MULTICOM PRO MDX4400
5.2 Compressor Section
The task of a compressor is to reduce the dynamic range of program material and to control the overall level. The extensive controls of the Compressor section, provide a great range of dynamic effects: from musical and soft compression to limiting signal peaks, right up to extreme and effective compression of the overall dynamics. For example, a low ratio and very low threshold setting can be used to achieve soft and musical processing of the general dynamics of the program material.
Higher ratios, together with low threshold settings, create relatively constant volume (leveling) for instruments and vocals. High threshold levels generally limit the overall level of a program. Ratios greater than 6:1 effectively prevent the output level from significantly exceeding the threshold point (provided that the OUTPUT control is in the 0 dB position).
Please note that the compression of the entire program material (achieved by low threshold settings) sounds less natural with higher ratio settings. Ratio settings in the range of 4:1 and lower, effect the dynamics of the program material less and are often used to compress the sound of a bass guitar, a snare drum or a vocal. Sensitive and moderate settings are generally used in mixing and for leveling of program material in broadcast.
Output | Gain 0 dB | |
Threshold | ||
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| Ratio 2:1 | |
Hard Knee | Ratio 4:1 | |
| Limiter oo:1 | |
IKA Curve |
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| Input |
Fig. 5.1: IKA characteristic of the compressor section
The new IKA (Interactive Knee Adaptation) circuit prevents aggressive compression, created by high ratios, from sounding too unnatural. This is achieved with an interactive control function, which begins above the threshold level and introduces a “Soft Knee” curve characteristic in the range up to 10 dB above the threshold point. Beyond this range, the signal is subjected to linear (“Hard Knee”) compression.
+With the threshold control completely turned to the right, the threshold value is +20 dB. Since such a value will not be reached in practice, you can use it to disable the compressor section and work exclusively with the limiter circuits.
5. APPLICATIONS | 17 |
