dbx Pro 262 - Manual (Page 10)

8
Applications
signal too low.
If the 262 is “post fader” (i.e., the 262 is connected to mixer inserts so that the
compression effect occurs after the level set by the mixer channel’s volume
fader), adjusting the mixer’s volume fader changes the input level and the
amount of compression. If you would rather have this volume fader control out-
put, we suggest you set up the compressor directly between the source and the
mixer channel’s input. This way, you can use the instrument’s volume control to
define the input level and amount of compression and the mixer’s volume fader
to change only the overall volume of the track.
Musical Instruments (e.g., Electric Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Electric-
Acoustic Instruments)
The output of an electric guitar is sometimes not “hot” enough to drive the
262’s INPUT. When this is the case, you should use the “PREAMP OUT” of your
guitar amp (if so equipped), or the output of some other device that is designed
to accept low-level instrument inputs (including various foot pedal effects,
acoustic pickup preamps, and rack mount audio products, like the dbx 163A
and 263A). Such sources can be balanced or unbalanced - this is no problem
for the 262.
With most setups these low-level sources require signal boost to drive the 262’s
INPUT. For example, when recording voice directly to a portable tape deck, a
mic preamp (like the dbx 760X) placed between the mic and the 262 (which is
then fed to one of the recorder’s inputs) can boost the low-level signal to a
line-level required by the 262.
Keyboards, samplers, drum machines and sound modules typically produce a
line-level signal and can be connected directly from the instrument’s output to
the 262’s INPUT.
Note: DO NOT CONNECT the output of a power amp or the speaker out of an
instrument to the input of the 262. Severe damage to system components may
result.
Patch Bay
In the studio, the 262 may be connected to a patch bay to allow it to be
patched anywhere in the studio system.
Sound Reinforcement
To compress a live mix or to protect loudspeakers, connect the 262 between
the source (mixing board or distribution amp) and the power amp(s). If multi-
way loudspeakers with low-level electronic crossovers are used, the 262(s)
should go after the crossover(s). For a stereo system, you can separately stereo
couple the two high band crossovers, low band crossovers, etc.
Specific Applications
Note: The following control settings for each application are suggested as a
starting point. Adjust them for your requirements.
Smoothing Out Variations in Microphone Levels
Variations in signal level can occur when the distance between a vocalist and a