ACP22 Owner`s Manual
Contents
1. instruments etc Release The gate release time determines the rate speed at which the gate closes This is indicated by observing the OPEN and CLOSE LED s As the release time is lengthened clockwise you will notice that the CLOSE LED reflects the close time Release times should typically be set so that the natural decay of the instrument or vocal being gated is not affected Shorter release times help to clean up the noise in a signal but care must be taken especially with regards to percussive instruments to avoid gate chatter Longer release times usually eliminate chattering and should be set by listening carefully for the most natural release of the signal to which the gate is being applied Range The gate range button sets the amount of gain reduction occurring when the gate closes Therefore if the range button is pushed in led on the signal will be gated reduced by 60dB as it crosses below the threshold If the gate range button is out led off the signal will be gated reduced by 6dB as it crosses below the threshold The CLOSE LED above the threshold knob indicates this by changing brightness relative to the range amount When the range is set to 60dB the CLOSE LED will illuminate to its brightest level at the end of the release time which has been set by way of the release control Filter The filter feature of your ACP 22 modifies the audio signal such that the gate is less sensitive to high frequen2. PreSonus has been advised of this possibility this limited warranty does not cover any such consequential or incidental damages Some states or countries do not allow the limitations or exclusion of incidental or consequential damages so the above limitation may not apply to you Any and all warranties express or implied arising by law course of dealing course of performance usage of trade or otherwise including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose are limited to a period of two years from either the date of original retail purchase or in the event no proof of purchase date is available the date of manufacture Some states or countries do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty last so the above limitations may not apply to you This limited warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state country to country PreSonus Audio Electronics Inc 7257 Florida Blvd Baton Rouge LA 70806 225 216 7887 Wwww presonus com 1997 PreSonus Audio Electronics Incorporated All rights reserved TOC Table of Contents 1 Overview 1 1 Introduction 1 2 Features Controls amp Connections 2 1 Front Panel Basic Layout 2 2 Compressor Controls 2 3 Gate Controls 2 4 Gain 2 5 Bypass amp Link 2 6 Patch Panel 2 7 Power Basic Setup amp Applications 3 1 Some Basic Patching 3 2 Basic Applications Techn
3. dialogue or lyrics tend to become louder than the rest of the track A proven method of redusssing thissss problem is to de ess the track with spectral compression Patching a de esser together is illustrated in the patching diagrams above If you don t have an external equalizer you can use a spare channel of your mixer by sending the track to both the spare channel and the original channel Take the direct out of the spare channel and send it to the sidechain input of the ACP 8 signal on the ring of the tip ring sleeve connector Once patched setup the compressor as a limiter as described above How this works is that when the sidechain has an inserted signal the compressor generates the gain reduction from the sidechain return signal only Now if you boost those frequencies associated with sibilance SSS such as 2 kHz to 8 kHz the compressor will apply the gain reduction more to the sibilance because it is now seeing more signal around the frequency of the sibilance You will need to adjust the frequency to locate your source of sibilance more precisely Parametric equalizers are most effective for this type of compression but you can get by with most any equalizer Stereo Compressing Limiting The linking feature of your ACP 22 will allow you to have up to four stereo linked pairs of compressor gates If you read the section in chapter two on the link function this is easily achieved by pushing in the link button creating a stereo
4. does not cover claims for damage due to abuse neglect alteration or attempted repair by unauthorized personnel and is limited to failures arising during normal use that are due to defects in material or workmanship in the product Any implied warranties including implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose are limited in duration to the length of this limited warranty Some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts so the above limitation may not apply to you In no event will PreSonus be liable for incidental consequential or other damages resulting from the broach of any express or implied warranty including among other things damage to property damage based on inconvenience or on loss of use of the product and to the extent permitted by law damages for personal injury Some states do not allow the exclusion of limitation of incidental or consequential damages so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary form state to state This warranty only applies to products sold and used in the United States of America For warranty information in all other countries please refer to your local distributor Limited Warranty Outside of the U S PreSonus Audio Electronics products are warranted only in the country where purchased through the authorized PreSonus distributor in that country a
