POD Compressor

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DemoEtc

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Hi:

I've been lurking quite a few months (as you can see I don't post often); great info and a great group looks like. Anyhow, not to waste too much of your time: I've been using an SM58 for general purpose/vocal recording for a few years now. A few months ago I got a DigiTech VR for the wife, and then more recently took a line out from the VR to the POD (version 2) so I could use its compressor. She's really a dynamic singer to say the least.

The sound I got was nice, the same highs and lows but with the compression now in effect.

Most recently we got an AT 3035. I knew I'd have to use the phantom power on my board (Carvin SM162, going into a TASCAM 238) and so I took the signal from the channel insert, routed to line-in on the VR, then out through the POD and then to the track input of the recorder. I got a very unusable, muddy sound with no highs.

My question is, could it be the way I'm sending the signal, or is it just the difference in the way a dynamic mic works as opposed to the condenser? I can't really check the signal route (the way I had it with the 58), because the VR doesn't have phantom power and I don't have the funds to get an external power source.

The 3035 sounds terrific straight into the board and out of the channel insert to the track input, but I'm just wondering if its a mismatch with the POD and 3035, or the way I have the POD being the last device in the chain before the track input.

Thanks in advance for any insight.

Best regards.
 
Get an outboard compressor.
Teh Pod is nice for guitar but I doubt it makes the greatest vocal compressor. Like you said the 3035 sounds good alone you don't want to go plugging it into a distortion box.

Get an RNC and be happy.
 
The POD's compressor is horrid.

One of the better deals on a compressor is probably the RNC from mercenaryaudio.com

Slackmaster 2000
 
Thanks for the replies, you two! That would be a good solution, but I was also wondering if anyone knew 'why' the setup worked with the 58 and didn't with the 3035. Just for future reference.

Thanks again.
 
It shouldn't make any difference which mic you use. Use the 58 the same way you hooked up the 3035 and it should be the same. Are you sure you didn't plug the insert cable in wrong when you tried it with the 3035?
 
That's what I was thinking too -- that it shouldn't matter which mic. I've triple checked everything as far as which end goes where, but I'll check it again. I mean, the fix is to not use it or to get the device the other two posters recommended, but when something doesn't work, it really bugs me until I find out the reason.

At this point I think I'll plug the 58 into the board (without the phantom on), and patch everything together like with the 3035. Now if THAT sounds fine, then I just don't know -- lol.

Thanks for your patience everyone. Any other ideas are welcome.
 
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