Old dog with new mixer Mackie Pro FX16 - FX sends/returns?

[jmastanduno]

Hello,
I have had alot of experience in the years ago when we did everything to 2" tape. Getting back into recording in my humble home studio. I recently acquired the above referenced mini desk which appears to be aimed more towards live sound, but Im using it to mix drums to stereo to feed into a 8 track digital machine.
I used patch (mono cables) to send/return through a BBE maxcom dual comp/gate/processor, i used both sends from FX#1 (as FX#2 loop mixes the outboard processor with its internal effects which I dont want to do) to each channel on the BBE and separate outs to the FX1 returns on the board.
This results in only the left side getting processed. Im wondering if this is an internal problem with the board. According to their manual it says you can use one send if the processor (like a reverb for instance) emulates 2 channel output to free up a send so I assume I dont need TRS cables going to the processor.....
Anyone here have any experience with this piece?

Regards James

 

[bouldersoundguy]

Compressors are normally use in series. Effects sends are for parallel effects like reverb. If you want to compress your whole stereo drum mix to the recorder just patch the left/right output of the board to the left/right input of the BBE, and the left/right output of the BBE to a pair of inputs on your recorder.

 

[jmastanduno]

Thank you for reading my post and your reply it's funny you should mention that because that's the way I had this rig set up for our whole first record with very good results. I was using a DBX 166 inserted on the kick channel as well. However the 166 has now been incorporated into a bass rig and a DBX 266 has replaced it in the rack. I was experimenting with the effects loop to see if I can individually adjust the BBE compression on separate channels just experimenting around with that. I'm fine using the 266 inserted as a compressor for the kick drum and the gate on the snare. Then the whole drum mix will go to the BBE unit and then to the recorder. But I'm still scratching my head over why I was only getting left channel back through the desk even though I was using two sends and two returns.