I ask here because there doesn't appear to be all that much movement on the IK forum, and I'm sure somebody here knows the answer.
So technically, what does that control do?
IK Classic Compressor, what does the stereo enhancement do?
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- KVRAF
- 1612 posts since 18 Feb, 2011 from Salt Lake City, Utah
I saw your thread on the IK forums. PM me your email address and I'll email you the T-Racks manual if you can't find it. From the T-Racks Manual on the Classic Compressor:
The T-RackS classic tube compressor (figure 4.7) emulates that classic, analog, hi-end vintage gear used in mastering applications. This will give you that big, warm sound typical of highly acclaimed hardware devices. Thiscompressor has some unique features that make it very flexible but always
very musical and creative.
Controls:
• SIDECHAIN HPF: thiscontrol adds a high passfilter to the detectorstage
of the compressor. The detectorstage is where the compressor analyzes
the incoming signal and determine howgain reductionmust be applied.
This variable high pass filter prevents, when turned up, that compression pumping effect mainly caused by the material's low end content.
The higher this knob the softer and more inaudible the compression
character will be. At the minimum or at very low settings the compression will be much more aggressive and noticeable. Use lower settings
when you want to "hear" the compression effect and use higher values
for a gentle compression, as you may want in acoustic mixes.
• ATTACK TIME: adjust this control to change the speed of compression in the attack phase. With higher values, transients will pass
unaltered through the compressor. With lower values the gain reduction will respond quicker and transients will be more affected. Value
range is from 15 ms to 80 ms. While adjusting, check the release time
value above the knob to see the attack time value you're setting.
• RATIO: use thiscontrol to define the strength of the compression. Lower
values give a gentler and less noticeable compression effect, more
suitable for 2-tracks mixes and acoustic sounds. Higher values give
a more effective compression effect with, at times, all the side-effects
you might expect from a over-compression process. These effects are
sometimes desirable, that's why T-RackS's compressor ratio control
sweeps up to a value of 5. If you are not sure which ratio control value
is suitable for your needs, start setting this control at 2 - 3.
• RELEASE TIME: adjust this control to change the speed of compression in the release phase. Using higher values, the recovery time will
be longer and the compression will be less noticeable. Using lower
values, the recovery time will be shorter and the average loudness
will be higher. Value range is from 70 ms to 1.5 s.
• INPUT DRIVE: this knob controls the amount of signal that drives the
compressor's input. This is no threshold point leveller so the amount
of compression is determined by the strength of input signal. Range
is from -18 dB to +18 dB.
• STEREO ENHANCEMENT: this control will affect the stereo imaging
of your mix. Turning it up you will increase the stereo width and vice
versa. While adjusting this knob check the value you're setting (in
dB). Value range is from -5 to +5 dB, where 0 dB has no effect.
• GAIN REDUCTION VU: this analog VU shows the amount of Gain
reduction in dB. When compression does not occur, the VU shows 0
dB. When compression is affecting the signal the VU indicates the
level of compression in dB.
• OUTPUT: this knob controls the compressor output level.
• BYPASS: this switch allows you to bypass the Compressor module. When the LED is lit, the Compressor is ON. To turn OFF the
Compressor module, click the switch so that the LED is OFF.
• RESET: brings the compressor back to its default state. Clicking on
this button again will bring your settings back, in case you hit reset
by mistake
The T-RackS classic tube compressor (figure 4.7) emulates that classic, analog, hi-end vintage gear used in mastering applications. This will give you that big, warm sound typical of highly acclaimed hardware devices. Thiscompressor has some unique features that make it very flexible but always
very musical and creative.
Controls:
• SIDECHAIN HPF: thiscontrol adds a high passfilter to the detectorstage
of the compressor. The detectorstage is where the compressor analyzes
the incoming signal and determine howgain reductionmust be applied.
This variable high pass filter prevents, when turned up, that compression pumping effect mainly caused by the material's low end content.
The higher this knob the softer and more inaudible the compression
character will be. At the minimum or at very low settings the compression will be much more aggressive and noticeable. Use lower settings
when you want to "hear" the compression effect and use higher values
for a gentle compression, as you may want in acoustic mixes.
• ATTACK TIME: adjust this control to change the speed of compression in the attack phase. With higher values, transients will pass
unaltered through the compressor. With lower values the gain reduction will respond quicker and transients will be more affected. Value
range is from 15 ms to 80 ms. While adjusting, check the release time
value above the knob to see the attack time value you're setting.
