Re: plugin compressor in Avid..?

That's a little bit of a shot in the dark question, as different editors have different audio workflows and software preferences. I'm fond of Adobe audition for final sweetening. It's not a plugin so you will have to export/import and layback.

However:

1-The built-in compressor works OK, it just doesn't have the nicest interface to view levels as you're compressing. The real problem with Avid's audio interface is its destructive nature which forces you to bounce tracks if you want to apply more than one effect at a time.

2-If the discrepancy in levels is that large, your final product will ultimately benefit from evening the levels out before you compress and/or limit. If (hopefully) the mics were recorded on separate tracks, work on them individually before you cut them into the sequence.