Integrating hardware COMP into PROTOOLS - Advice wanted

[tj7]

quick question -

i'm considering upgrading my desktop studio setup.
current: mbox 2, protools, event 20/20 monitors (upgrading those soon)
(i use mac os X but figured more people read this part of the forum and i'd get more responses - not a mac specific question anyway).

want to be able to integrate a good valve compressor into my mixing.

would i need to upgrade my Mbox? if so, it's doable - ebay once again.

have never done this before - ie integrated hardware effects into my protools setup.

is integrating a hardware compressor easy? ie - setting it up as an effect i would send to and return from. what if i buy a vintage compressor? what kind of outputs are essential for integration with protools?
what else do i need?

Any useful advice appreciated.

Ben

[jntracks]

it looks like mbox 2 only has 2 outputs (for monitors) so you'll need a different interface.

you need an interface with at least one analog output and analog input. these could be XLR or TRS, but should probably be balanced, ether way. then you just need to get cables that match the hardware output of your interface on one end and the jack that the hardware compressor takes. and then back into the interface.

so then you have this chain: interface analog out>compressor input>compressor output>interface analog in

so then you put an insert on your protools track and instead of picking out a plugin, assign it to the hardware output/input chain. pro tools should know the latency it'll get runing the audio out and back in like that so it should compensate with ADC.

option 2: assign the audio track you want to compress to the analog output and then make a new track assigned to input the analog in from the compressor. dial in your compression and record it to a new track. move on to the next track you want to hardware compress. rinse and repeat.

just hide/inacivate the original, unaffected tracks instead of deleting them. in case you decide you want to change the compression later you'll have to redo this process.

does that explain what you wanted to know?

[tj7]

thanks, i think so, basically -
i wouldn't want to be messing around too much with compressing then bouncing then trying again etc - i'd need an interface which has two stereo outs, i suppose, one for my monitors and one for effects - and of course it would need an input for me to run the compressed signal back into the session...?

postscript -just looked at the mbox 3 pro - looks like it would be fine for this as it has 4 insert jack ports - not sure if they are stereo inserts or not, but presumably if mono 2 = stereo.

[jntracks]

yea, 2 mono you can run as stereo.

and yes, you're thinking right about the outputs. dedicated monitor outs and then then outs and ins to go out to the comp and back in.

now, insert jacks work a little different. these are a TRS jack were the tip is send, ring is return and sleeve is common ground. you'll need "insert" cables for this and make sure your hardware comp is ok taking unbalanced TS jacks for input and output.

[brickroadstudio]

Not sure if this matters on LE, but the ins and out need to be parallel for ADC to work, meaning you want to OUT and IN on the same channel. Someone please correct me if this doesn't apply.

On my HD when I first did this I learned that I had to use say out 3 and in 3 on my 192 for ADC to work.

[albee1952]

Pretty sure those insert jacks on the Mbox Pro are for the analog inputs only. Your best bet is to get a used 003rack. Your life will be much easier overall and you can find a used one for less than a new Mbox Pro

[tj7]

thanks for the tips. considering a digi 003....
now to work out what compressor i can afford...

[albee1952]

Originally Posted by tj7

thanks for the tips. considering a digi 003....
now to work out what compressor i can afford...

As you think about this, keep in mind that most inexpensive compressors can be matched or beat with plugins. Then there is the benefit of being able to use a plugin compressor on every track as opposed to the 1 or 2 tracks that you can do with a hardware compressor. There are some great plugin comps like softube's TubeTech CL1B, SMACK!, Waves CLA bundle and so on. Food for thought

[TOM@METRO]

I agree With Albee here; I have Original 1176LNs and LA3As and still use plug-ins during a mix. It is very rare that these outboard compressors can do something that cannot be done with high end plug-ins. Recalling a mix with a lot of outboard patching is usually just not time efficient.

These great outboard compressors as part of a front end to PT though, are very acceptable.

[tj7]

really...?
i'm struggling to get anything approaching the same warm 'pop' in the drums i'm hearing from an analog studio console mix compared with a desktop mix i've been working on at home....
of course it's more than just compressors but i actually think hw comps answer for a lot...
i'll admit i'm inexperienced but my ears do ok....