DBX...which one?

[Carny1122]

Okay, so for my live rig (I'm reconfiguring my rack...I'm kinda bored with it...) I want a new stereo compressor/Limiter to run my mix through, and I was just going to pick up a DBX 166XL, but something told me to go on their site and check out my other options, so I did, and the 1066 seems like it would suit me better because of it's Peak Limiter options.

Soooooo, NOT concerning studio usage, which one do you guys think would suit my live needs better...the 166 XL or the 1066? Price is an issue, I can only drop about $250, but on eBay, they're going for about $200 each...so I'm torn

Any experience with using them live? I usually do metal/rock bands, mic everything, yadda yadda yadda...I just need something to save my mains/subs when the 17 year-old metal singer smashes his mic off of his guitarist's head by accident

[Simman]

Originally Posted by Carny1122

Okay, so for my live rig (I'm reconfiguring my rack...I'm kinda bored with it...) I want a new stereo compressor/Limiter to run my mix through, and I was just going to pick up a DBX 166XL, but something told me to go on their site and check out my other options, so I did, and the 1066 seems like it would suit me better because of it's Peak Limiter options.

Soooooo, NOT concerning studio usage, which one do you guys think would suit my live needs better...the 166 XL or the 1066? Price is an issue, I can only drop about $250, but on eBay, they're going for about $200 each...so I'm torn

Any experience with using them live? I usually do metal/rock bands, mic everything, yadda yadda yadda...I just need something to save my mains/subs when the 17 year-old metal singer smashes his mic off of his guitarist's head by accident

I don't buss compressor on the mains because one source can end up affecting the entire mix. The compressor should go directly on the sound source (i.e, the singer, kick, snare) via the send/return in your mixer. Then, just set the mains so that the UVs are not glowing like the sun you should be fine. A limiter on the mains is a different story.

What's the rest of your setup look like?

[Carny1122]

I do compress everything individually; i usually buss the drums, send the sub group out, EQ then compress those, send 'em back into a stereo return, then the same with vocals - little bit of EQ, then back into a stereo return. I don't want a hard compressor on the mains - i've been using an old Behringer compressor outta the mains (yeah, I know....) and with just a soft limiter and a little bit of compression, I like how it helps to kinda squeeze everything together a little bit, but I want something that will help do the same thing, only with better sound quality and better reliability.

I understand about compressing the main mix, though, and why a lot of people don't do it....studio = good...live = usually not good.

[Carny1122]

Okay, so you can make fun of me for not thinking of this before ....but what if I ran my whole thing like this....

Take my drums (probably only my Kick and snare mics) and sub those to group 1, run that output into an EQ, the EQ into a compressor's first channel, then that out into back into a Stereo group (I've got 4 stereo groups to work with). That way I've got my kick and snare levels individually, together, and together post-EQ and Compression...do the same with Vocals, Bass, and keys or guitars (though I've never really seen the need for compressing guitars live).

Run my main outs to my Dual-31 band DBX Eq, run that to the amps. The amps have limiters built in, and realistically, I should have any peaks taken care of with the compression going on with everything...

So the signal chain would be....Buss > (EQ) > Compressor > Stereo Group > Main outs > EQ > Amp

Should I use the stereo groups for some things and not for others? Like I've done my drums that way for years, like I have above, but should I use the Group returns for vocals or bass or anything instead of using a Stereo group? I've never really found a need for using the group return for anything except reverb on the vocal buss/group.

[Carny1122]

Geez, i just keep responding to my own thread.....anyway, my rack's current setup consists of two dual-31 band eq's, one single 31 band EQ, and single 15 band EQ, one 4-channel Gate/Expander (that i've never used, my buddy bought it for $40), and (currently) 2 channels of compression, though I should have 4 by the weekend! Again, depending on the venue, I mic everything...2 guitar amps, entire drums (save cymbals), three vox, DI bass, and DI keys if need be. And I'm running my subs off of a Crown XLS 5000 stereo and mains with a Crest CA-12, monitors off a Crown CE 1000 and Tapco J800(hey, it was cheap!). Eh that wasn't an important fact. Just lets everyone know how back-breaking my amp rack is (ugh).

[Simman]

Originally Posted by Carny1122

Okay, so you can make fun of me for not thinking of this before ....but what if I ran my whole thing like this....

Take my drums (probably only my Kick and snare mics) and sub those to group 1, run that output into an EQ, the EQ into a compressor's first channel, then that out into back into a Stereo group (I've got 4 stereo groups to work with). That way I've got my kick and snare levels individually, together, and together post-EQ and Compression...do the same with Vocals, Bass, and keys or guitars (though I've never really seen the need for compressing guitars live).

Run my main outs to my Dual-31 band DBX Eq, run that to the amps. The amps have limiters built in, and realistically, I should have any peaks taken care of with the compression going on with everything...

So the signal chain would be....Buss > (EQ) > Compressor > Stereo Group > Main outs > EQ > Amp

Should I use the stereo groups for some things and not for others? Like I've done my drums that way for years, like I have above, but should I use the Group returns for vocals or bass or anything instead of using a Stereo group? I've never really found a need for using the group return for anything except reverb on the vocal buss/group.

Wow had to think about all that for a bit

Not sure why you'd want to go through all that but if it works, so be it. Signal chain (EQ-Compressor/Compressor-EQ) really comes down to what works (sounds best), given your specific situation. I generally compress before EQ but that's not to say that if I had something that didn't sound right I wouldn't try flipping the path. I also don't usually compress guitars (don't think I ever have ) live , especially if they are mostly distorted (i.e., Metal, Classic rock) since distortion already limits the dynamic range.

I recently switched over to using a DBX Driverack 260 (tri-amp) to manage the mains and while it is a bit different than component EQs & crossovers, it does a pretty decent job.

[Carny1122]

Ha yeahhhhhhh sorry...I was sitting at work bored and just kinda pieced it together in my mind and jotted it down on a piece of paper and voila...

I think I'll stick with the Stereo groups for at least the drums and Vocals for now...I'll possibly try using the channel insert for the bass. I've had some messy bass lately so I think that compressing it'll really help tidy it up.

I was looking at drive racks, but I don't want to jump to that just yet. I think once I get everything figured out and hooked up, I'll be okay. And I'm broke from buying a new case/20 amp power conditioner/power amp...yikes.