Compressor/Limiter, Compressor On/Off

Section 5

Detailed Parameters

DriveRack® PX

enhanced bottom end with these systems may not be possible and may result in over- stressing or even damaging your speakers. It is generally not a good idea to use this feature without a subwoofer. In any case, please refer to your powered mains and powered subwoofer speakers’ frequency response specifications, and avoid forcing them to reproduce low frequencies that they are not designed to reproduce.

5.4 Compressor/Limiter

The DriveRack® PX also offers legendary dbx OverEasy® Compression with VariKneeTM, and proprietary dbx PeakPlusTM Limiter modules. The Compressor is a full bandwidth Stereo Compressor located prior to the high-pass and bandpass filters. The Compressor is the perfect tool for tightening uneven signal sources such as vocals and guitars. The PeakPlus Limiters are located on each stereo output channel and have been strategically placed for powered speaker protection. Note that Compressor/Limiter threshold metering can be observed on page two of the Utility section. The parameters for the Compressor/Limiter are as follows and are user adjustable.

COMPRESSOR

Compressor On/Off

Turns the Compressor module on and off.

OverEasy (O) Off to 10

There are ten levels of OverEasy® that can be used for the limiters. The point when the compressor starts to compress is the “knee.” When the compressor starts to reduce the level of a signal abruptly as it passes over the threshold, this is called “hard knee” compression. OverEasy® (soft knee as it is sometimes called) is when the volume of the sound is compressed gradually. OverEasy® compression starts to compress before the level of the signal reaches the threshold and reaches full compression after the level has gone above the threshold. OverEasy® compression, by its very nature, sounds much smoother and more natural and will be used for most applications. When it is gentle (natural sounding or light) compression that you are looking for, the compressor offers VariKnee™. VariKnee™ gives you ten levels of OverEasy® compression to choose from (1 being almost hard knee and 10 being the most OverEasy®). This lets you choose the exact knee that is needed for the dynamic effect you are looking for.

Threshold (T) -40 to +20dBu

Threshold is the signal level at which the unit starts to compress the signal. If the level is set to -10 dBu, than any signal larger than -10 dBu is compressed while any signal that has a level that is lower than -10dBu is left at the same signal level. Light compression is where only the loudest parts of the signal go over the threshold. Very heavy compression can be achieved by setting the threshold low enough that almost the entire signal content is over the threshold. For most signals the most natural compression is achieved when most of the signal content remains just below the threshold and only the peaks cross the threshold.