5. ese see se ee Ge ee RA ee ee OdB to 60dB Inputimped ance mia siete ESE RE tees Ee Re Ee a estes 10kOhms Output Impedance oo eee oi se ke Ge Ge Ge Ge Re Ge Ge Ge ee Ge ee 51 Ohms THD NOISE 5 25 RE Baste By end Se SE a eg ds bees Pe ee ee Ee eke SE AP be lt 0 02 OutPU Ga idea EER bie Ne Ses seke ge Roe LN Ge Ene tees 20dB to 20dB Compression Curve Types esesseeseeeeeeees Soft Knee or Hard Knee Compressor Metering 00 Above and Below Threshold Gain Reduction Gate Metern tiesa sche eke ie Gees Are ee seeks eie eek th Open and Closed Sidechain Output Impedance 0 ies see see Geek Ge ek Ge GR ke 51 Ohms Sidechain Input Impedance i iese ses ee see ee GR ek Ge ke ee 10kOhms Gate Input Impedance ikisine se ee Se Ge Ge ee oi 10kOhms Internal Operating Level iese see se ese ee sk Ge ee ee SR Ge ee 4dBu 0dB Input Range ia cesses is Ee SR dee ses ee det 4dBu or 10dBV Switchable Input Connectors ee 1 4 Tip Sleeve Unbalanced or XLR Balanced Output Connectors oe 1 4 Tip Sleeve Unbalanced or XLR Balanced Sidechain Connector e esse seek Ge ke ee ee Ge ee 1 4 Tip Ring Sleeve Gate Key Connector oe eee se se ee ee Ge ee 1 4 Tip Ring Sleeve Power SUPPLY ceeds hase BERE Oe sek Ee se Seen Meme ESE EER Internal Linear Supply Power Requirements sesse sesse 100VAC to 120VAC or 200VAC to 240VAC WEI esc RE EN ER ies 7 lbs A S RR a AO N EE OE N 1U Rack Appendix A Word About Comp
6. pair Channel one becomes the master and all functions on channel two are inoperative To avoid confusion it might be useful to tum the compression ratio to 1 1 on channel one with the link button pushed in the right channel This Basic Setup amp Applications will eliminate all gain reduction and effectively turn off the gain reduction meters The gain reduction is of course being derived from the master channel Technical 4 1 Specifications Nuinibef of Channels ie EE eed sesde RE Res Se een hatte 2 Dynamic RAH genn EE OR EN cs resisite gt 115dB Signal to Noise Ratio ees se se se ee Ge Ge ee GR Ge ee Re ee Re GR ee ee ee gt 95dB Headroom ee ees see eene ee ee 24dBu Unbalanced 22dBu Balanced Frequency Response iese sesse ee ee ee Ge ee Ge 10Hz to SOkHz Ciosstalk eenen ER EE EE EE coms gt 82db 10kHz Compression Threshold Range ees ese see ee see 40dBu to 20dBu Compression Ratio s iodori se se se see Ge Ge se ee GR GR Ge ee Gee GR Gee 1 1 to 20 1 Compressor Attack Time iese se see see se ee Ge Ge ee ee 0 1 ms to 200ms Compressor Release Time esse see see se ee se ee ee ed 0 05sec to 3sec Auto Attack and Release ee ee see see ee ee ee Program Dependent Gate Attack Rati ge iss es basies GE oh loins Bisa ed ds 10uS to 100mS Gate Threshold Range esse se see se ee ee Off 65dBu to 20dBu Gate Release Tie Eis se ee Bch bios Relea ine eS 0 02sec to 2sec Gate Attenuation Range
7. vary to suit your taste might be adjusting the ratio and threshold for more less dynamic range Push the Soft button in and check out the Soft Knee compression curve Take the compressor out of Auto mode and adjust the Attack and Release times to taste Get a new vocalist just kidding Patching Using a Patch Bay When using a patch bay to extend the ACP 22 s patch panel for easier access the following should be considered 1 Lowest noise is achieved when using balanced patch bays 2 The input and output jacks should not be normalled the send routed back to the return 3 The sidechain jacks must be normalled Compressing and gating drums or percussion instruments Limiting the dynamic range of a drum kit may or may not be something you want to do to your drum tracks but there are some other cool things the ACP 22 can do to make your drums really happening If you think about how a snare drum sounds it has a beginning loud sound followed by a usually short decay Patch a channel of your ACP 22 for compressing the snare drum as described above and we can explore some dramatic changes that good compression has on the snare For a simple setup make sure that the Soft button is out Auto button is out Ratio is set to 4 1 on the legend Attack is fully counterclockwise Release is straight up at 12 00 o clock Gate threshold is fully counter clockwise Link button is out and Bypass button is out Adjust the threshold until you s
