[Sevenlights]

The technique I've seen used most (usually on SSL boards) is all your tracks are routed eq'd and compressed to your taste to the master. Then a buss sends all the drums to a stereo comp with faster attacks and release to blend in with the original singal in master buss as well. Some people send the bass too and I've also seen sub mixes built in the same manner for everything else. I've tried or seen anyone do it they way you speak of, although I've heard of it, people floating the whole mix and only sending the subs to the master.

Or I've heard of mixing the way you normally would, then sending a pre-buss with unaffected signal to the master as well, thus blending in your unprocessed with your processed signal, I think this was a British origination.