What is best hardware comp. I have the dbx 166xl or Plug-in when recording bass

Many people including me prefer a Fairchild 660 - 670 emulation. UAD and Waves  both have them.    I would use the plugins over the 166 HW.  Maybe the bass player could use it during tracking to smooth his signal a little but would not patch it in.   Prochannel plugs work fine too

wave has a new 160dbx plug. what is that best used for.

I own a dbx 266xl, it works well on bass, so as long as your signal chain is ok you should be fine. But it's not the most transparent comp out there. I'm lucky to also have an 1176 from Warm Audio that really works well on bass.
 

Well there is a problem. A plugin is only good after the audio has been recorded. If you want the audio compressed before it gets to the DAW you need hardware. The dbx is a fine compressor. I have a 266 xl. For mixing a plugin is the only way to fly. Though you can still use hardware with Sonar's external insert. 
 
Sonar comes with some very good and useful compressors.  

OK Thank you. all

John
Well there is a problem. A plugin is only good after the audio has been recorded. If you want the audio compressed before it gets to the DAW you need hardware.

Actually you can patch around and accomplish.... noting the VSTi thread, which desires to be able to record a VSTi LIVE.  Using a plugin would be basically the same principle.  But, another reason why it would be nice to have track routing internally in Sonar so you could do such a thing.  Obviously not using CPU hungry plugs to kill you on latency, but many plugs would certainly be usable for this.  As a guitar player, using some of the FX plugs would be great to use live, NOT having to apply them after the track is recorded.  However at 24 bit, the need for compression going in, is greatly reduced and I'd just add that type of processing after the fact.

I'm assuming the source is outside of Sonar i.e. a miced instrument, Mixmkr. 

John
I'm assuming the source is outside of Sonar i.e. a miced instrument, Mixmkr. 

I understand.  I'd love to use the BlueTube FX on my guitar setup... mic it too...and record back in Sonar at the same time.  Just "beating a dead horse" for the usefulness of internal routing within Sonar, to be able to do such a thing.
Appreciate your patience ;-D

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