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Author Topic: Mono Compressor Twice for Stereo  (Read 2291 times)

scott_s

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Mono Compressor Twice for Stereo
« on: December 09, 2009, 11:11:45 AM »

I have a high quality analog mono compressor that I was thinking of trying for a two buss compression........

It does have a side chain input, so in theory I could:

1. Sum the stereo signal pre-compression, creat a seperate file, and input that to the side chain

2. Process the left channel

3. Process the right channel

4. Re-assemble the the left and right channels in the DAW

Monitoring the result is a small issue and it is labor intensive, but this is for a fairly gentle "mix glue" kind of thing so I know about how much GR I want to do.

Has anyone experimented with this?

As a thought experiment I cannot come up with a reason it would not work exactly as a stereo compressor, in fact the GR matching of the two channels might even be better?


TotalSonic

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Re: Mono Compressor Twice for Stereo
« Reply #1 on: December 09, 2009, 12:02:46 PM »

scott_s wrote on Wed, 09 December 2009 11:11

I have a high quality analog mono compressor that I was thinking of trying for a two buss compression........

It does have a side chain input, so in theory I could:

1. Sum the stereo signal pre-compression, creat a seperate file, and input that to the side chain

2. Process the left channel

3. Process the right channel

4. Re-assemble the the left and right channels in the DAW

Monitoring the result is a small issue and it is labor intensive, but this is for a fairly gentle "mix glue" kind of thing so I know about how much GR I want to do.

Has anyone experimented with this?

As a thought experiment I cannot come up with a reason it would not work exactly as a stereo compressor, in fact the GR matching of the two channels might even be better?





It sounds like it could work ok but that it would be a major p.i.t.a. with as crappy of a work flow as you could possibly come up with.  I'd just get a 2nd unit of the same compressor if you liked the sound of it.   fwiw - I nearly always have my compressors running completely unlinked - and one of the things that bugs me about my Focusrite 330 is that you can't unlink it.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

Garrett H

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Re: Mono Compressor Twice for Stereo
« Reply #2 on: December 09, 2009, 12:09:12 PM »

I recommend you put three transient clicks or something at the beginning so you have an EASY time re aligning your L/R when you re assemble.

I second Steve's comments about PITA, but I usually agree with everything he says anyway.

Getting back to your plan, it should work.  I assume you're using a digital workstation, not a tape deck or something with wow/flutter that will mess you up.

If its just for this project I say try it and report back what you learned.  

Good luck,
GH
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subvertbeats

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Re: Mono Compressor Twice for Stereo
« Reply #3 on: December 10, 2009, 07:21:33 AM »

TotalSonic wrote on Wed, 09 December 2009 17:02

fwiw - I nearly always have my compressors running completely unlinked - and one of the things that bugs me about my Focusrite 330 is that you can't unlink it.



Steve.....interesting.

You have a 2500 right?
In what (few?) situations do you run it linked?

Cheers

Ben

TotalSonic

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Re: Mono Compressor Twice for Stereo
« Reply #4 on: December 10, 2009, 09:50:34 AM »

subvertbeats wrote on Thu, 10 December 2009 07:21


You have a 2500 right?


Yup, and an OCL-2 and FB 330 as well.

Quote:


In what (few?) situations do you run it linked?


Where because of the nature of the program the stereo image drifts noticeably and undesirably when running unlinked.  Which honestly happens a lot lost less than what a lot of folks imply it does.  In fact I can't remember the last time I ran my 2500 even a little bit linked - maybe happened a few times last year - as it gives a really nice sense of width when run unlinked - and I've never gotten a complaint from any of my clients about drifting images on any of my refs.  

I did in fact get a complaint from one client for some techno/house tracks where I had used the Focusrite Blue (which can do a great job of adding density without over softening initial transients) - which because it is linked to my ear tends to refocus the bottom and the lower mids to the Mid channel - that things were sounding too narrow to him.  So I ended up using my SPL SX2 on the track as well to widen things back up.  

Best regards,
Steve Berson

subvertbeats

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Re: Mono Compressor Twice for Stereo
« Reply #5 on: December 10, 2009, 11:21:08 AM »

Thanks Steve, much appreciated.

Most of the time Ive been running between 50% annd 70% link on the 2500, mainly bass heavy dance music, drum and bass, dubstep etc.
I'm going to revisit a few recent tracks and experiment with this parameter a bit more.
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