How to use outboard compressor

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dkbender
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2011/04/10 10:32:07 (permalink)

How to use outboard compressor

I have a typical DAW setup with a RME FF800.  Using Producer 8.5.3.
 
What I am wondering about is, if I want to use a "real" external analog hardware device for mastering of individual tracks or the whole project instead of using plug-ins, how do you do that and recapture the "massaged" audio back into the project?   In the old days I would just take a channel or bus and send the signal out to the outboard device, process it and return it back into the mixer on the fly before going to tape.   Being that these projects are in the digital domain now means I have to siphon off an analog audio out, run it through the signal processor I want and then fly it back in to my FF800 as an analog signal input and re-digitize it?   If I was doing individual tracks, like bass or the snare or the kick drum..... Wouldn't it be out of sync with the rest of the project because of processing delay?   Or if doing individual tracks is problematic, do you have to treat the entire project and then send the signal processed new output to some new "capture" device that I haven't thought of yet?
 
What am I missing here?
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    timidi
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    Re:How to use outboard compressor 2011/04/10 20:00:42 (permalink)
    you can do like you've always done. (out, and back in). 
    but, yes, it will be out of sync. So then, you visually match them up. 
    Not worth the effort to me but whatever floats your boat.

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    AT
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    Re:How to use outboard compressor 2011/04/10 21:00:56 (permalink)
    The timing will be a little off - but unless you are running at a high latency that shouldn't be a problem.  Analog processing, of course, takes place at the speed of light.

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    batsbrew
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    Re:How to use outboard compressor 2011/04/11 15:55:30 (permalink)
    i print my compression.

    i run my mic, into my mic preamp, out of the preamp, into my compressor, and route the output of the compressor into my interface.



    printing compression, means
    no going back.


    that's the way i like it.


    if you are doing anything other than working with live signals, i can't help you.


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    Rothchild
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    Re:How to use outboard compressor 2011/04/12 02:26:23 (permalink)
    Isn't this what the external insert plugin is for?

    Patch your compressor in to a spare input and output on your soundcard and drop the external insert in to the channel you want the hardware to process and set it up to use the relevant I/O.

    You'll need to set up total mix so that your not monitoring that output. External Insert can do the Latency compensation for you also.

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