in laymen terms: compressor and limiter

XxSicRokerxX

Gabriel R.
Nov 25, 2010
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Orange County, CA
What is the art behind a compressor and a limiter what are their functions?

Define: Compressor (such as 1176 comp)
Define: Limiter
Define: Clip (such as Gclip)

I usually use multi band compressors and limiters programs in CUBASE i just use preset options and i play w the sound, but what is the actual role of each prog ?
 
Threshold - the level at which the compressor switches "on" and acts upon the signal

Attack - determines how quickly the compressor acts upon the signal once it surpasses the threshold - faster attack settings generally sound "smoother" with less transients and punch, and slower attacks generally sound punchier and more aggressive.

Release - determines how quickly the compressor lets go of the signal once it falls below the threshold

Ratio - determines the amount of input signal required for a 1dB increase in output

Think of a compressor as an automatic volume knob. When signal surpasses the threshold level, the compressor turns it down. If the signal doesn't surpass the threshold level, the compressor doesn't do anything. The ratio, attack, and release determine the speed and severity of how the compressor acts upon the audio.

A multi-band compressor is simply a set of multiple compressors, each of which works only on a specific range of frequencies (as opposed to one compressor working on the entire signal). This is nice if you want to apply different settings to the lows, mids and highs or just isolate a problem set of frequencies.

A limiter is simply a compressor with a high "ratio" setting, meaning that it will apply more compression/gain reduction than a lower ratio setting would with the same input level (meaning that if you send the same signal through a compressor with a 4:1 ratio and a limiter with a 20:1 ratio, the limiter will turn the volume down more than the compressor).

A clipper actually reshapes the waveform to eliminate its peaks in order to create headroom to make the signal louder.
 
Sorry for reviving this thread. But I'm having an issue with ReaXcomp. As you may know, there's a meter on the left and on the right (presumably for input and output :D ) and on one of my tracks, the input meter peaks at around +8. I'm wondering if this causes any clipping and how I can avoid it?! Any suggestions? Or doensn't it matter at all?
 
the input meter peaks at around +8. I'm wondering if this causes any clipping and how I can avoid it?!

You can avoid it by learning proper gain staging. Quickest way to do this is to turn your monitors so loud that when the levels are hitting like -6dB level it feels like your face is ripping off, so you won't mix so hot. Try to track so that the peaks are hitting mostly around -18dB and loudest at -12dB (except with DI-tracks at -6dB)
 
Well, to add this: I tried the ReaXcomp on a snare track, to which I send the signal from SD 2.0 - I always track very low and try to keep my mixes very "cold". So I assume I have to reduce the volume of the Send-Signal, I was just wondering since clipping on the "output"-meter seems no be no problem (at least I saw it quite frequently by other guys).
 
And, another question: The snare track peaks at around -1 dB. Usually I start mixing with the kick and the snare. How much headroom do you guys give each element at least do avoid such problems like I mentioned before with the ReaXcomp?
 
Did you decide just to ignore my post? I answered your question. Also check the second link in my sig

I thought you were referring to tracking, and calm down, dude, no reason to be harsh. Thanks anyway.