a fairly boring compressor question, concerning phantom power.

R

Rassoodocks

New member
I'm fairly new to the world of compressors.. but, i was thinking recentley..., if i was to say hook up a condensor microphone into the compressor and then go into my aardvark 24/96... how would phantom power get to the condensor ?


the signal chain would be...

Mic
Compressor
Aardvark 2496 Pre/soundcard.


The problem i can see arising here is the fact that the phantom power wouldn't be passed through the compressor and onto the condensor microphone.

The only way i can think of to get around this problem is...one of two ways...

microphone,
Mic pre (with phantom power)
Comp
Aardvark.


or...

Mic,
Aardvark,
Aardvark out,
Compressor,
Aardvark.


They're both kinda overly complex... and i'm not really keen on buying a new mic pre... So... someone set me straight...that way, i can plan before i purchase....

as always, thanks in advance,
Rory.
 
A compressor needs a line level input, so you always need a pre-amp first in the chain (either a stand alone or a mixer's pre). Hence phantom power always comes from a pre or a mixer as they are the first thing in the chain after the mic. With the kit you've got the second set up would work, and would emulate the conventional way of using an insert of aux send from a mixer to get a signal though the compressor.

However many people would advise that you record the vocals uncompressed and use software compression on your PC - that way nothing irreversible is done to the recorded sound, and you can get a variety of s/w compressors as free plug ins.
 
gary... thanks so much for that... i'm clear now....

you're right... i don't like touching ANY signals with any effects at all until it's on the computer... however... from messign around with a compressor on bass/guitars... i'm getting a really nice sound... as for vocals... i've got a big voice... and it's quite dynamic.. i'd like to be able to bellow and whisper and not have to back off the mic or rub up against it too much... as for compressing the signal on the way in... i think you might be right...compression on vocals isn't great...

This brings me to another point.. i think bass guitar and electric guitars need compressors on them on the way in... for sure, especially when it's di'ed... for acoustic, i get good results compressing the recorded signal... same with drums, same with voice...

Is this common practice ?

thanks again.
 
Garry Sharp said:
A compressor needs a line level input, so you always need a pre-amp first in the chain (either a stand alone or a mixer's pre).
Click to expand...

Kinda... but not necessarily... if you look at the Manley "VoxBox", the compressor is before the mic amp in the chain... but it's also set up to accept a -40 signal... so there is a good bit of validity in what you say

However many people would advise that you record the vocals uncompressed and use software compression on your PC - that way nothing irreversible is done to the recorded sound, and you can get a variety of s/w compressors as free plug ins.
Click to expand...

...and 14% of the world's male population thinks that getting fucked in the ass is the only way to have sex... which doesn't make it right or wrong, it just makes it an opinion to which I don't subscribe... much like the statement above.

I have never met a 'software compressor' that could come close to comparing to a good 'hardware compressor'... though I have met a couple of 'software compressors' that were superior to shitty 'hardware compressors'... but who the fuck cares about shitty hardware compression anyway (except maybe the shitheads at Behringer or Alesis or DBX that try to foist that shit on unsuspecting 'newbies').
 
Garry Sharp said:

However many people would advise that you record the vocals uncompressed and use software compression on your PC - that way nothing irreversible is done to the recorded sound, and you can get a variety of s/w compressors as free plug ins.
Click to expand...


In my lifetime, I have met maybe two or three singers who didn't NEED to be compressed, at least a little, before I wanted to put them through the ADC. Their dynamic range was far too wide for me to present the ADC with the average signal level I consider acceptable. This is not compression as art, this is compression as signal maintenance.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Light said:
This is not compression as art, this is compression as signal maintenance.
Click to expand...


thank you light, that was the phrase i was looking for...'signal maintenance...'

i think my vocals need signal maintenance, i think di'd guitars need signal maintenance... as far as drums and acoustic guitars go.. i'm not so sure....for these instruments, i would also like your opinion on 'signal maintenance.'

Thank you.
 
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