Karaoke Forums

Hi,

Can I please get some recommendations for a good vocal compressor that has XLR connections?

I've read great things about the FMR RNC but unfortunately only has TRS connections.

Thanks

Nothing wrong with that compressor. If your mixer has inserts, the 1/4" connection is pretty standard. Are you just trying to connect the mic to the compressor? What mixer are you using?

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[quote="Lonman"]Nothing wrong with that compressor. If your mixer has inserts, the 1/4" connection is pretty standard. Are you just trying to connect the mic to the compressor? What mixer are you using?[/quote]

Thanks for the reply. Yeah that's correct, I'm trying to connect the mics (x2) to the compressor which will then connect to the mixer.

My mixer is a MadBoy Remix35: https://www.madboy-audio.com/product/50 ... te-control

My mics are the AKG WMS470 C5: https://www.akg.com/Wireless/wireless-c ... roup_.html

It gets a bit confusing as both the mics and mixer supports 1/4" connections except the mics are unbalanced 1/4" and the mixer is balanced 1/4" so I thought finding something with balanced XLR would be easier.

I have a compressor by a company called DBX. Have you ever heard of them? They invented compression. They are good at what they do. Anyway, I have a dbx 266. It's a beautiful piece. Very simple and has AUTO functions to simplify things. Now, does it work? Who knows but the flashing lights are pretty.

Why do you feel you need a compressor anyway?

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That mixer doesn't really support a compressor. Plugging the mic into the compressor then to the mixer isn't the best way to use it (won't work nearly as good as a mixer with inserts). Personally would swap out the mixer but that just me.
Many compressors have XLR inputs, dbx 266XL would be my choice. But again, that RNC is actually a good compressor.

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Either that or get a mixer like a Yamaha MG12XU where the compressor is built into the unit. Then you know everything lines up, it was engineered that way.

Ahh, I didn't realise. How is a compressor normally connected in an ideal setup?

Are you able to provide info on why having a compressor between the mic and mixer is not the best way to use it? I'm curious to understand why this is the case.

I'm open to other mixers but I needed something that has optical or USB in as source is a PC and optical out since I'm using it for a home theatre sound system that doesn't have RCA inputs on the preamp/processor.

Proper connection would be through the mixers channel 'insert' jack - this takes the signal after the mixers pre-amp. Doing it inline is before the mixer pre-amp Again it will work, just not as effective as a proper connection.
Also word of caution, karaoke can blow home stereo speakers (and in rarer cases the amps) which aren't designed for live vocals - mainly because of the frequency spikes in vocals - which the compressor will help (properly connected), but not always depending on volume.
Many pro quality mixers have the USB built in but typically won't find one with optical outputs. Might be able to find a converter to switch an XLR analog signal to an optical signal.

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The Yamaha mentioned is probably the best one with the USB because of the fact that you can actually control the EQ of the USB through a regular channel on the board. Most others have it on a channel with just a volume control. Not ideal unless your software includes a built in eq.

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You can pickup a dbx286 channel strip for about $200. The problem is if your mixer doesn't have an insert jack then you won't be able to bypass the preamps in your mixer. This is extremely bad gain staging. The other reason to not connect a mic pre output to another mic pre input is the high potential for damaging the first mic pre's output circuits if phantom power is accidentally switched on in the second mic pre. It's easy to do and can easily damage the first mic pre's output stage or at least it's output coupling caps. Only fully floating, transformer-coupled output stages are immune. Bottom Line: Never connect a mic pre line-level output to another mic pre microphone input. It's bad engineering practice, it's extremely bad gain staging, and it's potentially damaging to the hardware.