Inserting outboard compressor into my 003. I need advice.

[JarrodMP]

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I just bought a UA 2-1176 and am curious as to how i should insert it into my 003. I'm wanting to use it pre-fader before recording but have no insert sends on the back of the digi. There's 8 outs but no returns other than track inputs. I also have a Pre-Sonus Digimax preamp with 8 insert options on the back. Should I sacrifice two of my inputs on my Digi 003 or is there a 1/4 inch stereo to male/female XLR cable that i should use through the Pre-Sonus? I want to set it up to use pre for recording and post for mixing. I'm just a little confused as to how to go about hooking it up properly. It seems like if I sacrifice two channels on the 003 then I'm setting it up as a bus send instead of an insert. Am I crazy or am I just overthinking this? Any advice would be splendid. Thanks.

[SonicAlbert]

You would put the 1176 in line on the 003. So for example, you'd connect the outs of the 1176 to ins 1-2 of the 003 and the ins of the 1176 to outs 1-2 of the 003. Then in the software you'd just use that I/O to send to the 1176.

Likewise, if you wanted to use the inputs 1-2 but not use the 1176, you'd just bypass the 1176.

Or, you could do all the above with a patchbay, which would allow you to patch the 1176 in or out to any I/O on the 003 as you wish.

I suggest getting a patchbay and doing it that way, if you need that kind of flexibility.