Specifications

5
Operating Manual - CLX-52 and CLX-51 Compressor/Limiter
A unique feature of Ashly Compressor/Limiters
is the incorporation of a double release-time constant.
When a conventional compressor/limiter is adjusted for
slow release times, transients such as mic “pops” may
cause a severe reduction in gain followed by a slow fade-
up, making the action of the limiter very obvious. With
the double time constant, release from gain reduction af-
ter a brief transient is always fast, with a slower release
after a sustained overdrive.
5.6 OUTPUT LEVEL
Output Level control is provided to fully cut or
restore up to 18 dB of system gain. For unity gain, set
the control to 0. NOTE: When the unit is in the BYPASS
mode the Output control still functions.
5.7 IN/OUT SWITCH
This switch enables you to quickly hear the CLX
compressor/limiter in or out of the audio chain. When the
switch is in the OUT position, all limiting and compres-
sion controls and functions are bypassed, with the excep-
tion of the Gain and Output controls, which continue to
function as straightforward level controls.
5.8 STEREO TIE SWITCH
This switch allows for Gain Reduction on a ste-
reo signal with no degradation of the stereo image. When
pressed in, the Stereo Tie Switch combines each
channel's internal detector outputs so that the channel
with the loudest signal will determine the action ap-
plied to both channels. Leave this switch out for normal
operation.
.5
.2 20 .1
1
1.5
2
3
4
5
10
15
.2
.5
1
2
32
∞∞
2.5
3
5
7
10
20
30
mS SecdBdB dB
+22-40+15 ∞ ∞ +20
+15
+10
+6
+3
0
-3
-6
-10
-20
-
+20
+10
+6
+3
0
-3
-6
-10
-20
+6
+3
0
Gain Threshold Ratio Attack Release Output Level In
2Th. 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 -15-18 -12 -9 -6 -3 0 +3 +6 +9 +20
Output
Input
Power
Gain Reduction (dB) Input/Output Level (dB) Clip
Model CLX-52
Dual Channel
Comp/Limiter
Channel 2
5.9 THRESHOLD/GAIN REDUCTION DISPLAY
As soon as the threshold level is reached, the yel-
low LED illuminates. Depending on how far the input
level rises above threshold, successive red LED’s will il-
luminate, indicating gain reduction. Gain Reduction can
best be described as the difference between input level
and the resulting change to output level. For signals
below threshold, there will of course be no gain reduc-
tion, that is, a 10dB increase in input will yield a 10dB
increase in output. For signals above threshold however,
output level will increase only to the extent that the ratio
control allows. With a high ratio, say 20 or so, it will take
20dB of increased input level to increase output level by
1dB. With a gentler ratio of 3:1, input signals above
threshold will be “gain-reduced” at the output by 1/3. In
other words, with threshold set at 0dB, a signal peak at
+12 dBV that is 3:1 compressed (ratio at 3) will produce
only +4 dB (12÷3) at the output, and 8 dB of gain reduc-
tion has occurred (12 dBV input minus 4 dBV output=8
dB reduction.)
5.10 INPUT/OUTPUT METER SELECT
While the Gain Reduction display accurately rep-
resents the action of the limiter, comparing input to out-
put levels in real time is somewhat more intuitive, and is
made simple using the Input/Output Meter Select switch.
The Input meter takes its signal just after the Gain con-
trol, and will indicate input signal level regardless of CLX
output levels or limiter settings. The output meter dis-
play takes its signal from the actual output of the unit, so
every control that affects the output will also have an ef-
fect on output meters. Used in conjunction with the gain
reduction meters, Input/Output meters prove to be an ex-
tremely useful diagnostic tool when working with system
dynamics and level control.