Double up on compressors?

[willymotts]

I have an Alesis Micro Limiter that really gives me the punch I'm looking for. I also have a nice Symetrix 501 compressor that doesn't "punch" so well but it helps to fill out the Ampeg B2-RE I'm using. The question is: Can I run both the micro limiter and the Symetrix? This way I get the nice tones of the 501 and the hard punch of the Alesis. If this is a stupid question, I apologize. I couldn't find anything about this in the search function. Thanks to any and all who attempt to guide me in this.

[bongomania]

It will "work", but it will probably have higher noise levels, and it will certainly mean you have less dynamic range.

FWIW though, I would just about guarantee the only difference in "punch" between the Alesis and the Symetrix is the settings. I don't know how you've been setting it, but my advice is to close your eyes and adjust the controls strictly by ear.

[Deluge Of Sound]

Double wrapping is rarely the answer.

[bongomania]

It reduces sensation.

[ga_edwards]

Quite a few of us that used (or still use) 2 channel rack compressors, such my old Behringer Autocom, to 'double wrap' as Deluge puts it.

First channel was set to gentle compress with a fairly low ratio and low threshold, just to smooth things out. This was fed directly in to channel 2 set to catch the errant peaks (limiting) with high ratio and high threshold. Some other rack compressors (Composer Pro?) have compression and peak limiter in the same channel which effectively does the same thing, but the daisy chaining technique gives a bit more control on the limiting.

The other thing you can do is have one at the start of your signal path set to gently compress, then put the other compressor in your amps fx loop, at the end of your signal chain to act as a peak limiter. Perhaps try something like this

Or, (and this might sound crazy). Split your signal, go through both units in parallel, and mix them again into your amp. You may then be able get the punch from one and tone of the other together.

[Swift713]

I've run two compressors sometimes for a super tight squeaky kind of sound but it's not something I keep returning to.