Behringer MDX4400 manual Tab .1 Initial settings for the compressor section

MULTICOM PRO MDX4400

5.2.1 Initial Settings For The Compressor Section

Control	Setting
IN/OUT switch	IN
INTERACTIVE switch	IN
SC FILTER switch	OUT
THRESHOLD control	+20 dB
RATIO control	3:1
OUTPUT control	0 dB

Tab. 5.1: Initial settings for the compressor section

Rotate the THRESHOLD control counterclockwise until an appropriate amount of gain reduction is indicated on the GAIN REDUCTION meter. This operation will be accompanied by an audible drop in output level. The OUTPUT control should now be turned clockwise to reinstate the output level. The level of the unprocessed and the processed signal can be compared by pressing the I/O METER switch and observing the INPUT/OUTPUT LEVEL meter.

Final adjustments of the RATIO control can then be made to suit your particular requirements. The experi- enced user will be in a position to specify parameters while in bypass mode and thus realize the effect before the unit is actually switched into operation. This is important in live situations, where a signal needs to be managed efficiently by the engineer, without the convenience of continual A/B comparison.

5.2.2 The MULTICOM PRO As A Sound Effects Unit

In the early 1960’s, musicians began looking at the recording process as a way to create new sounds. The pumping effect which had been avoided by earlier engineers suddenly became fashionable and was utilized as a creative tool, laying the groundwork for many of the sounds which are now considered indispensable in contemporary music. The compressor is used in this role because you can hear it working, and control of the dynamic range is of secondary importance.

The BEHRINGER MULTICOM PRO, with its extensive range of functions, is well suited to this application. Sound effects of this kind can be achieved using “extreme” settings. To achieve this, set the THRESHOLD control to a fairly low level, the RATIO control to almost maximum to obtain the desired effect. Experiment with all the controls in order to get a feel of their function!

5.2.3 The “Muffling” Effect Of A Compressor

Quite often, compressors are sometimes accused of “muffling” the sound, whilst at the same time reducing the dynamics. This fact should be investigated further. Bass frequencies contain most of the energy within music and therefore cause the compressor to reduce the overall dynamics. If the music also contains high frequen- cies along with the bass frequencies, these are also reduced in level. This is the reason why: in an extremely compressed recording of drums, the cymbals and high-hats are acoustically swamped by the sound of the snare or the bass drum. The same effect is experienced when processing reverberated or ambient sounds. The solution commonly used to this basic problem is either to reduce the compression ratio or to slow down the attack time, so that the increasing high frequency transients pass through the compressor unhindered before the compressor takes effect.

The MULTICOM PRO MDX4400 offers a solution to this problem that is by much more elegant. The SC Filter switch allows you to activate a highpass filter in the control signal path of the compressor. This filter makes sure that midrange and treble range frequencies are taken into account to a greater extent, and that a low- frequency signal triggers less compression than a midrange/treble signal of comparable level. A major advan- tage of this design can be seen in the fact that the frequency response of the overall signal is not modified below the threshold adjusted with the Threshold control.

18 5. APPLICATIONS