8. ACP 22 Two Channel Stereo Compressor Limiter Gate User s Manual VERSION 1 1 Audio Electronics PreSonus Limited Warranty PreSonus Audio Electronics Inc warrants this product to be free of defects in material and workmanship for a period of one year from the date of original retail purchase This warranty is enforceable only by the original retail purchaser To be protected by this warranty the purchaser must complete and return the enclosed warranty card within 14 days of purchase During the warranty period PreSonus shall at its sole and absolute option either repair or replace free of charge any product that proves to be defective on inspection by PreSonus or its authorized service representative To obtain warranty service the purchaser must first call or write PreSonus at the address and telephone number printed below to obtain a Return Authorization Number and instructions of where to return the unit for service All inquiries must be accompanied by a description of the problem All authorized returns must be sent to the PreSonus repair facility postage prepaid insured and properly package Proof of purchase must be presented in the form of a bill of sale canceled check or some other positive proof that the product is in within the warranty period PreSonus reserves the right to update any unit returned for repair PreSonus reserves the right to change or improve design of the product at any time without prior notice This warranty
9. CP 22 into the same channel as the microphone on your mixer If your mixer has an insert point insert the compressor there If you don t have an insert point you will have to place the compressor after your mixer s bus output or whichever output you re using by coming out of your mixer to the input of the ACP 22 then out of the ACP 22 to the input of your recorder If you re using a stand alone mic preamp patch the ACP 22 after the preamp and then to the recorder Turn the threshold of the channel s compressor you re using completely counter clockwise If you ve gotten the cables right you should see the LED s above the threshold knob of the channel you re using flashing when you talk into the microphone Make sure that the channel on the ACP22 has the following setup Link button is out Bypass is out Auto is in Soft is out Gate Threshold knob is fully counter clock wise Compressor Ratio knob is set to 1 1 fully counter clockwise To set the compressor turn the ratio to the 2 1 mark on the legend With the vocalist yodeling into the mic turn the compressor s threshold until the gain reduction meters read about 7dB Now you will probably need to boost the compressors output by turning the Gain knob clockwise so that Basic Setup amp Applications your mixer or multi tracks meters read 0dB in the case of some digital recorders this is 14dB This would be a basic very simple but useable setting for recording a vocal Things to
10. alanced XLR connectors The input can handle up to 24dBu unbalanced or up to 18dBu balanced signal levels Output The output jacks accept balanced XLR or unbalanced tip sleeve connectors The output will deliver up to 24dBu in signal level balanced or unbalanced Unbalanced Connection TIP HIGH ac gt SLEEVE GND Compression and Gate Sidechain TIP RETURN a SLEEVE GND RING SEND XLR Balanced Input Output PIN 1 GROUND PIN 2 HI HOT PIN3 LOW COLD Cable Connection Diagrams Controls amp Connections 4 10 Switch This switch adjusts the internal operating level of your ACP 22 when it is connected to line level OdB 10dBV gear With the switch in the 10 position the signal is raised internally so that it is processed at the lower noise floor of your ACP 22 s internal circuitry The signal level is lowered on the way out to match up with your line level gear s input When the switch is in the 4 position the signal is not changed since this matches the internal operating level of your ACP 22 This function may also be useful in creating special effects with the compressor and gate of the channel by overcompressing or gating Compression and Gating Sidechain The sidechain jack on each channel interrupts the signal that the compressor and or gate is using to detect the audio signal for processing When no connector is inserted into this jack the input signal goes direct
11. cy instruments This means that when the filter is active the gate will only open for those instruments with lower frequencies The filter is set for 6dB at 2 5kHz The filter rolls off the high Controls amp Connections frequencies at 12dB per octave This feature is extremely useful when gating drums where it would be great to stop the cymbals from opening up the tom tom gates etc 2 4 Gain Gain When compressing a signal gain reduction usually results in an overall reduction of level The gain control allows you to restore the loss in level due to compression Like readjusting the volume 2 5 Bypass amp Link Bypass Activating the bypass effectively removes all processing being performed by your ACP 22 and returns the signal to unity gain You should use bypass often when setting up your ACP 22 to compare the before and after results of the signal processing effecting your audio signal Bypass affects both the gate and the compressor When in Bypass the Link function is interrupted and defeats the stereo link Link When the Link button is pushed in channel One becomes the master controller of both channels Channel Two s controls become disabled and metering becomes summed left and right i e stereo mode IMPORTANT When the two channels are linked link button pushed in all of channel Two s controls are inactive Controls amp Connections Input The input jacks are unbalanced tip sleeve connectors or b
