Fat Sound, Maximizing levels in a DJ mix Options

[KarlBakker]

I am a DJ who uses a Hi-Fi CD recorder (Pioneer) to record continuous dance music mix sets. The sound quality is very good, but I want to get that Fat Sound you hear on professional Mix CDs.

I have tried the Limiter, Compressor and the Normalizer in Pro Tools (Free) but are unhappy with the result. Everything I try seems to result in a quieter, duller and less dynamic sound, which is the opposite of what I am trying to achieve. When I use a compressor, I cannot get the Gains anywhere near 0db without clipping.

Also, I only run a Mac Titanium.
Can anyone suggest a better approach?
Does anyone know of an inexpensive software option like Sonic Forges Wave Hammer but for the Mac?

Cheers
DJ Anton

[Synthetic]

actually... that "fat" sound you are seeking is a result of thousands of dollars of equipment and a recording engineer / mastering professional who is getting paid over $100 per hour for services. It's much easier to get that sound when you have right equipment and expertise but it is possible to come close to that sound in your home.

first I would recommend a good preamp to run your signal through before it gets to the CD player as this will help "fatten" the overall sound of your tracks... then using the compressor / limiters in conjunction with EQ... you should be able to improve sound a bit more. If you can get a hold of a multiband compressor... that's even better yet. Compression is something that is a bit teadious to get set just right I think... look online like at www.prosoundweb.com or other music sites for info on how to set controls on compressor for good results. Actually, check out www.intermusic.com and look in their tutorial section as they have a few articles that may help lots too. They actually had an article on getting that "fat" sound from small home studios that may be worth a read. Hope that helps a little.