Compressor question

I am a newb when it comes to compressors. And maybe I am just retarded but I don't understand the proper method for hooking it up. Any help for the best way to hook it up? I am just wanting to use it for vocals (or should/can I use it for the music at the same time) for karaoke.

I bought the dbx 166XL and I am using the Yamaha MG24. Thanks in advance.

I am a newb when it comes to compressors. And maybe I am just retarded but I don't understand the proper method for hooking it up. Any help for the best way to hook it up? I am just wanting to use it for vocals (or should/can I use it for the music at the same time) for karaoke.

I bought the dbx 166XL and I am using the Yamaha MG24. Thanks in advance.

You can use it on your entire mix or just on the vocals... it all depends on what it is you are expecting the compressor to do for you.

If you are trying to tame screamers and boost the "too scared to sing above a wisper" singer then placing the compressor first in your chain of vocal effects is best... you never want to use these after a reverb or delay or anyother sound shapping device even eq's. The end result is usually muttled garbage.

Placing a compressor at the end of your sound chain in an aux bus for your entire mix will help normalize your music as a whole but will do nothing for the afore mentioned types of singers.

You need to be careful with a compressor they can solve as many problems as they can cause. Feedback being number one. Too much gain and your mics are screaming before you even play one song.. too little and well you might as well turn it off.

Best bet is to follow the manu's suggested setups first then modify as needed to get the desired effect.

One suggestion might be to return the external compressor and mixer... there are mixers on the market now with built in compressors on the mic channels... those appear to be the easiest and most worry free to setup... Yamaha has a model and so does Behringer.

Rob is correct. Compression isn't necessary for program material since much of it is already compressed to death to begin with. Compression for mics only should be before any other processing if possible.

If there's anything that irritates the hell outta me in this biz, it's the monkeys who don't (or won't) use a mic correctly. There's nothing electronic to be done for screamers who redline wireless mics. You can give 'em a corded mic. My solution would be a tuba for upside the head, though. :D

All "live" sound inputs should be fed through a C/L channel if possible. And mics are live sound. Compression of mic channels tends to even out the levels and warm vocal tone. Anything that makes a mic sound better through the mix is a good thing.

The DBX 166 is a compressor/limiter. In this case, you could patch the unit after the mixer since the limiting will allow you to place a ceiling on your output. If you're working a venue where sound level restrictions are in place, the limiting can be a godsend. It will still sound great... just won't rattle the hotel guests out of their beds 60 feet away. And that's what you want.

Compression/Limiting can eliminate mic feedback as well. We can run a 6KW triamped rig and the speaker can stand center stage in front of the stacks with no mic ring whatsoever. You'll have to set the C/L up to compliment your system.

Thoughts?

I use very little compression even when doing live sound.

1 big reason for this. I CANNOT AFFORD A "GOOD" COMPRESSOR!!!!

IMO.....$100-150 dollar compressors sound like a donkeys azz.

They are not transparent....ie(They change the sound too much)

There's a reason there's $100 dollar and $2,000 dollar compressors.

And i don't compress my whole mix either......I like the dynamics of live sound

Those $99.00 Alesis C/Ls are garbage, I agree. The $1000.00 units are better suited for recording studio and radio use.

You can get a DBX 262 for around $200.00. It's fine for most mobile SR applications. It's a 2 channel balanced line C/L that will serve well. :)

I don't know why people get so "Compressor" crazy all the time.

If you spec your system correctly, proper HEADROOM heavy amps,
And don't run everything to Clip, what's the big need???

I'd rather educate people on how to properly use a mic

I don't know why people get so "Compressor" crazy all the time.

If you spec your system correctly, proper HEADROOM heavy amps,
And don't run everything to Clip, what's the big need???

I'd rather educate people on how to properly use a mic

If only it was that easy, my friend. :)

Our system is very headroom-heavy. It's nowhere near what Val and crew load but it's some serious FOH just the same.

We've got 1500 WRMS feeding the horns alone. 2K feeding the mids and 2500 feeding the subs. With power levels this high, compression/limiting is critical to avoid mic feedback. A feedback honk could trip the branch circuit at least and blow a driver at most.

With stage sound, it's not as bad since your mics are behind the FOH stacks. But with most DJ and karaoke host situations, you'll have wireless mic users who may be all through the house. Give 'em a wireless and they'll be all over the place, lol. The system has gotta be goof-proof. No feedback.

For our part, we'll give a quick tutorial before handing over the mic. For all the good it does sometimes. Some people are hard of hearing. :)

I hear ya' Wolfie.

I have about 250wrms on each horn, (3 1/2" diaphram, 2" exit)

I've been very lucky so far. No "goof proof" here:sqbiggrin:

At the risk of sounding like a complete moron, my question is a little more specific. Like which input/outputs am I using and how?

At the risk of sounding like a complete moron, my question is a little more specific. Like which input/outputs am I using and how?


If your mixer supports mic inserts then you'd use a 1/4" to 1/4" Y cable which is to say you'd have a TRS 1/4 Y'd to 2 Mono 1/4" the left one would go to the compressors recieve and the right one would go to the compressors send jack.... that's if you want to place the compression on just the mics.

If your mixer supports an Aux Bus then you'd do the same thing except this time you will be compressing the entire mix...

DBX 166XL is a dual channel and could therefor be used on two mics at the same time... which would probably be sufficient for your use... they do make a quad channel so if you wanted to put a compressor with one setting on your mics and one on your main mix with another those would be ideal for multiple configurations....