DBX 160a compressor

[deano-bassist]

rite,
just a quick question I bought a dbx 160a for my rig(got it off ebay for 75 quid!!!) just wondering where it is best to place in my rig. My mate told me to use the FX send and return with 100% wet but i was thinking straight into the compressor > amp head> speaker. Could any one please shine of little on the subject

[ZPQ]

IN the fx loop will probably work best. The signal from your bass will probably be too quiet and need a preamp before the dbx

Cheers
John

[joegarcia]

Wow. I have serious GAS for a 160a and that is an absolute steal! So jealous.
But yea, I'd stick it in the fx loop too.

[deano-bassist]

thats guys, you know that way when you start to dout youself! I was a steal that is why I bought it I am addicted to deals and it is goood!!!

[mike257]

a 160a?? for [i]how much[/i]? That's insane!

i'll give you 80 for it

[matt_citizenbass]

surely you have to put it straight in rather than the FX loop.

you can't blend in dynamics and EQ etc.


i think...

[Dood]

[quote name='deano-bassist' post='58533' date='Sep 11 2007, 12:53 AM']rite,
just a quick question I bought a dbx 160a for my rig(got it off ebay for 75 quid!!!) just wondering where it is best to place in my rig. My mate told me to use the FX send and return with 100% wet but i was thinking straight into the compressor > amp head> speaker. Could any one please shine of little on the subject[/quote]


In addition to the advice above, I actually mix a dry signal with my compression. So I still get all the OOMPH of the direct signal, but the Compression kicks in to even up the quiet stuff, by making it as loud as the direct signal. Hard to explain, really until you hear it. It's a technique that has been used for fattening up vocals for years. It works so well with my playing style.

So, with your own rig, you could actually use the FX loop and dial in the amount of dry signal with the mix control.

Beware though, If you want to use the compressor as a limiter to stop you from damaging your speakers from hug signal spikes, this isn't necessarily a good idea. I have excessive amounts of headroom, so have no need for a limiter.

[cheddatom]

I have blended compression before, as a send rather than an insert, in the studio. It does work well, if that's the sound you're after. Sometimes people just have the attack time on their comp too short, which would get rid of most of the "OOPMH".

I like to have a compressor at the end of the chain, even if I have some blended compression before that, just to make sure there are no mental peaks, which can sound bad, whether you have the headroom or not. It would be better if I didn't play them, obviously, but, work with what you've got!

In reply to the top post - I would put it in the loop, 100% wet, play with the compression settings until you like them, and then blend in some dry until you've found a sweet spot.

[Toasted]

I'd have it at the end of the signal chain but before the preamp. YMMV.