Yes, don't use compressors while tracking drums!! Record them at lower levels (like -10dB on peak snare hits). Record the kick at somewhere around -6dB.
Right mics + right placement + good drums = good results.
if i record it at -10dB, won't my noise levels go up? using the pfl on my mixer, i set each channel for around -6, use only subtractive eq, and then set my mains for about -6 also. i start at unity gain and cut levels from there to get a good balance. and the snare is always getting swallowed up, so my options are either set everything else to about -30 and the snare to -6, or to boost the snare channel, which i certainly do not want to do (although i have, damn me). as the fader levels come down on each component, doesn't my noise increase?
you mention the stress of the drum transients on your poor preamps. Adding a compressor will not change this either becase the compressor in order to work properly will follow the preamp. The end result will be your poor little preamps having to do the drums and then pass it on to a poor little compressor. What mics are you using to track kick and snare? How are you processing them on mix down? How many tracks of each are you recording? What are you comparing them to? What drums are you using? Where are you placing the mics?
well, i'm currently rethinking my entire setup. i've been runnng 8 mics through a behringer mixer (i know, i know), and panning the main outs to my 12-track. this allowed for no individual drum processing during mixdown, just some eq and light reverb on the stereo tracks.
i have pearl exports which will no longer be in use when
my tama starclassic performer shows up in the next 2-6 weeks. the old kit was a 5-pc and i had 2 OH (spaced pair of CAD ICM-417), all 3 toms close-miked w/ CAD TSM-411,
a KBM-412 inside the kick.
surprisingly, the snare is my biggest problem. it is a custom maple pearl masters piccolo, and it is tuned perfectly (i'm actually a drummer that knows how to tune). i'm using an sm57 on it, on a stand, about 5 inches away, pointed at the center of the head.
the new kit will have 5 rack toms and 1 floor tom, which is far too many drums to close mic (i don't have the inputs). so i'm thinking of using a stereo pair out in front (ortf, spaced, or xy) and a close mic on the kick and snare. i was going to run these two mics through my vtb-1 and tube mp (a bit of an upgrade from the behri), and then to the compressors. however, now it seems that this isn't such a hot idea after all. but if i go to a 4-mic setup, the mixer will be taken out of the equation altogether and i can process each channel in mixdown, which should help considerably.
my "reference disc" is the deftones' "white pony" album.
i'm just trying to figure out what i've been doing so wrong and fix it. from what i've read and heard, it seemed that compression was the answer, but once again the more i learn the dumber i get.
i really REALLY appreciate all the help--thanks guys, and hopefully the above info will help you all help me even more.