dual mono's in individual channel inserts to provide 6 different tracks of various compression/gate levels. I use dedicated "Y" send/rec cables for this hook-up.
(Don't feel bad, I own a,"GULP", 3630 also,but very rarely use it!)
Hve you tried using the comp in the "Aux Send/Return" ins/outs of which you can also adjust the level of compression by the Aux controls.

[Tom Cram]

First, make sure you are not connecting an insert to an insert. i.e. connecting the insert of the board to the insert of the compressor. Second, check if your board has single TRS insert jack, if yes, you need an TRS insert Y cable. The TRS connects to your mixer, then the send goes to the input of your compressor, and the return goes to the output. For a dual insert jack, the mixer send goes to the comp input and the mixer return goes to the output.

Tom Cram
dbx Senior Technical Support
(801) 568-7530
tcram@dbxpro.com

[jet-rocker]

Hey Tom, you work for dbx. How would you rate the 386 mic pre. I have a very basic pre (presonus blue tube), but the digital conversion on the 386 has caught my attention.

And how would the 386 compare against say something like the 586?

If you have any info, thanx in advance.

[tojoe]

While your at it,whats your feeling on the channel strip dbx 376, for me it's 386 or 376, well maybe mindprint..?

[Tom Cram]

I use both the 386 and the 376 in my studio. I use the 386 for drum overheads and to "tubify" direct guitar tracks. It has no EQ so your source needs to be mic'd right or tonally right from the start.

The 376 is great for vox, acoustic guitar, and snare. The EQ has a wider Q than a 586 for more tonal shaping than for corrective EQ. the taper on the pots is also a bit more linear than the 586. The de-esser is the famous 900 series circuit. The compressor is a two knob version of the classic dbx 160.

The digital out on both of these units utilizes dbx's TYPE IV conversion. This enables you to never have a digital over. They both have AES/EBU and S/pdif connectors as well. You can have word lengths and frequencies up to 24/96. They also have XLR and TRS ins and outs.

Pro Audio Review has a review of the 386 that is pretty cool. In fact, EVERY magazine out there has given the 386 great reviews except Electronic Musician. They got a broken unit and refused a replacement unit for some reason.

Anyway, the best judge of how they sound is of course your ears. Go give them a listen, I think you'll dig 'em.