Help: Hooking up hardware gear

  • Thread starter Thread starter jgutta23
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jgutta23

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I've searched everywhere. I need help with hooking up my dbx 160x to my fast track pro then into protools.

My gear:

Macbook
Fast Track Pro
DBX 160 X


I have a 1/4in TRS to 2 TS y cable.

But I dont know how to get the signal to the dbx. If someone can please provide me with step by step instructions that would be great. It seems so simple but for me it soo difficult. I get confused with the inserting and the I/O set up stuff. When I open pro tools I get a little confused on what i should do to get signal to the dbx 160



Thx for your time
 
You'll need two of the TRS-2xTS cables to use both channels of the dbx compressor. Put the TRS end in the insert jack of the Fast Track. The Fat Track inserts are "tip send" so put the TS labeled "tip" into the input of the compressor, and the TS labeled "ring" into the output of the compressor. Now you are set up to compress signals on their way to Pro Tools, if that is what you need to do.

Using the 160 as a compressor for tracks in Pro Tools would be like hitching a mule team to your brand new car. PT has compressors built in, and there are plugins galore available if you want something different.

Is there some really good reason for the analog compressor, or did a salesman just convince you that you needed one?
 
the compressor is mono. And no one convinced me to buy it. I like the sound on the dbx on vocals. Once I connect the y cable what would be my next step inside of pro tools? thats the part where Im stuck.
 
jgutta23 said:
the compressor is mono. And no one convinced me to buy it. I like the sound on the dbx on vocals. Once I connect the y cable what would be my next step inside of pro tools? thats the part where Im stuck.
Click to expand...

Right, I was thinking of the 166.

If you want to use it on recorded tracks in Pro Tools then ditch the insert cable. Connect an output of your interface to the input of the compressor, and the output of the compressor to the input of the interface. Assign whatever you want to compress to the output going to the comp and record the input coming back from the comp. Set your input monitoring appropriately to avoid a feedback loop.

But now you have a problem. How do you monitor what you are doing when the output is being used for an analog loop? What you really need is an interface with more than two ins and outs. One pair for monitoring and others for stuff like external processors. If I were you I'd just use the 160 sparingly on the insert during tracking and compress more as needed in Pro Tools during mixdown.
 
ok that makes sense. So now im thinking about just using the dbx for mixing so it wont be such a pain. Is it possible to connect the dbx via s/pdif?
 
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