Karaoke Forums

Yes you can, however it doesn't work as effectively.  
However I disagree with your fuse statement.  A fuse will overload & blow out stopping any further current flowing, a compressor takes a signal and helps maintain it at a constant level, doesn't stop anything.

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Thanks Lon I'm going to check it out. BTW do you suggest a certain compressor for my set up? I like to get multiple ideas, do some research and pricing  then decide.

Part of my problem when learning is everything makes more sense
when I see it hooked up and how it works, then just reading about it. I always
read the manuals front to back stopping to look up terms I don't understand.
I am a self taught kj with KS help. You can't find all the answers in books. You have to have hands on to really get it.

Keith's suggestion to check one out made sense to me. Not one of my KJ friends
uses one. They all have different set-ups, but no one uses a compressor, so I'm
hoping this thread helps others too.

Thanks guys - I'm getting there  :hug:

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The Mackie mixer actually has inserts on the vocal channels.  
A dbx 266XL is a good little unit to get familiar with.  As indicated, you will need insert cables.  Such as pictured below.  They consist of a 1/4" "TRS" (tip/ring/sleeve) or stereo to 2 1/4" "TS" (tip/sleeve) or mono.  The compressor is only a 2 channel so you will be able to compress 2 mics.  You will need 2 of those insert cables.

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Yep, you plug the TRS end into the insert jack, and the other two one each into the input and output of each side of your compressor....Then simply leave the mic plugged into the mixer as normal.

The mic signal will then go into the mixer and flow out to the comp and back into the mixer via the single TRS insert jack on the mixer....Really simple set up and not effected by masters or strip sliders when you adjust them.

I used the fuse comparison for the girls.    :wave:

Thank you for the pic Lon - you totally understand me now.  LMAO

I work better off pics and links

between you and Keith I believe I totally understand.  :dancin:

Bigdog nice try - If you want to play with the big boys you better learn
how to talk more than girlie talk  LMAO

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I'll never figure it out.....A dingblasted bobblehead gets the chicks everytime.!

Babs,

Maybe you can get a better idea of what you are getting into after reading the manual??

http://www.americanmusical.com/manuals/ ... Manual.pdf

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C Mc
KJ, FL

Nah the dbx manuals are very 'technical' & don't really explain what each knob is for, they assume you already know.

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Tooo funny Babs......  LMAO  LMAO  :hug:  :hi5:

After I get it you guys will be the first ones I'll be asking how
to work the darn thing.  LMAO

I'm on a mission right now to redo all my books and update my song
lists. When I'm done with this headache I'll focus on the compressor.

Thank you all I feel more knowledgable already  :hug:

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Lonman:  Please show us some of Those knob settings for that DBX-266 Compressor for (Vocal Compression) that you use as a general starting point.I also find the Manual a little hard to understand for what I want to use it for. THANKS!

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Wikipedia has a good discussion on compressors....."audio compressors' should bring it up in the wiki.

Here ya go!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_level_compression

Audio compression decreases the volume of the louds and increases the volume of the quiets. In other words it decreases the volume range so that everybody can be heard..
It can work with peaks of sound or the overall average volume level. The level or threshold at which it starts compressing can be set.. The compression ratio tells it how much to react ...A general rule of thumb is on a mic compressor is having 1 compression light blinking. If you can hear singers breathing or excessive amount of lisping the compression is set too high..

On the 266xl set it to overeasy and its pretty hard to screw up the settings unless they are way off.. Over easy and 1 light blinking with the right amount of input level and set the output to balance with the music (mixer slider from -3db to unity on the mic). Dont over complicate it...

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Thank you for the Reply. What about the ATTACK & RELEASE, AUTO Button in or out?

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Man Must Know His Limitations -Clint Eastwood

Wrong,

Compression does not increase the volume of the quiet stuff.....Compression only effects the loud......The only way to increase the volume of the quiet stuff is to increase mic gain, but if you increase mic gain, the loud stuff gets even louder, right?

So, that said, lets re-examine what a compressor does.

-A compressor allows you to control and automatically reduce a 'too loud' signal. It squashes from the top down

-A mic that is controlled by a compressor on it's top end can now be made more sensitive to sounds on the bottom end.

Now you see why we say a compressor allows the quiet to be heard as clearly as the loudest.....But that only happens if you tweak mic gain up, the compressor only dampens, it doesn't boost....You have to tweak the mic gain separately.

The best way for me to demonstrate proper compression is for me to ask you to visualize a singer standing in front of a mic while singing......If the singer can remain exactly 2" from the mic thru his full range and nothing get's distorted, then he is properly compressed......If instead the singer has to 'pump' the mic away from his mouth on the loudest notes, then he needs a compressor to be lazy.

Amateur singers don't know how/when to pump the mic, so they fersure need compression.

Auto normally in ... The attack and release only apply to to peak limiting The one  time I really use them is when using the side chain to duck the background music The attack time is set to decrease the the backgound music rapidly with an announcement The delay is set in seconds to hold  the effect during pauses in announcing...

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Just use the auto.  Karaoke singers are all different that you won't be able to accurately set the attack & release.

For threshold I generally I would set it between -10 - -20 (usually closer to 10), overeasy button in, ratio i'd set between 3:1 - 4:1, attack & release don't matter - auto button in, output gain start at 0 & compare original signal to compressed signal.  If the compressed signal is audibly lower, you'll want to compensate at the output gain to make it closer to the original signal.  
These are just ROUGH starting points, I do adjust for some singers that may need a little more or a little less, but on average once it's set, you can pretty much leave it.

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Thanks Guys, Now My Understanding Is Complete about Compression.

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Now don't get to thinking like that!  ALWAYS room to learn more about anything & different uses & variants.

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