Finally figured out why my compressor isn't a limiter
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Posted on Jul 24, 2003 12:38 pm
Jamie Garrett
Contributor Since: Sep 09, 2002
I just realized my compressor isn't a limiter. When I bought my dbx 266XL I assumed all compressors could be driven to infinite ratio to act as limiters. For months I've been fooling with the settings trying to figure out why some transients still slip thru even when I've got the attack set to Fast. I just assumed I'd been using it wrong.
Well I just saw on the dbx website that my 266XL www.dbxpro.com/266XL.htm is a "compressor/gate" while the much more expensive 166XL www.dbxpro.com/166XL.htm "compressor/limiter/gate" has an extra knob for limiting. Now I think I understand why I've still got some signal slipping thru past my threshold even with the fastest attack and highest ratio.
I'm just curious, am I missing anything? Is there still any way I can hard limit with the 266?
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Jul 24, 2003 12:42 pm Yup, turn the ratio all the way up and you have a pretty concrete ceiling.
I generally only use limiting on live drum recording or while mixing on the PC...other than that I usually use softknee compression, though the ratio might be quite high at times...
MinkusMazBane of All ExistenceMember
Since: Mar 27, 2003
Jul 24, 2003 12:42 pm i use a carl martin compressor/limiter, and it tells you in the instruction book to turn the attack/release knob all the way to the fastest point. i think that's key.
Jul 24, 2003 12:55 pm no dB, I think you misunderstood me. It *doesn't* limit. Not absolutely anyways. Some stuff still slips thru. Maybe I'll just mess with it some more ..
Jul 24, 2003 01:02 pm I didn't say it would limit, did you see anywhere I said it would limit? no, I said you are hardening the ceiling, as much as you can with a compressor. :-P
I have the 266 and a high ratio does as well as you can do without the real limiter...
Jul 24, 2003 01:11 pm Well, I should be getting a nice chunk of dough here in a few weeks and I plan to buy myself a little belated birthday present. I'm thinking maybe some kinda of rackmount multi effects unit, you know, one of those goofy looking things with the LCD read out with a little bit of built-in everything? Maybe I could find something with a decent sounding reverb, delay, etc, that also has a nice limiter. :O)
Any suggestions?
MinkusMazBane of All ExistenceMember
Since: Mar 27, 2003
Jul 24, 2003 02:12 pm i think the rule is that the more things your box does, the worse it does each of them.
Jul 24, 2003 02:15 pm kinda depends with one you have...
Jul 24, 2003 02:18 pm actually, maybe it's a preamp i want instead. check this one out, phantom power, builtin comp, lowend rolloff, deesser, HF+LF exciter, plus the effects section can be used stand-alone with line level signal, and it's only $200. www.dbxpro.com/286A.htm
juesContributor
Since: Dec 30, 2002
Jul 24, 2003 09:09 pm If you want a good limiter, then I would personally reccomend the Waves L1 Ultramaximiser (or the L2, if your funds strech to it) - there is simply nothing better.
Oh and don't forget the "overeasy" mode on the 266XL, if you give it some overhead to play with (by turning the threshold down) then it acts as a pretty good limiter.
jues.
Jul 25, 2003 04:41 am Thanks for the tips jues. I'm looking for a way to limit a signal before it reaches my minidisc because my minidisc has a builtin compressor that ruins any signal that happens to hit zero at the ADCs. It applies this terrible gradual gain reduction to anythin hitting zero and tends to ruin any particualrly hot material going in. This is what I'm trying to avoid so software won't help me out there. But..
I'll have to mess with that "over easy" function. It causes the comp to gradually kick in as the signal approaches the threshold, so i think you may be on to something there ;O) I'll give it a try. Tahnks -j
GeoffSM7b the Chuck Noris of Mic'sContributor
Since: Jun 20, 2002
Jul 25, 2003 06:02 am jamie I here Lexcon has some good effects prossesors . I also like my Digitech Studio 001 , it does the job .
Jul 25, 2003 01:58 pm Waves has hardware AND software version of a few of their products.
flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Jul 26, 2003 12:32 pm [ quote] minidisc has a builtin compressor that ruins any signal that happens to hit zero at the ADCs. It applies this terrible gradual gain reduction to anythin hitting zero and tends to ruin any particualrly hot material going in. [/quote]
is that like what mine does...as a track fades out it cranks up and makes diestored noises because the volume's dropping?
if so, whats up with the line in? that does it for me...
Jul 26, 2003 01:01 pm i'm not sure about what yours is doing, mines never done that. What mine does is most obvious when i play it back out to my computer and record it, then open it up in WaveLab and look at the graphic waveform there. Big waveforms that hit zero get a terrible linear fade applied to them for a split second. That just ruins the natural waveform and I'm sure it's taking something away from my samples. You can clearly see when the amplitude goes up, then gets reduced and then is allowed to come back up again.
Tell me what exactly yours is doing. And what model is it again?
flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Jul 26, 2003 01:12 pm mines a mz-r70...when the volume level on whatevers being recorded drops, it automatically ups the volume until it distorts. only happens when im using the mic input...not the line in, that works fine.
Jul 26, 2003 01:18 pm wierd.... i've never heard of anything like that. I'm not at all famililar with any of the new Sonys, but I bet there's some message boards out there somewhere, maybe on minidisco or something, I'm sure someone out there has that problem. Maybe your is defective. Is there some guarantee/warrenty or it?
flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Jul 26, 2003 01:22 pm nah, its years old man...its no problem really though - the line in is fine, so its cool!
Jul 26, 2003 01:42 pm right, just take your mixer and a microphone with you when you go collecting sounds. But really though, it sounds like something's wrong with it
flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Jul 27, 2003 09:50 am the little battery cover bit falls off all the time - thats bound to get lost.
now THAT is annoying...
Jul 27, 2003 10:01 am duct tape, flame, duct tape.
flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Jul 27, 2003 10:08 am THE musicians friend, that stuff...
Jul 27, 2003 10:52 am take it back, you got the defective one of the bunch
flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Jul 27, 2003 11:00 am it was bought used...only cost me £20, so i cant complain too much!
Jul 27, 2003 11:09 am oh excellent! yeah, i got my best MD refurbished with a limited warrenty, and i only paid i think $50 or $60 for it in like new condition. although i have no idea what £20 is, it sounds cheap.
wait up, i thought your MD was a birthday gift?
flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Jul 27, 2003 12:15 pm yeah it was kinda, but i paid the guy £20 for it, if that makes sense.
he was gonna sell it through the paper, but lt me have it for that instead of the £100 he was asking - so pretty much a gift!
£20 is 4 packs of cigarettes roughly by the way...
