Help! Signal routeing drama!

A

allandall

New member
Also posted in The Rack section:

So I've got a Mackie CR1604 board. I'm running my behringer stereo compressor through it. I've got the board running the aux outs to the compressor, but when I run them through the aux returns, it won't record with compression. I can hear it compressing, and can controll the level throught the aux return controls, but it won't go on to the mix. so right now i've got them returned through my last two tracks, which works, but isn't what I want to do. I want them to come back through the tracks I have them assigned to. please help!

Jonah
 
Last edited:
allandall said:
Also posted in The Rack section:

So I've got a Mackie CR1604 board. I'm running my behringer stereo compressor through it. I've got the board running the aux outs to the compressor, but when I run them through the aux returns, it won't record with compression. I can hear it compressing, and can controll the level throught the aux return controls, but it won't go on to the mix. so right now i've got them returned through my last two tracks, which works, but isn't what I want to do. I want them to come back through the tracks I have them assigned to. please help!

Jonah
Click to expand...
I'm not familiar with that exact board but on the aux returns does it have buttons for assigning the returns to different tracks?
 
allandall said:
Also posted in The Rack section:

So I've got a Mackie CR1604 board. I'm running my behringer stereo compressor through it. I've got the board running the aux outs to the compressor, but when I run them through the aux returns, it won't record with compression. I can hear it compressing, and can controll the level throught the aux return controls, but it won't go on to the mix. so right now i've got them returned through my last two tracks, which works, but isn't what I want to do. I want them to come back through the tracks I have them assigned to. please help!

Jonah
Click to expand...

Firstly, you aren't running compressor "through" your mixer, you're running something from your mix through your compressor. So if the problem is getting that effected "something" back into the mixer you have options.

I believe the cr1604 has inserts on every channel. If you want to compress the bass track say; use a trs to 2 ts cable. This is a stereo (TRS) 1/4" jack on one end, to two mono (TS) 1/4" jacks on the other end(s).

Tip is send ring is return. This means that when you plus the stereo (TRS) jack into the bass channel insert, the TIP portion of the cable carries the signal. Plug the end marked "tip" into the input on your compressor, and the end marked "ring" into the output on the compressor.

You have created a loop. Part of the bass signal is sent (i can't remember if it's pre fader or post but i think mackie defaults to pre fader: this means that the signal is tapped BEFORE the eq pan and level fader) to the compressor. You modify the signal by controlling the compressor, then the signal leaves the compressor and returns to the channel. Now you apply eq, pan and level.

If you are attempting to compress the entire L/R mix: Use the exact same procedure above but use the Main Insert jack on the back of the mixer (i think it has one, it damn well better).

If you want to compress a group of channels, then it's tricky. I don't believe on the 16 channel boards, mackie built in group inserts. I think those are features on the 8 buss consoles. But, if you group say 4 vocal tracks to group 1, take a 1/4" cable and connect it to compressor input. Connect another 1/4" patch to compressor output, and return the signal to an empty line input channel on your mixer. Granted this will be mono, and not a true inline effect.

You would then be advised to remove the vocal tracks from the l/r buss, remove the group from the l/r buss, and only monitor the signal returning to the mixer from the compressor.

I hope that helps a little.



*************************

rereading your original post. To do it your way, you would need to assign the aux return to the l/r buss to hear it in the mix.
 
still...

Okay, so I did as you said, butttt my channel inserts are being used to record to my computer and the line inserts are pre fadder and won't seem to work right. Any more suggestions?
 
allandall said:
Okay, so I did as you said, butttt my channel inserts are being used to record to my computer and the line inserts are pre fadder and won't seem to work right. Any more suggestions?
Click to expand...


we need to get some terminology straight first.

Channel inserts are used for effect looping (and other things) and as a direct out if the cable is half-inserted. I assume you're half plugging the insert jack to achieve a direct output. I believe that is pre-fader, altough i can't remember.

Line inserts is a term i don't get. I think you mean line inputs. This is used to return the indiv. tracks from the recorder (computer).

If you are attempting to effect a channel coming back from the computer then: You'd have the track in question patched to a line input on a channel on your mixer. The only way that you can use the insert on that channel is to unplug your cable going to the PC and use a TRS cable as described above. That is unless the board has group (submix) inserts. If it does, route the channel(s) to a group (mono) and insert your compressor on the group.

But i suspect you are trying to do two many things at once.

Once you have a track recorded and you are now monitoring it through your mixer, you will need to unplug the half-inserted cable on said channel, and apply a trs cable to create a compressor loop as described above.

Or: Get a mixer with direct outs on every channel. If your mixer has them already, why not patch ALL direct outputs to the DAW line inputs?
 
yes

You are correct. Sorry about the poor term-age I was writing quickly on my blackberry. But yeah. I'm probably just stuck putting them into two empty channels. Which works, but haveing them open would have been nice. But thank you for all of your advice, it will come in handy when I get a bigger mixer.

Jonah
 
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