Are you working in analog or inside a DAW ?

Something like a waves L2 hardware comp/limiter.
basically runs the same software as the L1 plug-in.

there are other digitally based hardware units ... look to Crane Song for one of their stereo master units.

Analog.
well there is a huge list of maybes.
Many people use a group of toys to achieve the results they want ... knowledge of when to use which units is part of the art-form.

VCA comp/limiter ... Al Smart / SSL style
Tubed OPTO ... not realy a limiter as it is too slow in the attack.
Tubed ..VariMu ... see Manley or Gates. again some might say too slow in the attack
FET ... double 1176 and similar ... and long stretch to a 1178 for my stereo mixes but people have done it.

way down at the bottom of the market are things like the RNC.
VCA based with a digital side chain sort of thing ... track in stereo quite well considering the price.

Outside of the look ahead plug-in based stuff I don't think you will find a ONE box solution to this ...

L2
TC Max
Double Distressor perhaps ???

:roll:
too hard

hey i appreciate your input , but this is all greek to me, i'm new to the whole recording thing, man. I could just start by telling you what i have and we can work from there. I am using a tascam DP-01 8-track digital recorder. Can you still use those compressors with this?

I would imagine you'd need an external unit going to a different recorder with that one...

Or perhaps you could bounce to a stereo track and run the outputs to an external unit and record it back onto a blank stereo track... If there's a way to avoid a feedback loop...

but then you've got to sacrifice a track or two. seems kinda complicated. any other methods?

why not just forget about it and do some music..... an then when you're happy with something take it as a 2-track master to a guy who has a computer with some plugs.....

oh anby the way.... the hardware L2 runs the same algorithm as the L2 plugin..... guess it was just a typo... :)

yeah, that might be the best solution for now. thanks guys.