Software compression on the way in

[pdadda]

I am at work right now, but I thought of a question I can't test until later. I have been looking into buying an outboard compressor, mainly for controlling drums (snare, kick) before they get to the computer. When I record at 24 bit, I just set the levels lower. But due to issues I will not go into now, I am recording most of my stuff at 16 bit.
Anyway, I have software compressors I like well enough. I should mention that I record and edit all my audio with Tracktion (still using version 1). Can I drag my input onto a track, put a VST compessor on that track, route the audio output to a different track, and have the peaks be tamed in the waveform that gets recorded?

 

[minofifa]

i coudl be off base here but i'm gonna go ahead and say no. Althogh some software advertizes effects on recording, really it couldn't happen.

the signal goes mic > preamp > A/D > computer where it is manipulated by the software once in digital form. The clipping and whatnot happens at the A/D stage so there is no way software could avoid clipping since it does not even deal with the audio untill it is already processed by the A/D converters.

 

[xstatic]

Yes, you can use a software compressor on your inout stage, but it would be pretty pointless. It just makes it that much harder to set proper levels, and will not stop your signal from clipping during the conversion.