12. ee about 1 dB on the gain reduction meters At this point the snare s volume is simply lowered by 1 dB Now slowly raise the Attack time by turning the attack knob clockwise You should notice that the beginning transient of you snare sound is starting to jump out Basic Setup amp Applications of the speakers and slap you in the face This is more accentuated when using digital reverberation on the snare Now you can adjust the Gate on the snare to stop those other drums from bleeding through the snare mic Turn the gate release knob to about the middle position turn the gate attack knob to fully counter clockwise set the gate range to 60dB adjust the gate threshold slowly clockwise until you begin to hear those other drums disappearing Too high of a threshold setting might disrupt the snares natural sound too low will let those other drums open the gate You need to adjust the gate s threshold and release to suit your drumming taste This simple application applies to any percussive instrument of course Experiment Limiting Limiting is defined as compressing with a ratio of infinity to one Sort of like an imaginary ceiling for the level of a signal On your ACP 22 limiting occurs when the ratio knob is fully clockwise At this point the threshold knob essentially becomes the ceiling knob for the channel You will most likely want an instantaneous attack time while limiting To achieve this Make sure the auto bu
13. essing or automatically ducking tracks behind a narrator for auto mixing a service broadcast or performance When both channels are linked together the send of the sidechain jack of the master channel contains a mix of both the channels in the link a cool feature that allows for control over both channels of processing with one sidechain send return See the section on sidechaining for application notes Separate Gate Keying Jacks for Each Channel Your ACP 22 also includes a separate jack on each channel for gate keying This is useful for synching an external sound to a snare track for example or putting equalizers or filters before the gate key to enable gating only the lower frequency of a kick drum etc Balanced XLR and Unbalanced 1 4 Tip Sleeve Inputs and Outputs Your ACP 22 accepts XLR connectors for balanced or 1 4 TS for unbalanced inputs and outputs 4dBu or 10dBV The internal operating level of your ACP 22 can be switched between 4dBu pro levels to 10dBV line levels for ease of use in any situation Overview To Get Help Call Us 1 800 750 0323 9AM to 5PM CST Visit our World Wide Web site http www presonus com Email Us presonus presonus com Controls amp Connections 2 1 Front Panel Basic Layout RANSE AUEN INPUT COMPRESSOR 1 Notice that the front panel is divided into two identical sections These are the two signal processing channels of the ACP 22 Each channel con
14. gainst defects in material and workmanship The specific period of this limited warranty shall be that which is described to the original retail purchaser by the authorized PreSonus dealer or distributor at the time of purchase PreSonus does not however warrant its products against any and all defects 1 arising Out of materials or workmanship not provided or furnished by PreSonus or 2 resulting from abnormal use of the product or use in violation of instructions or 3 in products repaired or serviced by other than authorized PreSonus repair facilities or 4 in products with removed or defaced serial numbers or 5 in components or parts or products expressly warranted by another manufacturer PreSonus agrees through the applicable authorized distributor to repair or replace defects covered by this limited warranty with parts or products of original or improved design at its option in each respect if the defective product is shipped prior to the end of the warranty period to the designated authorized PreSonus warranty repair facility in the country where purchased or to the PreSonus factory in the U S in the original packaging or a replacement supplied by PreSonus with all transportation cost and full insurance paid each way by the purchaser or owner All remedies and the measure of damages are limited to the above services It is possible that economic loss or injury to person or property may result from the failure of the product However even if
