Side Chain Question

[bongo]

I know how a side chain works. My question is why do some compressors like my GML have a side chain in, while others like my Pendulum ES-8 and my Drawmer 1968 have a side chain insert?
It seems the in is all you need. If I wire the insert to my patch bay, it seems that would add a fairly long cable carrying an unbalanced signal.
Enlighten me please.

[Reptil]

I guess the insert is there to provide a monitoring solution to the key signal.
Of course that wouldn't be necessary in a machine with a key listen knob. then the key signal is passed to the output.
that could be not so good, especially if one is keying with white noise

but maybe there is another reason.

[tmarra]

It will depend on the switching method that the manufature uses on the sidechain jacks. If you have a XLR labeled "sidechain in", then you must press some button on the unit which will disengage the side chan input from the normal input and apply it to the "sidechain in" jack.

With this method if you want to create a "desser" by placing a EQ into the side chain, you will have to "mult" your input signal between the compressor input and the sidechain input and then activaate the "sidechain in" button. With the sidechain insert method, you just insert the EQ into the sidechain.

It's really a matter of taste up to the designer.

-Tony

[Led]

The ones with the switch are better because if you have them racked the ones otherwise you have to reach around the back and pull out the sidechan plug to turn it off, unless you normal the send and return on a patchbay.