The Aphex Compellor is a line-level device, and has to go inline after a pre-amp. The closest you have to this is the mixer, so you would have to insert it between the mixer and the audio interface using the relevant cables (TRS-XLR).

However, what you should be asking yourself is whether you should be tracking with the Aphex in circuit or tracking raw at a lower level and using the compressor as a mixdown effect.

You could also try it on the mixer's insert.

If you think you need to correct "excessive signal peaks" then I would suspect you are tracking too hot. In that case the best thing to do is track at a lower level. There is plenty of headroom in modern digital recording to accommodate very dynamic signals without having to resort to compression before the ADC. But for adding "tone" to your recording I could see that unit being useful, either during tracking (where you'd be stuck with the effect) or during mixdown.

Thanks for the answers, much apriciated.

You are right bouldersound, there is plenty of headroom in DAW recordings, but when dealing with not much experienced singers
I must ask them to step back when screaming, so a costant level of signal is what I hope to get from this unit, if set properly.

Using the compressor as a mixdown effect? I'm not recording on tape (I wish I was).
So there is no final tape or dat mixdown (did I get your point right Boswell?).

Perhaps there are mixdown processes I'm not aware of? of course there are :]

detlef, post: 393886 wrote: Thanks for the answers, much apriciated.

You are right bouldersound, there is plenty of headroom in DAW recordings, but when dealing with not much experienced singers
I must ask them to step back when screaming, so a costant level of signal is what I hope to get from this unit, if set properly.

If the problem is that it's clipping at the converters then turn down the preamp stage. If it's not clipping the converters then edit/process in the DAW to even out the volume.

detlef, post: 393886 wrote: Using the compressor as a mixdown effect? I'm not recording on tape (I wish I was).
So there is no final tape or dat mixdown (did I get your point right Boswell?).

Perhaps there are mixdown processes I'm not aware of? of course there are :]

You posted in the hybrid forum, generally meaning digital recording and analog mixing. That means you should be able to put an analog compressor on signals during mixdown. Even doing it all in the DAW you can still use the compressor by looping the signal out to the Compellor and back to the DAW. Some versions of Compellor even have AES3 interface.

The "Good-u-lator"

patch the compressor after mic pre before converters. dial in 4 dB of gain reduction at 2 to 1 ratio medium attack quick release.
this is the good-u-lator setting. if you need it compressed more later fine. but this is enough to even things out a little on the way in. do not tell anyone else. it's a secret. no one else has ever done it. original intelectual property. subsequent steps of gain reduction is the order of the day. this is on the test. (is this thing on?)

don't be reticent to make decisions when recording. print w/ eq / compression. pre mix. go ahead! what's it going to hurt? it's free!

try doing a song using only 8 tracks. live musicians. one track for drums. whole sections on one track. no virtual takes. keep or wipe it. comp, eq, add verb while printing. bounce, wild fly tracks .... when your finished tracking, the mix is half done.

don't like it? do it again. just don't get stuck sifting through playlists, re amping , plugs and overwhelmed at mixtime. make a frikkin decision now and live with it.

  go boldly ....

now; if anyone asks, i wasn't here.
suicide aghhhhguhh!

It will interesting how you respond to the Compellor... not the other way around. Its a fine device. All Aphex devices are. They are very very specific in what they do and they do it in a way as to not get in the way of the goings on around them. Sometimes its hard to tell if they're actually doing anything.

Before you get yours and start fooling around with it, I suggest you download the manual for this unit and really read the part that tells about just what a "Compellor" is and what it was invented for. Then when you have it to put to use, you'll know just what it can or can't do.

Also there are internal level switches that allow its operation to be +10, 0, and -4. These will determine the amount of 'box' you get from it.

I own two and these are my second and third ones. I only use it occasionally but when it works its really magic.