15. ical 4 1 Specifications Appendix A word about compression TOC Intentionally Blank Overview 11 Introduction Thank you for purchasing the PreSonus ACP 22 dual channel stereo dynamics processor with full featured gates This processor was designed using state of the art components to deliver crystal clear compression and noise gating for an infinite period of time We believe that it is an exceptional sounding unit as well as an exceptional value Feel free to contact us at 1 800 750 0323 anytime for any reason whatsoever We value your suggestions and your comments Please pay close attention to how you connect your ACP 22 to your system Improper grounding is the most common cause of noise problems found in studio or live sound systems We urge you to at least scan this manual before hooking up your ACP 22 to become familiar with its features and various applications Good luck and enjoy your ACP 22 1 2 Features The following is a summary of your ACP 22 s features Full Featured Compressors Limiters Both channels of your ACP 22 contains an audio compressor that can also be setup as a limiter by varying the ratio of compression You have broad control over threshold ratio attack and release for each processor You can select between auto or manual attack and release curves and hard or soft knee compression types refer to the application section of this manual for a quick tutorial on compression and limiting The compre
16. ly to the compressors control circuitry normaled When a connector is inserted into this jack the signal path is broken If you have inserted a tip ring sleeve connector the input signal is sent back out of the ACP 22 via the ring of the connector This signal can then be processed by an equalizer for example to reduce sibilance de essing in a vocal track The signal is then returned to the unit via the tip of the connector The signal sent to the tip could also be that of a narrator or vocalist In this application the audio that you are passing through the compressor will automatically duck when the narrator speaks or vocalist sings Controls amp Connections 2 7Power Power Connection The power jack on your ACP 22 accepts a standard IEC cord like those found on most computers and professional recording equipment Your ACP 22 contains a custom built in power supply no wall wart We can t stand them either This way you can be assured of clean power combined with rugged construction that has been designed to last Power Selection Before powering on your ACP 22 for the first time be sure to check the position of the power selector Make certain that the power voltage level selected matches that of your country s outlet Power Switch I ON 0 OFF hmmm Controls amp Connections Notes Basic Setup amp Applications 3 1 Some Basic Patching Inserting into your mixers insert points unbalanced T
17. nee compression curves are used otherwise hard knee compression curves are used With hard knee compression the gain reduction applied to the signal occurs as soon as the signal exceeds the level set by the threshold With soft knee compression the onset of gain reduction occurs gradually after the signal has exceeded the threshold producing a more musical response to some folks Auto When pushed in the auto button places the compressor in automatic attack and release mode The attack and release knobs become inoperative and a pre programmed attack and release curve is used 2 3 Gate Controls Threshold The gate threshold sets the level at which the gate opens as indicated by the OPEN LED above the threshold knob All signals above the threshold setting are passed through unaffected whereas signals below the threshold setting are reduced in level by the amount set by the range control The Controls amp Connections CLOSE LED above the threshold knob indicates when the gate is closed the signal level is below the threshold If the threshold is set fully counter clockwise the gate is turned off always open allowing all signals to pass through unaffected Attack The gate attack time setting determines the rate at which the gate opens Faster attack times are normally useful for gating percussive instruments such as drums etc Slowing the attack time will eliminate any pops are clicks in the gate when gating vocals
18. o Mixing Board Insert Point Send From Mixer Return To Mixer From Mixer Balanced Output To Power Amplifier Tape Input etc Balanced Input Basic Setup amp Applications Between multi track recorder inputs outputs to mixer outputs inputs unbalanced From Multi Track Mixer Output To Mixer Multi Track Input _ Sidechain insertion of an equalizer for de essing specific frequency gating applications Compresso ar Gate Ta Mixer insert Poirt Ta Equalizer Input Ring From Fqualizer Output Tip Basic Setup amp Applications 3 2 Basic Applications Example setup compressing a voice or vocal track Probably the most common use of a compressor is to limit the dynamic range of a vocalist during a live performance or a recording It is almost always necessary to compress a vocal take during a recording session Most vocalists have a very wide dynamic range and if the vocalist does not have studio experience the dynamic range of the vocal performance can be enhanced by the microphone techniques demonstrated during a session This wide variation in level makes it difficult to properly record a vocal take especially in digital multi track recorders which have definite limitations in headroom Compressing a vocal also makes it easier to place the vocal track in a mix so that it remains in your face throughout the track To set up for a vocal take insert a channel of your A
19. ow severely the compressor reduces the signal is determined by the compression ratio and compression threshold A ratio of 2 1 or less is considered mild compression reducing the output by two for signals greater than the compression threshold Ratios above 10 1 are considered hard limiting Limiting refers to the point at which the signal is restrained from going any louder at the output The level of input signal at which the output is reduced is determined by the compression threshold As the compression threshold is lowered more and more of the input signal is compressed assuming a nominal input signal level Care must be taken not to over compress a signal Too much Appendix compression destroys the acoustical dynamic response of a performance Over compression however is used by some engineers as an effect and with killer results Compressor limiters are commonly used for many audio applications A kick drum can get lost in a wall of electric guitars No matter how much level is increased the kick drum stays lost in the mud Add a touch of compression and tighten up that kick drum sound allowing it to punch through without having to crank the level way up A vocal performance usually has a wide dynamic range Transients the very loudest portion of the signal can be far outside the average level of the vocal signal It is extremely difficult to ride the level with a console fader A compressor limiter automatically con
20. ression Punch apparent loudness presence just three of many terms used to describe the effects of compression limiting Compression and limiting are forms of dynamic range volume control Audio signals have very wide peak to average signal level ratios sometimes referred to as dynamic range which is the difference between the loudest level and the softest level The peak signal can cause overload in the audio recording or reproduction chain resulting in signal distortion A compressor limiter is a type of amplifier in which gain is dependent on the signal level passing through it You can set the maximum level a compressor limiter allows to pass through thereby causing automatic gain reduction above some predetermined signal level or threshold Compression refers basically to the ability to reduce the output level of an audio signal by a fixed ratio relative to the input It is useful for lowering the dynamic range of an instrument or vocal making it easier to record without distorting the recorder It also assists in the mixing process by reducing the amount of level changes needed for a particular instrument Take for example a vocalist who moves around in front of the microphone while performing thus making the output level vary up and down unnaturally A compressor can be applied to the signal to help correct this recording problem by reducing the louder passages enough to be compatible with the overall performance H
21. ssor will prove to be very useful in many situations such as recording instruments or vocals that vary in loudness or setting it up as a soft limiting device before your digital recorder to prevent distorting your digital recorder s inputs The stereo mode of operation is ideal for use on the master output of your console whether you are mixing down or for live sound reinforcement Two Dynamic Noise Gates Both channels of your ACP 22 have a separate dynamic noise gate that can be used to gate a drum clean up a noisy tape machine isolate an instrument or separate a vocal from background noises Each noise gate provides control over attack threshold release and gate Overview close range The gate close range is useful for creating a more natural acoustic sounding blend or mix Stereo Channel Linking Using the Link function you can link together both channels of the ACP 22 for stereo operation When linked both processors follow the setting of channel one which becomes the master Separate Bypass and Gain for Both Channels Both channels have a separate bypass for listening to before and after performance tests and a gain control to make up for any level lost from compression Compressor Sidechain Jack on Each Channel Both channels of your ACP 22 were designed with a special jack for spectral processing compression keying and ducking applications Sidechaining is useful for removing annoying sibilance from vocal tacks de
