Has anyone ever used one of these???

[j.harv]

I just recently aquired a DBX 119 compressor/declinear.
I have checked on the internet about these in studio applications and a lot of people said they have had good results.
I just want to know what is the proper way to hook this up.I would like to try it with my 388 for mainly micing an acoustic guitar or snare drum,vocals.
There are only RCA jacks on the back so I cant hook it up with a xlr cable.I tried an RCA to 1/4' adapter and got sound through it,but it was kinda noisy.More noisy when I rotate the little and big knobs more to the left.Would this be due to the cables and adaptors?.
Also I saw one of these on ebay awhile ago,and it was modified in a way that it had xlr connetions on the back.Would this be an easy mod to do???
Just wire up the xlr's to the wires connected to the RCA jacks,or is there more to it than that???
Sorry about all the questions,I would like to get them all out of the way so I dont have to keep posting about this contraption.
I would like to experiment with this thing,and if it could be used regularly for certain tracks on the 388,that would be great.
Thanks.
Jason.

 

[j.harv]

Also,when I flip the switch up it doen't seem to do anything.

 

[lo.fi.love]

With your 388, it'd be best to use the ACCES SND / RCV jacks on the back of the mixer.

 

[j.harv]

Ok.Thanks.
But not too sure about how and what jacks to what jacks?
Then how would I operate it once hook up this way.
Still learnin about all the ins and outs of recording.
Also,does this mean it would be going throught the effects loop????
Still a little confused with this.
Thanks.

 

[lo.fi.love]

Ok.Thanks.
But not too sure about how and what jacks to what jacks?

Don't know, but the best way to figure this out would be to get a pair of RCA to TS cables and give it a shot!

By the way, a quick Google search found this PDF: http://vintagedbx.free.fr/owner%20manual/117-119.pdf

Also,does this mean it would be going throught the effects loop???

Which effects loop?

 

[j.harv]

Yeah.Not really sure what Im talking about with the effects thing.
Just when you mentioned the acess send/rcv jacks,kinda confused me.
Im used to plugging things in kinda like stomp boxes....mic->comp->input jack.
Still gotta lot to learn about the ins and outs.

Thanks for the link.

 

[sweetbeats]

Effect 101:

You can break how you use effects down into two broad categories...

1. send effects
2. insert effects

Send effects use an effects loop and typically you are blending the unaffected or "dry" signal with the affected or "wet" signal. Often with send effects you are mixing several signals together and "sending" them to the effects unit, and returning them through a dedicated effects return or an open channel strip. That's how you use the EFFECT buss on the 388...multiple sources are blended together via the channel 1~8 EFFECT knobs and then the level of the combined or "summed" signals is controlled at the master EFFECT level knob...out the EFFECT jack it goes to your effects unit and then you typically would bring the output of that back to the mixer via the EFFECT RTN 1 & 2 jacks. Typical effects that use a send and return path would be delay effects or reverb.

Insert effects, on the other hand, dedicate an effect for one signal...no blending of multiple sources as with the EFFECT buss. And furthermore the signal is processed 100% "wet". In other words rather than mixing the "dry" signal and "wet" signal by controlling the balance of the processed and unprocessed signals (the unprocessed signals coming through the channel strip to the PGM busses and the signals to be processed going out the EFFECT buss and returning processed through the EFFECT RTN jacks), the unprocessed signal leaves via the ACCESS SEND jack to the effects processor and returns via the ACCESS RCV jack...100% processed and on to the rest of the channel strip. Typical insert effects would be dynamics processors (compressors, limiters, etc.)

Think of send effects like a stream of water and you siphon off part of that stream (the EFFECT knob) and add blue dye to the siphoned stream. The main stream remains clear (the unprocessed signal going through the channel strip to the PGM busses) and the other turns blue (processed with the effect). At the end you have two streams with which you can balance the level between them. Now think of 8 main streams (the 8 channels on the mixer) and you siphon off of 5 of them. The 8 main streams continue on clear, but the 5 siphoned streams all connect into one combined stream (the EFFECT buss) to which you add the blue dye. I hope that isn't making it more confusing.

