Here are samples I made today using a medicre soundcard and an inexpensive Neve-style mic preamp.
The first is a very quick and rough mono mix of drums.
Alternating clean signal (no sound-card and no preamp) and the compressor with four different setting of attack/release times. All in Limit mode with Big switch off.
The settings are:
- fast attack and fast release, average gain reduction of 6-8dBs. You can hear it well between 1:15 and 1:30
- medium attack, fast release, AGR 5-6dBs
- slow attack, fast release, AGR 4dBs
- medium attack, medium release, AGR 6dBs (towards the end of the sample)
http://amtecaudio.com/drums_mono_alternating.mp3
The second one is a single room mic in quite big, but dead room. The cymbals are not studio ones unfortunately, so they are loud and a bit annoying.
Input gain is maxed, attack at 5, release at 4, average gain reduction about 6-8dBs.
http://amtecaudio.com/drums_room_alternating.mp3
More samples to follow.