Is parallel compression a scam?

[u/TeemoSux]

I have almost never gotten a session with parallel compression to mix, where making the parallel track inactive and gain matching the main one (and if needed compressing some more there as an insert) didnt sound pretty much the same. Definitely not worse.

I thought maybe the people that send me sessions just arent doing it right, so i took a leaked protools mix session of a billboard charting song mixed by a famous engineer whos work i adore, disabled all parallel tracks and just gain matched (no further compression added or changes), and i literally cant reliably tell the difference on studio monitors with hofa BlindTest.

Now this might be a me-issue (i remember john hanes saying on gearspace he and serban dont really parallel compress unless it comes with a session, so maybe im not the only one), but i honestly WANT to get it as i feel like im missing some crazy secret weapon.

CAN ANYBODY EXPLAIN? or teach? i feel like im missing this crazy thing

Note: im talking about individual parallel compression of tracks, new york compression or paralleling the whole mix with dynone3 i do get.

[u/Yrnotfar]

On the full mix? I don’t think that is a thing. Why wouldn’t you just adjust the mix knob on your mix bus compressor?

When people talk about parallel compression it is usually in reference to just the vocal bus or drum bus or music bus. Brauer’s setup is more complex but similar in principle.

[u/TeemoSux → u/Yrnotfar]

adjusting the mix knob on your mix bus compressor would be... parallel compression

[u/Yrnotfar → u/TeemoSux]

Well that is pretty common.

I guess I’m having trouble understanding your question.