Specifications

DigiRack Plug-ins Guide70
Attack
The Attack control sets the attack time, or the
rate at which gain is reduced after the input sig-
nal crosses the threshold.
The smaller the value, the faster the attack. The
faster the attack, the more rapidly the Compres-
sor/Limiter applies attenuation to the signal. If
you use fast attack times, you should generally
use a proportionally longer release time, partic-
ularly with material that contains many peaks
in close proximity.
This control ranges from 10 μs (fastest attack
time) to 300 ms (slowest attack time).
Release
The Release control sets the length of time it
takes for the Compressor/Limiter to be fully de-
activated after the input signal drops below the
threshold.
Release times should be set long enough that if
signal levels repeatedly rise above the threshold,
the gain reduction “recovers” smoothly. If the
release time is too short, the gain can rapidly
fluctuate as the compressor repeatedly tries to
recover from the gain reduction. If the release
time is too long, a loud section of the audio ma-
terial could cause gain reduction that continues
through soft sections of program material with-
out recovering.
This control ranges from 5 ms (fastest release
time) to 4 seconds (slowest release time).
Knee
The Knee control sets the rate at which the com-
pressor reaches full compression once the
threshold has been exceeded.
As you increase this control, it goes from apply-
ing “hard-knee” compression to “soft-knee”
compression:
• With hard-knee compression, compression
begins when the input signal exceeds the
threshold. This can sound abrupt and is ideal
for limiting.
• With soft-knee compression, gentle compres-
sion begins and increases gradually as the in-
put signal approaches the threshold, and
reaches full compression after exceeding the
threshold. This creates smoother compres-
sion.
For example, a Knee setting of 10 dB would be
the gain range over which the ratio gradually in-
creased to the set ratio amount.
The Gain Reduction meter displays light orange
while gain reduction has not exceeded the knee
setting, and switches to dark orange when gain
reduction reaches the full ratio.
This control ranges from 0 db (hardest response)
to 30 db (softest response).
Graph examples of hard and soft knee compression
Hard knee Soft knee