Outboard Compressors VS Softwear Plugins/fx

[ambi]

Currently im using softwear plugins for all my effects, i don't have any external fx boards or anything. But i was considering a compressor. I was wondering if it would really make any difference if i had a good compression plug, for say, logic audio, or if i bought one. Im guess that if i had an outboard one, it would make my recordings cleaner, and more leveled, so i could get them at an optimal level, and louder, easier. But if it was a plugin, i would have to do it after recording, and not beable to get an optimal level. Well, what do you all think of outboard fx boards compared to plugins and softwear fx?

 

[Ethan Winer]

Ambi,

> if i had an outboard one, it would make my recordings cleaner, and more leveled <

There are lots of good compressor plug-ins. I record all kinds of stuff and these days I use only software effects. Remember, digital audio is not like analog tape where you have to record as hot as possible to get over the tape hiss. If you record at an average level of -15 to -12, you'll have far less hiss than even the most expensive Studer analog tape recorder.

So the bottom line is you can compress later if you want to, with no real harm to the audio quality.

--Ethan