PLUG-INS!!! Surely somebody knows!, TDM / RTAS / VST - MacAmp / SoundJAM?? Options

I own a ProTools (MIX/TDM) rig & have a ton of plugins. Is there a way to use plugins OUTSIDE the ProTools platform?

I'm trying to find a way to add compression / L1 type maximization to a streaming audio web-feed. MacAmp has a few plugins, but nothing much. Is there a way to ADD plugins to MacAmp or Soundjam - or some other mp3 player?

Is there a way to use plugins as if they were rack gear & route other programs into them? Didn't Waves have a way to do this once upon a time?

[horowizard]

    What you are asking is relatively simple to do, particularly on systems which allow you to create Auxiliary tracks.  Auxiliary tracks do not actually record an audio waveform, but they do have insert points and can recieve and send audio either through the inputs and outputs of your interfaces or through the internal busses within Pro Tools or both.  
   
    The first thing to do is obviously create a Pro Tools session.  Next create an or any number of Auxiliary track(s) and choose which plug ins or combinations of plug ins that you would like to use in your audio chain by putting them across the inserts.  Address the inputs of the Auxiliary tracks to correspond with the inputs of your interfaces which are being fed the audio that you would like to process.  Then it is a simple matter of routing the audio signal(s) being processed within Pro Tools back out to your system via the outputs of your interfaces. You can send them back into the input channels of your recording console, input tracks of your tape machines or other effects processors.  You can even send those tracks back into Pro Tools for even more processing.

    If you do not have the abiliy to create Auxiliary tracks, you can use Audio tracks just as easily.  Use the same technique of placing your plug ins across the channel inserts.  As long as the tracks are RECORD ENABLED, they will pass audio back out through your interfaces.

    I have an HD 3 System, but this method will work with any system, even very early ones.  Again, if you need to use Audio tracks for this, the key is to Record Enable the track(s) but do not actually engage Pro Tools into record mode (unless of course you happen to want to record your audio source in Pro Tools!)