KVR Audio

hellhound · Post by **hellhound** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 1:41 am

Alright i'm looking at reducing dynamic range without actually changing the sound, ie i don't want any attack or release paramters, or anything that just clips the sound off at a point (producing a flat line on the waveform). Am i after a compressor or a limiter (soft or hard?)

The Chase · Post by **The Chase** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 1:49 am

Not having attack or release parameters will mean you will just have less control (the functions will still be in the plug, but set to fixed values instead).

However, it seems like a limiter would be the cake here. Try these:
http://www.kvraudio.com/get/1622.html
http://www.kvraudio.com/get/650.html
Not a limiter, but still great in getting things loud:
http://www.kvraudio.com/get/1229.html

Juanjo · Post by **Juanjo** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 1:52 am

Oh yeah, forgot good old W1 when answering the double post in this topic http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1678883

hellhound · Post by **hellhound** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 1:54 am

The Chase wrote:Not having attack or release parameters will mean you will just have less control (the functions will still be in the plug, but set to fixed values instead).

However, it seems like a limiter would be the cake here. Try these:
http://www.kvraudio.com/get/1622.html
http://www.kvraudio.com/get/650.html
Not a limiter, but still great in getting things loud:
http://www.kvraudio.com/get/1229.html

sorry i meant, release/attack parameters that you can set to 0.

keyman_sam · Post by **keyman_sam** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 1:59 am

ok, i read your question again. I think what you need is a limiter.

hellhound · Post by **hellhound** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 2:18 am

Cheers guys

PeterL · Post by **PeterL** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 5:34 am

If you are hunting for free, this is also not bad:
http://www.kvraudio.com/get/1649.html

Jason Brian Merrill · Post by **Jason Brian Merrill** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 5:42 am

hellhound wrote:Alright i'm looking at reducing dynamic range without actually changing the sound, ie i don't want any attack or release paramters, or anything that just clips the sound off at a point (producing a flat line on the waveform). Am i after a compressor or a limiter (soft or hard?)

If it clips off the sound at a point producing a flat line, it will sound like digital distortion. You need something to smooth it out, even slightly.

bmanic · Post by **bmanic** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 5:53 am

If a limiter seems to be the wrong choise I would highly recommend Voxengo Polysquasher. In "mode 1" it is extremely transparent, even when compressing quite a lot.

Cheers!
bManic

The Chase · Post by **The Chase** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 5:54 am

I think GVST GClip is called for here:
http://www.kvraudio.com/get/1348.html

bduffy · Post by **bduffy** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 6:22 am

The Chase wrote:I think GVST GClip is called for here:
http://www.kvraudio.com/get/1348.html

Oh! You beat me! Actually, I'd recommend GVST GComp too, as it's easy to see exactly what your doing to the waveform, and you can just leave the attack/release alone if you like. It offers soft/hard knee also.

And TbT 's free Tube Limiter has a great set-it-and-forget-it peak limiting preset. Grab all his plugs, he has many limiters to choose from, specializing in drum compression.

Lunch Money · Post by **Lunch Money** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 6:36 am

George Yohng's W1 Limiter is my go-to for this kind of stuff. You have to be at a truly sick threshold before artifacts begin to appear.

Greg

Slacknote · Post by **Slacknote** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 11:45 am

Lunch Money wrote:George Yohng's W1 Limiter is my go-to for this kind of stuff. You have to be at a truly sick threshold before artifacts begin to appear.

Greg

Thanks for the tip mate, this one is really good!

scuzzphut · Post by **scuzzphut** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 12:46 pm

Lunch Money wrote:George Yohng's W1 Limiter is my go-to for this kind of stuff. You have to be at a truly sick threshold before artifacts begin to appear.

Greg

I agree wholeheartedly - although I prefer the original to the remix

a great limiter indeed

Music Engineer · Post by **Music Engineer** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 5:35 pm

hellhound wrote:Alright i'm looking at reducing dynamic range without actually changing the sound, ie i don't want any attack or release paramters, or anything that just clips the sound off at a point (producing a flat line on the waveform). Am i after a compressor or a limiter (soft or hard?)

attack=zero, release=zero -> output depends only on the instant input, so there no dynamic behaviuor (that is, we are dealing with a memoryless system here - and the only thing, such a system can do, is mapping input amplitudes to output amplitudes -> waveshaping)

and no flat line - i guess you are talking about a soft-clipper/waveshaper

...but this will definately change the sound - as we are in realm of distortion now. in fact, the dividing line between dynamics and waveshaping/distortion is when the time-constants approach zero.

edit: btw: my compressor freebie allows time constants of zero; together with the softknee characteristic, it mutates into a soft-clipper - but i guess soft-clipping is easier to to with actual waveshapers

Compressor/Limiter