Mixing OTB, what gear are you sending your auxes too?

The Scum · Post by **The Scum** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 10:48 pm

I'm wondering how many compressors would be unbalanced. If something as entry level as a DBX is balanced.....

I've got a bunch that aren't...RNCs, Ashly.

I've also got a little prototype of a compressor from my workbench. The circuit itself is 2 opamps and a transistor. To balance it would add either 3 more opamps, or transformers...neither as simple and transparent as just leaving it unbalanced.

Which leads me to another question, what happens when you send a balanced out from your DAW or whatever to an unbalanced piece of outboard gear?

You need to wire it correctly...check the users manual. There are two common solid state balanced output circuits, and each wants to be handled very differently. The usual reference for this issue:

www.rane.com/note110.html

Particularly the discussions of cross-coupled vs. non cross coupled.

jgimbel · Post by **jgimbel** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 5:39 am

The Scum wrote:I've got a bunch that aren't...RNCs, Ashly.

Since I'm broke and living without an outboard compressor, I've been looking at the RNC for a while. The main thing that's prevented me from picking one up is the unbalanced thing. Most all of my recording gear's got balanced ins and outs, so the unbalanced has kind of scared me. Does it make a really noticeable difference? Like noise issues? The main thing though is that I can't understand exactly how to use it. Is it only usable as an insert? I've really wanted a compressor that I can use while tracking for just some subtle compression for vocals or bass. Is this impossible?

losthighway · Post by **losthighway** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 5:48 am

You can pick up a dbx 160 for just as cheap with balanced outs, and tit has he over-easy mode.

jgimbel · Post by **jgimbel** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 7:45 am

losthighway wrote:You can pick up a dbx 160 for just as cheap with balanced outs, and tit has he over-easy mode.

Where could I find a dbx 160 for as cheap as the RNC (they're $175)? The newest ones (160A) are $430, and anything on ebay is not a whole lot cheaper. I'll keep an eye on craigslist/ebay and in the buy/sell section (i know there was one for cheap there) but I must be looking in the wrote place if you're saying you can find the 160 for just as cheap.

T-rex · Post by **T-rex** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 9:41 am

Well I bought my 160A used for $240 a few years ago, so I think they are a bit more than the RNC certainly, however for a little subtle compression on vox and bass, the 160 is really really great and super simple to use.

Ryan Silva · Post by **Ryan Silva** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 12:16 pm

T-rex wrote:Well I bought my 160A used for $240 a few years ago, so I think they are a bit more than the RNC certainly, however for a little subtle compression on vox and bass, the 160 is really really great and super simple to use.

The reason those 160a's dont really fall that much in value, is because they are built like tanks; they are like the SM57 of compressors. I use mine for bass, and will also use it when recording vocals, set to just grab the peaks.

rabbitw · Post by **rabbitw** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:36 pm

I used to have an RNC compressor, but then it kicked the bucket, so to speak. I have a dbx 160A now, and I like it way better. It did cost more but I think the extra hundred bucks or whatever was worth it. The RNC was cool, but the dbx makes me go wow! more often, if that makes sense and seems to work great with vocals, guitar, bass.. I used the RNC more when I was recording live classical music concerts, in stereo mode, very lightly.

jgimbel · Post by **jgimbel** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 5:16 pm

rabbitw wrote:The RNC was cool, but the dbx makes me go wow! more often

"wow" has got to be one of the most important things in recording. I've moved the dbx to the top of my list. Thanks, and sorry for the hijacking!

trodden · Post by **trodden** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 10:36 pm

T-rex wrote:Thanks man, that makes sense. I am going to expand my patchbay here shortly to take in all the busses and inserts. I have been mixing only small projects etc OTB so I haven't really needed all the inputs etc.

totally.. I max out all my boards channels with either aux returns or parallel returns since i don't have my buss inserts wired to the patch bay yet.. i'm only like 2 years behind on that project. Only got the buss outs on there...

trodden · Post by **trodden** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 10:38 pm

toaster3000 wrote:one thing that i think is crucial, is don't put the (usually unbalanced) console inserts on the patchbay, put the multitrack (tools, tape, whatever) outs and the console tape returns on the patchbay, half normalled, so that if you don't patch anything the tape outs go right into the tape returns, but if you want to patch a compressor in, it gets patched BETWEEN the multitrack and the console.

much better. also, when it is half normalled, that gives you a mult, becuase you can take just the out, and it doesn't break the normal to the console tape in.

john

totally.

trodden · Post by **trodden** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 10:46 pm

firesine wrote:Well, the inserts on the board I use are post EQ, which is where I like my compression. In your set up you are kinda stuck with pre EQ compression, which isn't a bad thing if that's what you like. I usually go board EQ > outboard comp > and lots of times into another outboard eq then back fader in.

Yeah, i was confused about the same situation a couple of years ago until someone said to hit my 501 with a bit of gain from the pre instead of just patched in straight from the multitrack. .. adding some preamp gain and eq made it have a whole new range of coolness. but instead of bringing more to the patch bay, since my board has the inputs accessible, i just repatch the tape return into the line in if I need something to be smacked post pre and eq.

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