acidrock
GO PACKERS!
For the record I have three low end compressors,a Joe Meek,an Art and the one that comes in my Tampa preamp and I never use them anymore since I got UAD plugs.They just weren't as good not to mention the hassle,YMMV.
Kingofpain678
Returned from the dead
There was a thread I started a while back on Vintage analog gear which basically led to the conclusion was hybrid studio's were the favorite of the people the users posting in the thread.
Using analog gear with digital gear can be a good thing as long as you have significant quality gain as gecko stated.
In this case using a behringer outboard compressor would not give you significant quality gain (I'm just assuming behringer) and you would be better off just using a plug.
In short, if you got the good gear to get the good sound then by all means go for it. If not your probably better off with plugs.
Using analog gear with digital gear can be a good thing as long as you have significant quality gain as gecko stated.
In this case using a behringer outboard compressor would not give you significant quality gain (I'm just assuming behringer) and you would be better off just using a plug.
In short, if you got the good gear to get the good sound then by all means go for it. If not your probably better off with plugs.
R
Richard Monroe
Well-known member
The original poster specified that the compressor is a DBX unit.-Richie
D
dintymoore
Guest
A friend of mine was talking to Allen Sides last week. Allen is a legend. His observation was that in-the-box sounds small compared to out-of-the-box (adding in outboard gear).
I know for me if I stayed in the box I think it totally sucks. I've got some great outboard gear and even if I didn't I know I could add a whole 'nother dimension to a recording even using outboard garbage gear and it would be an improvement. It adds musical complexity in a whole different way.
For me, as soon as you do some OOTB creative stuff the sound almost goes 3D compared to what you can get ITB.
I know for me if I stayed in the box I think it totally sucks. I've got some great outboard gear and even if I didn't I know I could add a whole 'nother dimension to a recording even using outboard garbage gear and it would be an improvement. It adds musical complexity in a whole different way.
For me, as soon as you do some OOTB creative stuff the sound almost goes 3D compared to what you can get ITB.
acidrock
GO PACKERS!
Gee I don't know,I've listened to a lot of ITB stuff from the clinic that sounds great.
I think it's one of those things like sampling rates where people claim they can hear it but in blind side by sides they can't tell the difference.It's human nature to rationalize things like that.
G
gibsonsgharp
New member
Thanks to all for their technical advice and opinions.
Basically, I have been recording at home for several years, on a TASCAM 244 which uses cassettes and the 4 tracks Side A R&L and Side B R&L all going one way. Tracks can be bounced to add more etc.
The 244 has a built in mixer with EQ but NO onboard effects.
So, my experience has been entirely with outboard gear and I have accumulated several pieces over the years with which I have become familiar.
So, I know how to hook my compressor up to the 244 so that I can use it in the chain on the way in, OR on any one, or group of, tracks after they are recorded without having to send the modified track to be recorded on another track (tracks are precious in a 4 track environment and you lose quality and flexibility when you bounce)
But, I was unclear on how to do add compression/or FX later in my new digital environment using the gear I have, if I wanted to. I read about others here doing just that and wanted to see what the best approach was. The only way my simple mind could figure was to send out to the FX and back in and "record" the modified signal on a new track. But as you can see my past thought process was to conserve the use of tracks..... which I have alot more of now.
Thanks to all!
Basically, I have been recording at home for several years, on a TASCAM 244 which uses cassettes and the 4 tracks Side A R&L and Side B R&L all going one way. Tracks can be bounced to add more etc.
The 244 has a built in mixer with EQ but NO onboard effects.
So, my experience has been entirely with outboard gear and I have accumulated several pieces over the years with which I have become familiar.
So, I know how to hook my compressor up to the 244 so that I can use it in the chain on the way in, OR on any one, or group of, tracks after they are recorded without having to send the modified track to be recorded on another track (tracks are precious in a 4 track environment and you lose quality and flexibility when you bounce)
But, I was unclear on how to do add compression/or FX later in my new digital environment using the gear I have, if I wanted to. I read about others here doing just that and wanted to see what the best approach was. The only way my simple mind could figure was to send out to the FX and back in and "record" the modified signal on a new track. But as you can see my past thought process was to conserve the use of tracks..... which I have alot more of now.
Thanks to all!
D
dintymoore
Guest
That's the only way if you want to use an outboard compressor. There is no other "secret" way.
I don't blame you a bit for wanting to do this because just as every guitar or cymbal has it's own flavor, so do compressors, and DBX compressors are known to be musical.
The compressors in Cubase, even Cubase LE are very good though, and in a way have their own identity.
But there's probably no comparison to using something with knobs to get a common sense feel for what's going on.
acidrock
GO PACKERS!
Another method is to record a really comprssed or "squashed" track and mix it to taste with the uncompressed track until you get satisfactory results.
Not the same as a regular compressed track,but it's a different flavor and it keeps you from having to do the track over again if you're not happy down the road.
Not the same as a regular compressed track,but it's a different flavor and it keeps you from having to do the track over again if you're not happy down the road.