Basic Mixing question for EQ and Compression

  • Thread starter Thread starter amt7565
  • Start date Start date
A

amt7565

New member
Folks~
I have an M-aduio OMNI soundcard which I am using with SONAR.
I am also using a MIDI sound module and electic guitar. I am thinking about getting an EQ and compressor to enhance my final mix. Do you guys have any suggestions as to what's the best way to connect an EQ and compressor? My MIDI module is stereo and hence takes 2 channels of the soundcard. My guitar goes through the POD, hence that too takes up 2 channels.

I would rather avoid EQ and compression using SONAR since the A/D conversion is already done.

Basically I would like to run only my final mix though EQ and compression instead of individual channels. Is there a way to route it through the M-audio sound card?
Thanks :)
 
plugins?

I would rather avoid EQ and compression using SONAR since the A/D conversion is already done.
Click to expand...

This doesn't make sense to me...why do you want EQ and compression to be pre-conversion? You do want to avoid unnecessary conversions, which is a good reason to look at plugins. Plugins give you the most flexibility and avoid the extra conversions of external analog units.
 
I am under the impression that it's best to EQ and compress the analog signals and not the digitized wavefile. Even changing the volume and doing anyother manipulation to the wave file will degrade the waveform quality. And when we use plugins to manipulate the digitized waveform won't it further degrade the waveform? If not, what is a good plugin you recommend?

Thanks ;)
 
-If you compress/eq the analog signal before you hit the initial AD conversion, you can't undue it.
-If you compress while mixing and route your signals to analog processors (and back into the PC), you'll wind up with an extra set of DAD conversions, which will degrade your sound (unless you have $$$$$ converters such as Apogee or Lucid)
-Once you're all digital, you have to mix signals/sum them to stereo/pan/change levels of tracks, so they will "alter" the waveform, I don't think I would use the word degrade here.

I recommend using plug-ins. I am very happy with the Waves plug-ins, RenCompressor gets used often on vocals and acoustic guitar tracks.

Also, for the money (IMHO), you can't get the equivalent HW that you can get out of a decent plug-in. An exception to this is the RNC, but if you want more colored compression (and to avoid additional DAD conversions), I'd stick with the Waves plug-ins. You can also use the plug-in on multiple tracks (as much as your PC can handle). I don't think there's any HW EQ that can compete with a decent plug-in. The cheapest I can think of is the Speck ASC which runs around $600 for ONE channel. For that kind of money, you can get the whole Waves set. I don't think you'll be happy with ANY HW EQ or Compressor for under $500 (except for the RNC!)

amt7565 said:
I am under the impression that it's best to EQ and compress the analog signals and not the digitized wavefile. Even changing the volume and doing anyother manipulation to the wave file will degrade the waveform quality. And when we use plugins to manipulate the digitized waveform won't it further degrade the waveform? If not, what is a good plugin you recommend?

Thanks ;)
Click to expand...
 
Thanks guys!
So I am assuming that after I record my guitar and MIDI to digital domain(waveforms) in SONAR, it's then that I tweek the waves using plugins. Do you have any recommendations for plugins? What is this "rencompressor" ?

THanks!
 
http://www.waves.com/

The best set of plugins available. Are you recording your tracks at 24 bit? If so, then the sound degredation issue from using plugins should be insignificant, to say the least.
 
Dude chessrock! They are so friggin expensive! Nothing for less than $800.00.

Thanks anyway man ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top