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[Jonathan Ruiz Santos]

HI Guys,

This is the system I am running with my weekend band:

Mackie mixer Left and Right signal to
dbx 2231 EQ Channel 1 and 2 to
dbx 234 Crossover Stereo 3-Way Channel 1 and 2 to 

Amp 1 - QSC RMX 1450  for His
Amp 2 - QSC RMX 5050  for Mids
Amp 3 - QSC Powerlight 9.0 for Lows 

Into 2 Peavey QW 4Fs 
AND 2 Peavey QW 218

I just picked up a dbx 166A Compressor/Limiter/Gate.  I know compressing the kick drum and bass guitar would be a good use, however, the mixer I have has a few channels with integrated compression so I am doing that there. I want to integrate this into the main signal.  What would be the correct and best place to include this new toy? 

 

[Robert Weston]

You're sort of limited where to put it, but it could go after the 2231 and before the 234 xover.  This will provide compression for the whole mix.  I wouldn't run a system like that, unless I was using the compressor as a limiter, but it could be done.

[John Onsrud]

I just picked up a dbx 166A Compressor/Limiter/Gate...  ...What would be the correct and best place to include this new toy? 

I'd insert it into the L/R output bus.  The dbx166A probably didn't have more than a 2 year production run before it was replaced by the far-less-useful (IMO) 166XL.  My opinion is the 166A is a pretty dang useful and well behaved (inexpensive) main-mix compressor. 

[Patrick Tracy]

I know compressing the kick drum and bass guitar would be a good use, however, the mixer I have has a few channels with integrated compression so I am doing that there. I want to integrate this into the main signal.  What would be the correct and best place to include this new toy?

I don't think I'd be happy with one-size-fits-all compression like what you see on mixers like the Yamaha MG series, especially for kick and bass. Maybe for vocals they would be okay. And in almost two decades of live sound I've never felt a particular need for main bus compression. So I would be using it on channel inserts. I like the 166A on bass and vocals but not so much on kick.

If you're bent on using it for main bus compression put it in the main mix inserts.

[Rickcperry]

HI Guys,

This is the system I am running with my weekend band:

Mackie mixer Left and Right signal to
dbx 2231 EQ Channel 1 and 2 to
dbx 234 Crossover Stereo 3-Way Channel 1 and 2 to 

Amp 1 - QSC RMX 1450  for His
Amp 2 - QSC RMX 5050  for Mids
Amp 3 - QSC Powerlight 9.0 for Lows 

Into 2 Peavey QW 4Fs 
AND 2 Peavey QW 218

I just picked up a dbx 166A Compressor/Limiter/Gate.  I know compressing the kick drum and bass guitar would be a good use, however, the mixer I have has a few channels with integrated compression so I am doing that there. I want to integrate this into the main signal.  What would be the correct and best place to include this new toy? 

 

If you only have one compressor and your board has groups, then send vocals to one group and insert the compressor there. Lift the L/R button on the individual channels so you don't double send.
Wanna get sneaky, depress the 1/2 and 3/4 buttons and lift the L/R on vocal channels. Then you have group 1/2 as compressed vocals and groups 3/4 for uncompressed vocals.
Although with proper mic technique you don't really need a compressor.
Just my 2 cents...
Rick

[Loren Aguey]

Although with proper mic technique you don't really need a compressor.
Just my 2 cents...
Rick

I come across very few singers who don't benefit from at least some light compression. If they're technique is that good to where they don't need it, great. But in my experience its pretty rare.

Edit: Oh and I agree with Rick that if you have groups, insert your compressor there and that way any channel can have access to it if need be.

[Patrick Tracy]

I don't like bus compression except when the dynamics of all the channels feeding the bus have been sorted. Whatever is loudest in the bus makes everything else duck. Bus compression just sounds different from individual channel compression. It has its uses but is a totally different tool from channel compression, not a way to cheat when you don't have enough channels of compression.

[Loren Aguey]

It has its uses but is a totally different tool from channel compression, not a way to cheat when you don't have enough channels of compression.

It is for me. You make do with what you have. And when I don't have enough comps I insert on groups and prioritize on a band my band basis what gets compressed without having to physically pull out inserts all the time.

Also when the auxes are post insert and I don't want to compress the monitors, group compression is my answer if I don't have enough channels to split vox. Its not ideal, but again, you make do.

Generally if I have a stereo comp I'll send the lead vocal to one side and backups to the other so at least nothing else affects the lead vocal.

I see what you're saying however, and yes it is different and to each his own. Especially because with when you insert on a group and move the channel fader that affects the amount of compression you get. Which is why if my lead vocal is on one side of a stereo comp I'll set the compression and use the group fader as my vocal level so I'm not just hitting the comp harder when I want to turn up the vocal.

[Scott Wagner]

It is for me. You make do with what you have. And when I don't have enough comps I insert on groups and prioritize on a band my band basis what gets compressed without having to physically pull out inserts all the time.

Also when the auxes are post insert and I don't want to compress the monitors, group compression is my answer if I don't have enough channels to split vox. Its not ideal, but again, you make do.

Generally if I have a stereo comp I'll send the lead vocal to one side and backups to the other so at least nothing else affects the lead vocal.

I see what you're saying however, and yes it is different and to each his own. Especially because with when you insert on a group and move the channel fader that affects the amount of compression you get. Which is why if my lead vocal is on one side of a stereo comp I'll set the compression and use the group fader as my vocal level so I'm not just hitting the comp harder when I want to turn up the vocal.

How about placing it in the rack, and patching it into nothing.  Wait until you find a source that NEEDS IT, and insert it there.  Most of us have plenty of gear that we schlep around that hardly ever gets used.  Just because you own it, doesn't mean that you have to use it on every gig.

[Loren Aguey]

How about placing it in the rack, and patching it into nothing.  Wait until you find a source that NEEDS IT, and insert it there.  Most of us have plenty of gear that we schlep around that hardly ever gets used.  Just because you own it, doesn't mean that you have to use it on every gig.

Just because its inserted on a group doesn't mean its being used, but its there ready to go.

And my response to this is to reiterate my point that its extremely rare for me to not compress the lead vocal. And if I only have 1 stereo comp then that's what gets the priority. It goes on the group so the monitors remain uncompressed.

One of the many reasons I prefer digital which makes all of this a non issue.

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