If we take the same analoguous elements and apply them to the insert type concept we'd have one clear stream that we divert 100% (at the ACCESS SEND jack), add the blue dye (the effect processor), and then bring the colored stream back to the original path (at the ACCESS RCV jack) and on to the rest of the channel strip and then the PGM busses.

SO...

Read the manual to the 119 for how to use it but that type of effect would typically be used as an insert effect like lo.fi.love is telling you, and you'll need two RCA to 1/4" TS cables. The TRICK here is that the 119 is really designed as a dynamics processor for stereo program material, like a stereo mix, and you'd connect it by taking the stereo out L & R from the 388 to the inputs A & B of the 119 and then you could take one set of outputs to your master recorder inputs and the other set of outputs to your monitor speakers or something. I'd have to think about that more...it is a stereo processor and you don't have individual controls over the A & B channels. Doesn't mean you can't try it out, I'm just filling in the blanks of how it appears it was intended to be used...cjacek has a 118...not sure if that is a mono processor or not.

 

[cjacek]

I just recently aquired a DBX 119 compressor/declinear.

I just want to know what is the proper way to hook this up.I would like to try it with my 388 for mainly micing an acoustic guitar or snare drum,vocals.

...cjacek has a 118...not sure if that is a mono processor or not.

Shh.. the 118 / 119 are really secret weapons in the compressor game (on the cheap). .. Nothing fancy, just a compression dial (and its ratios) and the amount you want. Hint, have it set to ABOVE THRESHOLD (switch UP). Set the large dial to COMPRESSION side, ratio 1.2 - 1.4 and the smaller knob (on the left) to 3 or 4 o'clock. It should now be compressing gently with a moderate signal level (peaks at max 0db on the 388 VU meter). For the settings I suggested, the 119 should start compressing (indicating red) at around -20db to -15db on the 388. Play around with the settings but that's what I use. If you set the large dial all the way to the left (infinity), you'll be getting more of a "limiter" effect, adjusted by the smaller "threshold" knob. I don't use the "Linear" setting.

As an example, using channel one 388 access send/receive, you'd first get 2 1/4" unbalanced to RCA cords. The first one goes to the 1/4" SEND (388) and the other end goes to one of the INPUT RCA plugs (119), in this case INPUT "A", the one on the left side ("from preamp"). The 2nd cable goes to the 1/4" RECEIVE (388) and the other end goes to one of the OUTPUT RCA plugs (119), in this case OUTPUT "A", the one on the right side ("to preamp"). Both must be the same letter - input A / output A.

Now, for doing 2 channels at once just repeat the same thing for input B / output B. For just mixdown, while I never tried it, you can just go RCA stereo out (from the 388) straight into the 119 INPUT A and B and then OUT (from the 119), also A and B, which corresponds to L and R.

This is just from the top of my head, hopefully no mistakes on my part. Try is out and let us know how it went.

BTW, great replies and one helluva tutorial from sweetbeats! <now where's the damn thumbs up smiley? >

 

[sweetbeats]

AND...oh...shhhh...

Those things are really cool looking too!

Hey...Daniel...[looking left looking right coast is clear]

What's the diff with the 118 and the 119??

 

[j.harv]

Thanks so much lo.fi,sweetbeats and cjacek!!!!
Its really great to be amongst such knowledgable peolple.

And sweetbeats,the effects lesson was great!!! Especially the comparisons to the streams of water with the dye.GREAT!!!!

I haven't had time to mess with the 119 yet but will experiment with it quite abit.
Once again,thanks guys.

Jason.

 

[cjacek]

AND...oh...shhhh...

Those things are really cool looking too!

Hey...Daniel...[looking left looking right coast is clear]

What's the diff with the 118 and the 119??

This is between us, right? ..

Not sure what the difference is, if any... Shh, apparently they both share the same VCA as the much more expensive vintage dbx compressors and, although I haven't compared directly, it's sick how good those boxes sound. Get yours while the prices are still good.

 

[sweetbeats]

I've thought about these things for awhile...saw a set that came up locally awhile back...passed on them...but I wonder...my CRL SEP400A's have all kinds of proprietary VCA's in them...maybe I should get a studio setup so I can try them...yah.

 

[stevieb]

"Spectral Energy Processor???!!" Sounds rather "Ghostbusters" to me. Be careful...