Alesis 3630 or FMR RNLA... which would you get?

[vasidudu]

@fattyparts

RNC is a solid work horse compressor

Best purchase for me this year

[allandbyallo]

got the 3630 after all but still want an RNLA eventually. not a prio though.

[Octagonist]

@xenosapien

the RNLA has a sidechain SEND/RETURN, meaning whatever you put into it´s regular input gets sent out from the sidechain insert for external EQ/filtering and then sent back into the detector circuit.

I read, fairly recently, that compressors usually split the main input signal down two paths. One path is the carrier (it probably has a better name): it’s the path that gets affected by the volume control. The other is the control path. The control path has the processing (circuitry, software, etc) to watch the signal level, shape it in response to the attack/threshold/etc and then use it as control for the main signal gain.

With this mental model, I found it much easier to see how the control path works the same way regardless of which sidechain configuration you see as normal/expected. Either the manufacturer exposed the source control at the sidechain TRS, or they didn’t. The “input” part of the sidechain insert is identical either way.

This way of looking at the sidechain insert is also the same mental model as mixer inserts, and half-normaled patchbay ports. To me, it’s the “standard audio interface” (I’m thinking like my programmer day job here: it’s a consistent “type” for audio connections).