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Topic: Q for Sound Guys |
Dave Hopping
From:
Aurora, Colorado
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Posted 9 Aug 2013 11:52 am |
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Been rehabbing my old PA,and I started thinking about where in the signal path the comp/limiter is really supposed to go.I've had it right after the graphic and before the crossover,but I'm wondering whether it might be better not to compress/limit the lows.It's a bi-amp dual-mono setup.What do y'all think?
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Scott Duckworth
From:
Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies
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Posted 9 Aug 2013 12:26 pm
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I use one at church on the record line for a pastors mic. It is place at the in/out insert on the channel itself.
For general whole system use, I would place it after the mixer before anything else.
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Steve English
From:
Baja, Arizona
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Posted 9 Aug 2013 12:27 pm
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Too many possibilities to offer you a definitive answer to your question.
I personally would not prefer putting a compressor right after the EQ. The comp would be influenced by frequency, which is basically how a de-esser works.
Much like a distortion device, these gizmachis react to the signal entering them.
If I were me, in a PA system I'd place the comp after the mic input, but pre-fader/eq so that the comp would be set to the vocalist's characteristics and all the further embellishments would not affect the triggering of the compressor. If you place it post fader/eq, as you increase the fader you're just increasing the signal to the compressor, which compresses the signal more, not resulting in a volume increase, which is what the fader is for.....
If you understand what's happening to the signal at each point, it's much easier to get creative with the tools.
Placing it after the low freq send will comp the subs only, hopefully protecting the sub speakers from spikes, but then the volume control out of the comp becomes your sub vol, not the low out on the crossover....
I've seen many people plug comps in after gain devices and wonder why they can't get more volume by raising the fader. 
And.... I personally don't like to hear the comp working. JMHO 
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Always remember you're unique..... Just like everyone else |
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Walter Killam
From:
Nebraska, USA
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Posted 9 Aug 2013 12:59 pm depends on why you have a compressor
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if you use it to protect your speakers & processing rack, then:
Board -> Compressor ->whatever else you use
if you use it to tame vocals or enhance the Bass Drum:
Mic input -> pre fade patch -> board faders
if you are looking for a poor man's "wall of sound"
board -> EQ -> compressor -> speaker processing
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Mostly junque with a few knick-knacks that I really can't do without! |
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Ken Metcalf
From:
San Antonio Texas USA
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Posted 9 Aug 2013 1:34 pm
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There are bi-amp compressors.. compress the bottom with out squashing the vocals, my vote 1st in line before the rest out from the board.
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