Question about racks

[Re-tox_stl]

So i have been doing tons and tons of research about recording studios, and i have noticed that some larger studios have many of the same effects on there racks. For instance, I just watched a video of a studio that had 4 of the same compressor in there rack. And i was just wondering what the point of this was.

Much love, Drew

 

[Jim Lad]

The point of using racks? or 4 compressors?
The equipment is designed to fit on a rack.
This gets it off the desk and leaves less of a mess with wires and such.
There are some effects such as compression which are best added while recording as opposed to after the fact.
Other rack gear may include audio interfaces, noise gates, EQ, channel strips, ice cream dispensers, preamps etc..

 

[rayc]

The engineer can apply the preferred compression to 4 tracks simultaneously & in real time.

 

[Massive Master]

There are some effects such as compression which are best added while recording as opposed to after the fact.

Many, if not most, would wholeheartedly disagree with that...

Back on topic - Lots of tracks? Lots of outboard. Any analog studio (or digital studio that utilizes analog mixing or summing) is going to need more than 4 compressors...

 

[Jim Lad]

Many, if not most, would wholeheartedly disagree with that...

Many, if not most, would wholeheartedly disagree with that...

 

[moresound]

.much love, drew

right back at you

 

[M1Fanatic]

There may be a whole stack of the same effects in a rack as well. One for each send on the console, but possibly all programmed differently with a different patch.

Any extra outboards can be routed through a patchbay and accessed at will. Same with just about any piece of equipment.

To print with compression or not, or any other outboard for that matter depends upon the circumstances.

 

[Re-tox_stl]

@ Jim Lad:
I know what racks and out board stuff is for and how it works. I just didnt know what the point of having more than 1 of the exact same effect on the same rack.

 

[Jim Lad]

Yup!
I couldn't tell.