Aux Send/Receive

[Squashki]

Hi,
I have a Yamaha MG16/4 mixer, and a Alesis 3630 compressor (budget). I am running cables from the aux send to the compressor in's and then from the compressor outs to the aux receives at the back of my mixer.

Heres the question, does the signal that I get back from the compressor into the Aux receives go straight to the stero outs, or it is meant to be heard by the headphone out? I can't hear the compressor's affect when using some headphone out the headphone monitor socket. So does it skip the monitoring process and just go straight to the outputs?

Thanks.

 

[bennychico11]

i'm not familiar with your unit, but headphone outs should be monitoring the main outs too...except with a separate gain control.

anyway, compressor's are dynamic based effects and generally go on Inserts...not auxes. Try that and see what happens.

 

[TuoKaerf]

I'm also not familiar with your unit, but here are a few general ideas-

Did you consult the manual?

What type of cables are you using?

Are you sending out of Aux Send 1 back into Aux Return 1?

Does the mixer have an Aux Master? If so, is it turned up?

Is the compresser getting singnal?

Do you have to select which channel the aux send is returned to?

As Benny said, it is usually best to use the compressor as an insert instead of an aux send (unless you are trying some New York compression).

 

[Squashki]

I am using mono cables, and yes I am going from aux send 1 to aux return 1. I have the AUx master for both aux 1 and 2 turned up, the compressor is getting signal.

I can't find anything about having to select which channel the aux send is returned to in the manual, the only mention of compressors is hooking them up using the method you both mentioned, as an insert, but it also says I need a special type of cable that splits to do this. But when using this way how do I control what channels go into the compressor?

Thanks.

 

[Squashki]

Okay, now I have a stereo to two mono splitter cable, and I have connected it on the same channel as my electronic drum line input.
Now is there anyway for me to send more of the channels to the compressor, because now instead of compressing all the channels, I am only compressing the one channel I plug the splitter into. Or is this whats meant to happen?

 

[bennychico11]

Okay, now I have a stereo to two mono splitter cable, and I have connected it on the same channel as my electronic drum line input.
Now is there anyway for me to send more of the channels to the compressor, because now instead of compressing all the channels, I am only compressing the one channel I plug the splitter into. Or is this whats meant to happen?

that's what is meant to happen. generally you don't want to compress many instruments with the same compression. Not all instruments require the same settings. Some need a fast attack, other a slow one...some need the threshold to be lower, etc. This is why you typically use it as an insert (unless you're doing NY compression...but that's another bag of bones all together).
Also, the reason inserts are better for dynamic processors is because you don't really want to blend the compressed sound with the original UN-compressed sound do you? This is what will happen. Same thing with EQs...why would you EQ something but still leave the original one?
Aux sends are for time based processors such as reverbs....you use the Aux when you want to blend a wet (effected) signal with the dry one.

 

[Niimo]

(unless you are trying some New York compression).

just wondering what "New York compression" is. its off topic i know, just curious

 

[bennychico11]

just wondering what "New York compression" is. its off topic i know, just curious

it's called by several different names, but I think it's most known as New York compression (probably because it was made popular by engineers in NY).
Typically you bus your tracks to an aux track and heavily compress them...then blend the heavily compressed audio with the original tracks. For example, mix your drums as you normally would adding eq/compression to tasted...then send each track to a stereo aux track where you smash it all with compression, tastefully. Hard knee, low threshold, high ratio, etc. Then slowly bring up the aux track level until it's where you like it. It can help give your drums more punch while still keeping the nuances of each drum/cymbal.
At least, this is how I approach it.

 

[Squashki]

it's called by several different names, but I think it's most known as New York compression (probably because it was made popular by engineers in NY).
Typically you bus your tracks to an aux track and heavily compress them...then blend the heavily compressed audio with the original tracks. For example, mix your drums as you normally would adding eq/compression to tasted...then send each track to a stereo aux track where you smash it all with compression, tastefully. Hard knee, low threshold, high ratio, etc. Then slowly bring up the aux track level until it's where you like it. It can help give your drums more punch while still keeping the nuances of each drum/cymbal.
At least, this is how I approach it.

Is this method still used frequently, or is it seen as dated?