| Home recording and general music post from the archived Yabb Recording Website Message Board. Some of the info here may be outdated but many of the audio recording and home studio tips are still good. Note: The only tags I made and attempt to convert are italics, bold, center and underline. So if you see some gibberish surrounded by brackets, just ignore it.
Recording Website Archived Yabb board Post
Febuary 2001 Yabb Message Board Archive
Subject: so, where does it go?
by Jon | 04/02/01 at 12:10:31
Hi all.
Just got an Alesis 3630 compressor. In reading, I have noticed that most people patch the compressor through an insert. I am using a Behringer 1604 mixer. It has no inserts. Where would be the next best place to wire it? Just right out of the output, in the aux send/return, or the aux outputs?
It might not make a difference, just want to make sure I'm on the right track.
Thanks!
Subject: Re: so, where does it go?
by Garak | 04/02/01 at 12:28:28
That depends on what you are using the compressor for.
If you want to compress the whole mix than you would take the main out from the board and plug it into the input on the compressor and plug the output from the compressor into your recording device.
If you want to compress a single channel you really need an insert though you can use the aux send and return. Just mute the channel on the main mix and use the aux send to adjust the level.
Subject: Re: so, where does it go?
by E-money | 04/02/01 at 14:41:59
How much did you pay for the compressor? Did you keep the receipt? The 3630 is generally considered the WORST single piece of audio gear ever made by anybody. Return it and buy an RNC from FMRAudio for $185.
Subject: Re: so, where does it go?
by BananaHead | 04/02/01 at 17:17:25
Haha, I was gonna say it but I didn't wanna be a dick. I knew someone was gonna tell the 3630 where it can go.
Ya, I think it's like the best selling comp ever and also the most hated comp ever. Probably can't get much for it resale I'd imagine. I mean there are billions of those things on the market already.
Subject: Re: so, where does it go?
by Jim | 04/02/01 at 20:25:02
Man, You guys are cold blooded! Yeah there are better comps and there are worse comps, but depending upon what you want to do this comp may work just fine.
You can take and run your comp in line between the instrument/vocal and the line in. Keep it close to the mixer so your patch cable is short and use balanced converters for you adapters to and fro XLR. If you want to add to the overall mix use your aux send/returns or inline to the recorder as suggested.
The big thing is to use your comp effectively and the 3630 should do well for instruments and is ok for vocals, and if you are using it as it should be used you'll get good results. IF you are needing compression to really shape your sound and your vocals depend on it...well it won't deliver and in that case you'll need to spend according to the job you want done.;D
Subject: Re: so, where does it go?
by Jon | 04/02/01 at 20:49:23
:'(oops...do think the Behringer Autocomp is any good? That's the only other brand I could trade it for:-[
Subject: Re: so, where does it go?
by db | 04/02/01 at 20:58:31
8)Ya never know, someday it could be vintage and sell on ebay for thousands. I remember, and I am old, I had to drive 25 miles round trip, for a couple plastic reels and XLR connectors, very expensive then, 10.00 a piece. I even had Laffeyette dynamic mic's, used in alot of sessions.
Still got em too. Work with what you have and can afford, next time you will have a better idea on what to pick out. gogga coak my ceef.
--db
Subject: Re: so, where does it go?
by Tim_Z | 04/02/01 at 22:01:06
Look guys this is nothing about being a dick or not, but rather about helping out fellow engineers. Sometimes that advice requires the honest truth, and E-Money's advice was right on!! The 3630 will do nothing more than degrade the sound. The RNC really is the ONLY way to go in that price range. Possibly you could trade it in on a Drawmer MX30, but you would have to trade up for that. They are pretty decent units.
I find it hard to believe that your mixer does not have insert jacks. Are you absolutely sure it doesn't. Anyway if not, you can plug the individual out from your recorder to the compressor input, and from the compressor output to your mixer input. You may have to adjust your levels a bit, but it should work that way.
Good Luck
Tim Z