• RATIO: use thiscontrol to define the strength of the compression. Lower
values give a gentler and less noticeable compression effect, more
suitable for 2-tracks mixes and acoustic sounds. Higher values give
a more effective compression effect with, at times, all the side-effects
you might expect from a over-compression process. These effects are
sometimes desirable, that's why T-RackS's compressor ratio control
sweeps up to a value of 5. If you are not sure which ratio control value
is suitable for your needs, start setting this control at 2 - 3.
• RELEASE TIME: adjust this control to change the speed of compression in the release phase. Using higher values, the recovery time will
be longer and the compression will be less noticeable. Using lower
values, the recovery time will be shorter and the average loudness
will be higher. Value range is from 70 ms to 1.5 s.
• INPUT DRIVE: this knob controls the amount of signal that drives the
compressor's input. This is no threshold point leveller so the amount
of compression is determined by the strength of input signal. Range
is from -18 dB to +18 dB.
• STEREO ENHANCEMENT: this control will affect the stereo imaging
of your mix. Turning it up you will increase the stereo width and vice
versa. While adjusting this knob check the value you're setting (in
dB). Value range is from -5 to +5 dB, where 0 dB has no effect.
• GAIN REDUCTION VU: this analog VU shows the amount of Gain
reduction in dB. When compression does not occur, the VU shows 0
dB. When compression is affecting the signal the VU indicates the
level of compression in dB.
• OUTPUT: this knob controls the compressor output level.
• BYPASS: this switch allows you to bypass the Compressor module. When the LED is lit, the Compressor is ON. To turn OFF the
Compressor module, click the switch so that the LED is OFF.
• RESET: brings the compressor back to its default state. Clicking on
this button again will bring your settings back, in case you hit reset
by mistake
-
- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 1894 posts since 19 Apr, 2006 from Montreal, Canada
Thank you, but I'm still not clear on what increasing stereo width of a signal that is already stereo imply or means.
I understand that when I'm mixing, if I use more extreme pan value for different instruments, the result will appear wider by the simple fact that each instrument composing the mix sounds further away from center.
But I understand a stereo signal to be two mono signal each going to a different channel...
Mind you I can just choose to either use the feature or not without knowing how it works, and I do because it does sound pleasing on some material, but I am curious nonetheless.
I understand that when I'm mixing, if I use more extreme pan value for different instruments, the result will appear wider by the simple fact that each instrument composing the mix sounds further away from center.
But I understand a stereo signal to be two mono signal each going to a different channel...
Mind you I can just choose to either use the feature or not without knowing how it works, and I do because it does sound pleasing on some material, but I am curious nonetheless.
Last edited by bullshark on Fri Feb 03, 2012 12:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
No, that wasn't me.
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- KVRAF
- 3390 posts since 7 Aug, 2008
Imagine being 20 feet in front of a pair of speakers.
Perhaps this is like moving the speakers closer together or further apart. It's a stereo signal, but the stereo image is different if the speakers are further apart. It feels "wider."
That could be a terrible example...but I think it gets at the idea.
Perhaps this is like moving the speakers closer together or further apart. It's a stereo signal, but the stereo image is different if the speakers are further apart. It feels "wider."
That could be a terrible example...but I think it gets at the idea.
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- KVRAF
- 1612 posts since 18 Feb, 2011 from Salt Lake City, Utah
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- KVRian
- 1056 posts since 2 Sep, 2010
I didn't know SW also had a section with such detailed technical explanations.ObiK wrote:I left some links on Stereo Enhancement on that thread on the IK forums.
Anyhow, that's exactly increasing (or decreasing, with negative values) the Side component of the signal.
It's quite easy to check:
1. Load a stereo track in your DAW
2. Load an instance of the IK comp
3. Load an instance of MSED (EDIT: actually, the order of the two is not relevant)
4. Mute the Mid and turn the st. enh. knob
5. Mute the Side (and activate the Mid, of course
) and turn the st. enh. knob-
- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 1894 posts since 19 Apr, 2006 from Montreal, Canada
Thanks guys, it's clear now. Also understand why I sometime liked it on a sub-mix(like a drum group for example), but on a complete mix not so much.
No, that wasn't me.
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- KVRAF
- 4720 posts since 26 Nov, 2015 from Way Downunder
Good question.
Most IK stuff operates in M/S so I would rather have the compressor operate independently on the mid and sides as enhancement - and stay away from straight-forward side channel volume increases. In the tiniest doses side channel volume boosts can sound deceptively good, but they are gauranteed to increase phase cancellation.
Don't see a huge point in having such a control on a compressor either.
OP: Check out iZo's free Ozone Imager, at least it keeps your mono solid.