Another Compressor Thread! (But this one's different, I swear! :D)

[LeighIV]

Hello all,

So I just recently bought my first compressor/gate (dbx 266XL) and so far it's easy enough to figure out. Already my tone is sounding a lot cleaner and I'm really liking what I'm getting out of it so far.

I still am fairly uneducated about compressors and effects as a whole though so please, bear with a new guy a little bit :]

1. I know the gate's main purpose is to eliminate unwanted noise so some volume loss is to be expected, but it seems like when I engage the compressor it cuts my volume in half. Is that normal or do I have something plugged in wrong? Haha

2. My head (swr 350x) has a built in limiter on it that I can engage and disengage as I please. Should I keep the built-in limiter on the head on even with the gate and compressor? I figured I should, but since I'm asking on here I thought I might as well slip this one in here as well.

3. The dbx has two channels with separate sets of inputs/outputs. I always play right next to my guitarist. Is it possible for him to use the second channel while I use the first?

Thanks for your time guys and if these were answered somewhere else, I apologize. I looked around and couldn't find anything :/

[bongomania]

Check out the FAQ linked in my sig.

[jam.majors]

Bongomania, always FTW on compressors.

[depalm]

Originally Posted by LeighIV

Hello all,

So I just recently bought my first compressor/gate (dbx 266XL) and so far it's easy enough to figure out. Already my tone is sounding a lot cleaner and I'm really liking what I'm getting out of it so far.

I still am fairly uneducated about compressors and effects as a whole though so please, bear with a new guy a little bit :]

1. I know the gate's main purpose is to eliminate unwanted noise so some volume loss is to be expected, but it seems like when I engage the compressor it cuts my volume in half. Is that normal or do I have something plugged in wrong? Haha:/

Output gain should be very low or the signal is too compressed. Unless there's too much noise or hum I'd turn the gate off. Try to match the output gain with unprocessed signal.

Originally Posted by LeighIV

2. My head (swr 350x) has a built in limiter on it that I can engage and disengage as I please. Should I keep the built-in limiter on the head on even with the gate and compressor? I figured I should, but since I'm asking on here I thought I might as well slip this one in here as well.:/

I'd turn the built-in limiter off if using an external compressor.

Originally Posted by LeighIV

3. The dbx has two channels with separate sets of inputs/outputs. I always play right next to my guitarist. Is it possible for him to use the second channel while I use the first?:/

I guess there will be no problem, both channels are independent. Use one side of stereo on bass and the other side on the guitar.

Originally Posted by LeighIV

Thanks for your time guys and if these were answered somewhere else, I apologize. I looked around and couldn't find anything :/

[Phry]

Originally Posted by bongomania

Check out the FAQ linked in my sig.

So you say the 266XL sucks? You didn't have a review on the 166XL, any word on that one?

[bongomania]

It's the exact same design as the 166A that I did review, except made in a different factory (and probably with SMD miniature components). IOW though I can't promise it's exactly as good as the 166A, it probably won't be far off.