User Manual

Table Of Contents
Table of Contents Ultrawave Multiband Processor User Guide
27
Compressor Module
The compressor can be switched “on” or “off per preset and per channel.
Mode: Toggles between a compressor, which sustains and reduces the dynamic range of your input
signal, and an expander, which increases the dynamic range of your input signal, and in extreme
cases, softens the attack. In expander mode, signals below the threshold get softer; if attack time is
very slow, the expander generates a slowly rising signal.
Location: Toggles between putting the compressor before or after the multiband processing. Pre-
Distortion is the traditional choice, while Post-Distortion produces a more drastic overall effect.
Input Gain: Adjusts the level of gain sent to the compressor. Increase for heightened sustain.
Threshold: Adjusts the decibel (dB) level at which compression is applied. A lower threshold means
that compression is applied at lower signal levels, meaning that less pick attack is needed to trigger
the compression. This point is called the “knee”. Any signal lower than the knee will not be
compressed, and any signal with a level higher than the knee will be compressed.
Ratio: Adjusts the severity of the compression applied to your signal. As you increase this knob, you
will see the line begin to flatten at the knee.
Attack: Adjusts how quickly the compression is applied to your signal after playing a note. For some
distortion mappings there may be a substantial transient at the attack; this can be suppressed with a
very fast attack in compressor mode.
Release: Adjusts how quickly the compression “lets go” of your signal after it has been applied.
Output Gain: Adjusts the level of gain after the compressor. Increase for heightened overall output.
In Pre-Distortion mode, this can help to drive the distortions even harder.
Mix: Acts as a clean blend between the dry and compressed signal. Fully counterclockwise is
completely cleanno compression. Fully clockwise is 100% compressed. Mixing dry signal back into
your compressed tone is what is known as “parallel compression”, and is often utilized in studios.
Soft Knee Width: When your signal approaches the point of compression at the threshold, the
transition can often sound abrupt. Soft Knee Width adds a smoothness to the knee to ease the
transition into compression, with higher values creating an increasingly more subtle feel.