DBX goRack [16/31] Compressor

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Compressor

A compressor is used to compress the dynamic range of the audio signal, bringing up the softer portions of the signal and

lowering the louder ones. In live sound applications, it is common to compress the audio at different stages in the signal chain.

For example, you may apply compression to individual instruments using the mixer’s channel inserts. It is also common practice

to apply compression to a group of instruments using the mixer’s bus or group inserts. You can also apply a final stage of

compression to the entire mix (commonly referred to as mixbus compression) in order to add some additional “body” and “glue”

Typically, a compressor has two, three, or more parameters to adjust, making them difficult to set for the novice user. The

most common parameters on a compressor are the threshold, ratio, and makeup gain. The threshold sets the level at which

compression will occur, the ratio sets how much compression will occur once the threshold is exceeded, and the makeup

gain raises the output level to compensate for level lost due to compression. Oftentimes, there will also be attack and release

controls for adjusting how quickly the compressor will react and release its compression.

Compressors also have a knee, which affects the transition in and out of compression. A compressor’s knee can be hard, soft,

or selectable between the two. A hard-knee compressor provides a more aggressively compressed sound, whereas a soft-knee

compressor will typically sound more gentle and smooth; OverEasy™ is the term used for dbx soft-knee compressors.

The compressor in the goRack is modeled after the classic dbx 163 analog compressor line. It is a soft-knee (OverEasy)

compressor with a fixed ratio of infinity:1, program-dependent auto attack and release times, and one parameter which affects

compression.

To use the Compressor: