[rockrev]

AC1 on the master buss - always. I usually start with Console 1 or 3 (like Charles Dye suggests). I've used AC2 to help flatten a vocal track or two when a compressor/limiter simply wasn't cutting it. It will effect the EQ, but nothing that can't be managed with a little tweaking. Other than that, I'll use AC1 here and there to give a track a little more thickness (if needed).

As a side note, I find myself using Waves RenComp as a color/saturation effect lately. Try the "Kneeless Opto" preset as your first insert (trust me - it's a low ratio setting meant for this kind of thing). You'll have to pull the threshold down quite a bit, but it gives it a nice color - much less than AC2 and somewhat less than AC1 - but the color is there and it makes for a nice blend in the mix. It's been working out real nice in a jazz session I'm doing (where maintaining transparency is a must). Try it!

rockrev