Dynamic Processor Question

nyquility

Hi Everyone!

Maybe eyagos or someone else who knows their stuff can help me. Recently I've started experimenting with compression/limiting/expanding and even though I "get" the basics of compression (thresholds, attack, release, ratio) the controls on the dynamic processor 4.0 still throw up a couple of dilemmas:

What exactly is the difference between the Level Attack Release and the Gain Attack Release and from someones experience how do the two affect each other/the compression.

Also does anyone have any experience with using compression on a complete mix, what kind of settings and curves are you using. I know that what settings to use really is a very personal thing, depending on what effect you want to achieve and the equipment you use but maybe someone has some starting pointers.

I've searched the web and found some pretty useful stuff but I thought maybe the people here have an opinion.

eyagos

Hi nyquilty.

Level attack-release times are times applyed to level detector. Gain attack-release times are times applyed to gain processor. Why two times? Well, I maked the plugin trying to imitate the CoolEdit Dinamics processor, and it also has two times. But many of the compressors I have seen does not has the times for level detector (may be that they are fixed inside the code). In principle, you should only play with the gain times, and forget level times.

On the other hand, i'm not very sure that the times values are very exact. I'm now making a new compressor, and I'll try to solve this. Meanwhile, use your hears to set up the times, and take the labeled times only as an estimation.


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nyquility

Hi eyagos
first off, thanks for the quick answer and thanks for the dynamic processor, its a really powerful beast, with some unexpected results (both good and bad). At the moment I am using it in a multiband setup similar to the one you posted in the preset exchange.

I am getting the best results for my ears when I actually *cough* dont follow your advice, have very fast gain attack and release set and vary on the level release and attack. Which means I am glad you went with that option and didn't fix those values like the other compressors you mentioned do.

Looking forward to seeing the next version, if its anything as powerful as version 4 it will make my (and probably many other peoples) day.

ROBSCIX

Actually, I just remembered I downloaded that version, I just installed it..thats very nice man...Nice work indeed eyagos.