hardware limiter after master output for live pa?

[karlo]

to those who perform live: i'm wondering who uses a compressor/limiter for live performances and if there are any who do, how you integrate it into your set..

was going through the livepa.org forums, and ran into a thread on this so it got me wondering how to go about integrating one into my live set.

i'm particularly interested in how i would go about feedling an entire mix through a comp/limiter/gate.

i'd appreciate some ideas on cheap but good (and locally available) models, routing, settings, other ideas...

also, which models sound good to feed an entire mix through but aren't oppressively expensive? something with a nice, full warm, punchy sound and that i can use for a limiter and gate (so the sound guys won't worry too much din about overloading their speakers)

I'm running softsynths and loops on ableton through separate channels on an NI audio 8 dj soundcard. i also DJ off ableton live. everything is summed together on an allen and heath xone 92 dj mixer. im thinking about if i should whack on a limiter after between the xone and the house mixer.. will i be better served with or without one in my rig?

i'm not very particular about top notch, studio quality sound, just that it'll sound nice (i.e. not bad)

cheerios

[alien_inside]

mixer>other processors>LIMITER then AMP... setup ko.

dbx.

[BAMF]

Most decent modern amps have their own output limiting and short-circuit protection. Putting a limiter in the input will serve to avoid distortion by avoiding clipping on the input stages, but as protection for the speakers, that ought to be pretty much covered by the amp itself.

Maniwala ka, kahit yung cheap china na Sakura amplifiers have output limiting protection .

[karlo]

all right, thanks

less expenses on hardware for me then   

i guess it would be different if i was running hardware. in ableton, it would be simple to put limiters on each track

my only concern is that loud volume swells and and fuzzy distortion are a big part of my music so the sound guys might have fits, not understanding that i've already got limiters on the inputs.

in case I do decide to invest in a limiter, say an Alesis 3630, and put it after the xone, will i be wasting the good sound of the mixer? anyone ever tried the 3630?

[alien_inside]

If you tweak it right, it will sound good... vice versa.

[mikep]

If you tweak it right, it will sound good... vice versa.

Amen.

[alien_inside]

If you think of LIMITING ONLY, check the units: may have a dedicated LIMITER Button or Knob...

Alesis HAS NONE.. so you have to SET the limits from the Thresh and Output. The dbx 266 ( i dont have this yet... ) and 166 also has NO limiter controls... but limiting can be done ( natural, syempre ).

ALTO CLE 4.0, a quad compressor/limiter has its OWN LIMITER Knob...

believe it or not, im using my old old dbx 163 before the amp...