12/28/2022 0 Comments Universal audio compressorSome compressors also have the ability to do the opposite of compression, namely expansion. The louder sounds above the threshold remain unaffected. Upward compression increases the volume of quiet sounds below a certain threshold. A limiter can be thought of as an extreme form of downward compression as it compresses the sounds over the threshold especially hard. This is the most common type of compressor. The quiet sounds below the threshold remain unaffected. ĭownward compression reduces the volume of loud sounds above a certain threshold. Both downward and upward compression reduce the dynamic range of an audio signal. There are two types of compression, downward and upward. A limiter is a compressor with a high ratio and, generally, a short attack time. Compression and limiting are identical in process but different in degree and perceived effect. In recorded and live music, compression parameters may be adjusted to change the way they affect sounds. In the 2000s, compressors became available as software plugins that run in digital audio workstation software. Compression is commonly used in sound recording and reproduction, broadcasting, live sound reinforcement and in some instrument amplifiers.Ī dedicated electronic hardware unit or audio software that applies compression is called a compressor. From top to bottom: Retro Instruments/Gates STA level Spectra Sonic 610 Dbx 162 Dbx 165 Empirical Labs Distressor Smart Research C2 Chandler Limited TG1 Daking FET (91579) and Altec 436c.ĭynamic range compression ( DRC) or simply compression is an audio signal processing operation that reduces the volume of loud sounds or amplifies quiet sounds, thus reducing or compressing an audio signal's dynamic range. Another top-class plugin from the Universal Audio stable.A rack of audio compressors in a recording studio. Overall, it's unsurprising that the API 2500 is a wonderful tool for mix bus and sub group duties, but it's also excellent for individual sounds, making it one of the most flexible compressors you can buy. On mixes and subgroups, this helped us reduce pumping whilst retaining punch, and on individual sounds it added further reshaping options, by curtailing high frequencies and retaining punch. In both cases, a filter is applied to the sidechain, cutting lows and boosting highs (Loud is the more extreme setting), making the compression less sensitive to low frequencies and more sensitive to high frequencies. We found at extreme settings like these, New (feedforward) was the more responsive mode.Īll degrees of compression can be further influenced using the Medium and Loud Thrust modes. With ratios up to limiting (inf), there's plenty of scope to really hammer sounds. What's more, there's a fine-tune option for the Release (Variable), good for tweaking envelopes of transients. The superfast Attack times (30, 100 and 300ms) can help reshape the attack envelope of sounds, and this can be altered further with the Knee shape. If you want to go further, there are many options. The API 2500 is an incredibly flexible tool, and with knee set to Soft, Thrust set to Norm, and the Old feedback setting, it behaves very much like a classic bus compressor, with a low to medium ratio and medium attack delivering excellent mix glue and gain reduction of a few dBs. Here the Shape buttons, which have low-pass, high-pass and band-pass options, provide yet more ways to fine-tune the nature of the linked sidechain. The stereo Link section provides flexibility not only in the amount of linking (independent up to 100%), but also the frequency content that is linked. But the differences are not always as marked as you might imagine. On the API 2500, the feedback Type does influence the behaviour, making the circuit more responsive, particularly when compressing harder or transient-heavy sounds. Classic feedback designs like Neve's 2254 desk compressor (and its rackmounted 33609 version), and feedforward designs like dbx's 160 would seem to confirm this view.īut there are many other influences on a compressor's design and behaviour, and there are plenty of feedback style compressors (Urei's 1176, for example) that can hardly be described as gentle or laid-back. It's often suggested that feedback designs are far more gentle and that feedforward designs more aggressive. The latter is one of the key selectable parameters on the 2500.
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