Monitoring Bus Returns

[Tomas152]

Forgive me for a potentially basic question but here we go...
I’m wanting to run stereo signals from the bus output into stereo hardware compressors and back in through the bus ins.
The problem I’m having is that I can’t figure out how to actually monitor the sound coming from the hardware comps. I can send the returns to aux 9-10 or 11-12 and monitor it with the headphones but can’t figure out how to send a soloed version of it to the speakers. I feel like there should be an easy answer but I’m not seeing it.
Any suggestions would be good! Thanks!
Tom

[Tomas152]

Anyone? :/

[Bruce Graham]

Hello Tomas;

What I have done is to use the Buss Outputs (also called Surround outputs). These can be found on the 25 pin connector on the back panel.

Route you signasl on each channel to a pair of these busses like you would the L&R, but not to the L&R. This signal goes into you Comp.

The output of the comp comes back into a pair of channels , say Line inputs 23 & 24. Channel 23 gets assigned to the left, Input 24 assigned to the right. Faders at "0", and you should be golden. You monitor the L&R as normal. You will have Solo etc.

The second method is to patch L&R into the comp and then the output of the comp into your record device (if recording). The output of the record device is patched into one of the stereo monitor inputs "A", "B" or "C". Instead of monitoring L&R, you monitor whichever input you have returned into.

The third way, and the way I now do it, is to install 5.1, then the "Hack or Crack" (found in the thread in this forum), and use "Final Mix". It is an amazing compressor you get once you do the hack and authorise the plug-ins. All free and amazing.

Let us know how it goes.

Cheers
Bruce

[Tomas152]

Hi Bruce,

Firstly, thanks so much for taking the time to write your response. Very much appreciated.

Secondly, now I feel like an idiot haha.
Don’t want to hear channels through L/R?... how about just don’t send them there!

I haven’t used this desk for about 7 years. I used it a lot back in the day but I’ve been using a Toft atb24 since I stopped using it.

Now, having moved back to the d8b, I’m trying to get my head around all of the layers again and I’m finding that things as simple as having a hardware comp insert on the master bus results in a day of pushing buttons...

Thanks again! I’ll try these out tomorrow and get back to you.

Tom

[Crash]

I do what Bruce does to feed my compressors but I return them on the Alt I/O faders via an analog card. Just another way to skin that cat.