22. tains Compressor Limiter Noise Gate Gain output control Link amp Bypass Control 2 2 Compressor Controls INPUTIOUTPUT da SOFT Me ME AI SO EIE N A eN A RARO WEE WEET ENE WEET COMPRESSOR 1 Wa Threshold The Compressor threshold sets the level at which the onset of compression begins When the signal is above the threshold setting it becomes eligible for compression Turning the threshold knob counter clockwise causes more of the input signal to become compressed if you have a ratio setting of greater than 1 1 Controls amp Connections Ratio Ratio sets the compression slope This can be defined as the output level versus the input level For example if you have the ratio set to 2 1 any signal levels above the threshold setting will be compressed at a compression ratio of 2 1 This means that for every IdB of level increase into the compressor the output will only increase 1 2dB thus producing a compression gain reduction of 0 5dB As you increase the ratio the compressor gradually becomes a limiter A limiter is defined as a processor that limits the level of a signal to the setting of the threshold For example if you have the threshold knob set at 0dB and the ratio turned fully clockwise the compressor becomes a limiter at 0dB This means that the signal will be limited to an output of OdB regardless of the level of the input signal Attack Attack sets the speed at which
23. the compressor acts on the input signal A slow attack time fully clockwise allows the beginning envelope of a signal commonly referred to as the initial transient to pass through the compressor uncompressed whereas a fast attack time fully counter clockwise subjects the signal to the ratio and threshold settings of the compressor instantaneously N Attack control is only active when the Auto button is not pushed in When the auto button is pushed in the compressor automatically determines the appropriate attack time for compression Release Release sets the length of time the compressor takes to return the gain reduction back to zero no gain reduction Very short release times can produce a very choppy or jittery sound especially in low frequency instruments such as a bass guitar Very long release times can result in an over compressed sound sometimes referred to as squashing the sound All ranges of release can be useful at different times You should experiment to become familiar with the different sound possibilities Refer to the applications section of this manual for some ideas Controls amp Connections ns Release control is only active when the Auto button is not pushed in When the auto button is pushed in the compressor automatically determines the appropriate release time for compression Soft The Soft button selects from soft knee and hard knee compression curves When this button is pushed in soft k
24. trols gain without altering the subtleties of the performance A solo guitar can seem to be masked by the rhythm guitars Compression can make your lead soar above the track without shoving the fader through the roof Bass guitar can be difficult to record A consistent level with good attack can be achieved with proper Compression Your bass doesn t have to be washed out in the low end of the mix Let the compressor limiter give your bass the punch it needs to drive the bottom of the track
25. tton is out Turn the attack time knob fully counter clockwise and set the compressor s release time for the most naturally acoustic sound Warning Improper settings of the release time have been known to cause pumping breathing and coughing in limiters Consult your ears when fine tuning Compressing bass guitar Very similar to compressing vocals the bass guitar is almost always compressed or limited during recording Start with the setting described above for vocals Vary the compression ratio attack and release to suite your taste Compressing acoustic guitar It is sometimes easy to over compress an acoustic guitar because your first impression is that compression sounds awesome on acoustic instruments If you re adding the acoustic instrument to a mix that includes Basic Setup amp Applications lots of other instruments such as distorted guitar compressing the life out of your guitar will help you later in the mix If the guitar is recorded as a solo instrument or part of an acoustic ensemble you should experiment with less compression because you don t want to severely limit the natural acoustic dynamic range of a good sounding guitar Start by using the setup described in the vocal section De essing using an inserted equalizer into the sidechain A common annoyance when placing a vocal track in a mix is that as you boost the higher frequencies of the track to breath life into the vocal all of the SSS s of the
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