Hi all,
Recently got a FMR RNC to have it connected to my Midas Venice 160.
I wanted something hands to compress/limit on before multitracking. I am more and more only using the DAW as a recorder.
As I have never used a hardware compressor in this way, I just wanted to know what the “ideal” way would be.
I have 4 sub groups going into my MOTU as well as the mains out. In total 4 mono and 1 stereo. I usually multitrack these and then tweak (very little) in the DAW.
Should I use the RNC as a master insert? I also would like to use it side chained (to a track from the Midas).
I am a little lost as what cables (TR/TRS) to use and how to have the side chained track keep playing (not only as the side chain source).
Any advice is very welcome 
Thank you.
I would go master insert. You would need TRS cables for send/return.
For “side chaining”, check the famous FMOD method by our own AdamJay. It’s not a classic sidexhain in that a track won’t “trigger” compression.
Hey man, just make sure to use TRS cables (tip will send and ring receive signal, if it’s not the other way around) and plug that into the ins of RNC and their ends to the master insert L & R on your Midas.
For the sidechain, you could route on of the AUX/MONs out from the MIdas into the SC in of RNC. This way, you can route any channel/combination of channels to that SC by tweaking their individual AUX/MON send level. This way, you would hear the channel (if you have “Master” pressed in the output of that channel, of course) and the SC would get the signal, not related to fader position if you use MONs for the SC send or if you use AUX with “Pre” switch pressed.
Hope it makes sense
EDIT: use TRSs all over, including for the SC
Just to clarify that using the RNC on the master insert will of cours only allow you to record to DAW through it from the master - not through the sub groups.
I’m using the sub groups with “tracking” outboard (Pultec clones and AH) while keeping my mixbus compressor (TK Audio BC1) on the master, if that helps you
Really nice tip! I didn’t know about that type of sidechain - you learn something new every day.
Thanks for leaving an informative trail of breadcrumbs @AdamJay
Thank you very much.
I think I will go as @dobermate (thanks again for the detailed reply, much appreciated) describes.
Trying this in the afternoon
Will most likely go the AUX way (vs the MON way).
In this regard, could I use the EQ on the channel that will send the SC signal (through an AUX)? Just to filter out some frequencies as in @AdamJay post.
Yes, at least to my understanding of the block diagram you should still have the eq applied to the signal but sending it pre-fader if you use AUX with “Pre” switch.
No, you’ll just need TRS (that’s the same as balanced Tele) cable for both ends, like this:
This one is from Thomann as well and there might be other versions of length, etc but always keep to the TRS on both sides (they allow you to filter on it by selecting “Jack (stereo)” I believe).
The patch cables you show below would work too, it seems!
EDIT: Just go with this one that you linked above and you should be fine :
My bad - that is surely the case! I was thinking about the FX sends :).
Eh? Surely that XLR cable above will send a mono signal terminating in a stereo? Is it not a XLR to TS that would be needed?
XLR = balanced = TRS
Well I just had a chance to rewire my desk, getting rid of things, adding others, checking cables…
And finally put the RNC to use/test: BAFFLED is the word. Was not expecting the result. Really helps on glueing a mix. Also the side chain as masters inserts in my aux2 sends is God send: I can now SC from whatever on my Midas.
Thanks again @dobermate for the explanations, really helped
Oh, you’re most welcome - super to hear you’re up and running with great results! 
RNC is definitely a classic. If it was $1k it would still be.
Can someone explain the theory behind the SC routing please? If the compressor is on the master, then the signal that is triggering the compression will also be compressed, since it’s on the master? Or is it put through a direct out, but also send to the SC?
From what I gather, the SC signal is sent from whatever channel through my aux2 sends.
The signal is not affected as I am routing the SC source to another group
So it does both: routed to a group and sending SC signal.
The signal that is triggering the compressor is taken from the inputs of the compressor, not the already compressed output.
In it’s standard configuration with nothing plugged into the sidechain jack, the stereo input signal is duplicated and summed to mono, then sent to the sidechain jack, then sent to the compressor detector circuit. The sidechain jack is a normalized connection so without anything plugged in it will pass through the jack unaffected and right to the compressor’s detector.
If a cable is plugged into the sidechain jack than the normalized connection is broken. The duplicated signal from the input of the compressor will be sent out on the tip of that cable. This way you can send the signal to something like an EQ for example to tailor which part of the frequency spectrum will trigger the compressor. The output of said EQ would then be sent back to the ring of the sidechain jack and continue onto the detector of the compressor. It’s a send and return in a single jack rather than two separate jacks.
Theoretically, you could also insert a TRS cable into the sidechain jack and send a completely separate signal than the compressor input to the ring of the sidechain jack. This would be the way to get a classic “pumping” effects with a kick or what have you.
This is slightly confusing compared to other compressors that just offer a sidechain input because you have to send an external signal to the ring of the sidechain jack on the RNC, rather than the typical tip of a standard mono cable. But it’s still possible with the appropriate cable / patch bay setup.
***someone correct me if I’m wrong, I haven’t used my RNC in a little while.