Question about channel linking in Voxengo Elephant
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- KVRer
- 20 posts since 19 Dec, 2020
I just bought Voxengo Elephant and I'm learning to use it. One thing I'm uncertain about is channel linking control which one tutorial described as the linking between the left and right channel, but here's what I don't understand. If it's set to zero, that implies de-linking left and right, but there's no separate controls on Elephant for left and right. What am I missing here?
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- KVRAF
- 4030 posts since 7 Sep, 2002
The behavior at ChLink=0 will be unlinked, but using same parameters for both channels. If you need separate Left/Right controls you may simply load the Dual Mono routing preset.
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 20 posts since 19 Dec, 2020
Thanks for the reply Aleksey, but I'm still puzzled, because it appears it doesn't matter if ChLink is set to zero or one hundred if the compressor is still using the same parameters for both channels. Perhaps understanding when one might change the value of ChLink might help. Can you please give me a real world example of when and why one might vary the ChLink setting?
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- KVRAF
- 6282 posts since 8 Jul, 2009
I typed out a whole TL;TD diatribe. Basically its a control that adjust the per-channel compression from being channel specific to sharing channel compression across all channels. If you search for "compressor channel linking" you'll find a lot of info on it. It's an interesting parameter because it allows for another dimension of subjective control. But it can also introduce artifacts. It's use can be contriversial. Best to do some research. In the end just try it by ear and settle what sounds best. But the inner-workings of channel linking are well documented on the internet just waiting for your google-fu.
Short version:
In some cases one channel in a stereo signal may trigger compression when the other channel doesn't. the questions becomes what to do? compress the channel that exceeds the threshold and not affect the other channel? or, compress both channels the same amount? Or something in between. This is what the channel linking parameter does. One typical use of it is to mitigate strange stereo image fluctuations by applying some channel specific compression to the other channels.
Short version:
In some cases one channel in a stereo signal may trigger compression when the other channel doesn't. the questions becomes what to do? compress the channel that exceeds the threshold and not affect the other channel? or, compress both channels the same amount? Or something in between. This is what the channel linking parameter does. One typical use of it is to mitigate strange stereo image fluctuations by applying some channel specific compression to the other channels.
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- KVRAF
- 1637 posts since 28 Jul, 2006
If one channel is compressed while the other isn't, it affect stereo image because one channel is "turned down" while the other stays at regular volume. This is one method of doing panning on a stereo track--changing the level of one channel relative to the other channel. Sometimes you don't want this stereo shift (I personally don't care and think 100% linked stereo compression usually sounds bad)
If the channels are linked, one channel just follows the gain reduction of the other channel. So *effectively* the channels don't have the same settings, because the channel that's "following" the gain reduction of the other channel would not normally have it's gain reduced in such a way if it were processed solo at the current settings on the interface.
But when channel linking is 100%, it doesn't really make sense to think of the channel that's following in terms of settings on the device's interface. It's setting is really just "follow the other channel".
Hopefully, if I haven't done a poor job of explaining (which ive been known to do), the logic follows for how 0% stereo linking, and intermediate percentages work.
If the channels are linked, one channel just follows the gain reduction of the other channel. So *effectively* the channels don't have the same settings, because the channel that's "following" the gain reduction of the other channel would not normally have it's gain reduced in such a way if it were processed solo at the current settings on the interface.
But when channel linking is 100%, it doesn't really make sense to think of the channel that's following in terms of settings on the device's interface. It's setting is really just "follow the other channel".
Hopefully, if I haven't done a poor job of explaining (which ive been known to do), the logic follows for how 0% stereo linking, and intermediate percentages work.