Just a quick note to say that I’m getting great results live putting the desk’s internal optical compression at 2:1 on the master bus. Generally I’ll get the basic mix together with it off and pop it in when I’m already pretty happy with the mix. From memory the gain reduction generally runs across the first square (can’t remember offhand how many db’s that covers but with drums in the mix that has been sounding great).
Good post, thanks. I just got a QU16 and the band plays this weekend. this will be the second outting with the mixer. I’m a big fan of bus compressors and will certainly try the optical setting.
but it highly depends on the music…